06/09/2020 kozuka; kogai (wari) | British Museum

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kozuka; kogai (wari)

Object Type

kozuka
kogai (wari)

Museum number

1958,0730.46.c

Description

Kozuka; kogai (wari). Part of wakizashi mounting. Chrysanthemums in trellises in gold high-
relief inlay on shakudo nanako ground. Made of overlaid copper.

Cultures/periods

Edo Period

Production date

17thC-18thC

Production place

Made in: Japan

Asia: Japan

Materials

copper
gold
shakudo

Technique

high relief
inlaid
nanako
overlaid

Curator's comments

Smith et al 1990

The 'wakizashi' (companion sword) is worn at all times when indoors, and outdoors when the
longer 'katana' is also carried. This example is broad-bladed in Momoyama style, with a gently
undulating 'hamon' of 'nie'. It is decorated with a single groove on one side, and a stylised 'ken'
(double-edged ritual sword in esoteric Buddhism) on the other.
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Harris 2005

This blade is 'kawarigata zukuri' (literally 'of unusual shape'). The 'omote' is 'hira zukuri', and on
the 'ura' the 'shinogi ji' slopes down to the centre of the 'mune' from the upper part of the blade,
so that the shape resembles a 'naginata'. The blade has been very slightly shortened and the
almost unmodified tang has two holes with 'katte… View more

Bibliographic references

Smith et al 1990 / Japanese Art: Masterpieces in the British Museum (72)

Smith & Harris 1982 / Japanese Decorative Arts from the 17th to the 19th Centuries (20)
Harris 2005 / Cutting Edge: Japanese Swords in the British Museum (19, B&W pl. 19, col. pls
19-20)

Location

On display (G93/dc10)

Exhibition history

Exhibited:

2006 Oct 13-, BM Japanese Galleries, 'Japan from prehistory to the present'

Subjects

arms/armour

Acquisition name

Bequeathed by: Robert Wylie Lloyd

Acquisition date

1958

Department

Asia

Registration number

1958,0730.46.c

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