Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)

blade, 17th century; mounting, late 18th–19th century

Not on view

A wakizashi is a short sword with a blade between 30 and 60 cm long, usually worn in tandem with a full-length sword (katana). Wakizashi were fashionable in the Muromachi period (1392–1573) and later.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Provenance

Title: Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Date: blade, 17th century; mounting, late 18th–19th century
Geography: Fukui Prefecture
Culture: Japanese
Medium: Steel, wood, lacquer, rayskin (samé), thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold, copper
Dimensions: L. 18 1/8 in. (46.1 cm); L. of blade 17 1/16 in. (43.3 cm); L. of cutting edge 12 1/4 in. (31.2 cm); D. of curvature 1/8 in. (0.3 cm)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Object Number: 91.1.876
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Blade for a Short Sword (Wakizashi), Yoshitane Japanese, Steel, lacquer, Japanese — Blade for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yoshitane
Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yoshifusa
17th century

Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi), Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (samé), thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper, gold, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), iron, Japanese — Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Swordsmith Blade inscribed by Yokoyama Kōzukedaijō Sukesada
Fittings maker Fittings inscribed by 乙柳軒政信 Otsuryūken Masanobu
blade, late 17th century; mounting, 19th century

Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), Bamen Tomotsugu Japanese, Iron, lacquer, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), silver, silk, horse hair, ivory, Japanese, Toyohara, Echizen province — Armor (*Gusoku*)
Armorer Helmet signed by Bamen Tomotsugu
18th century

Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi), Yasumitsu Japanese, Steel, wood, lacquer, ray skin (samé); thread, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), Japanese — Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi)
Swordsmith Blade attributed to Yasumitsu
Fittings maker Mounting by Iwamoto Konkan
blade, 15th century; mounting, late 18th century

Helmet (<i>Zukinnari Kabuto</i>), Iron, lacquer, Japanese — Helmet (*Zukinnari Kabuto*)
Japanese
16th century

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