Collection
Mountings for Matched Set of Long and Short Swords: Black-lacquered Scabbards
| Mountings for Matched Set of Long and Short Swords: Black-lacquered Scabbards |
| Total lengths: long sword 106.0 cm, short sword 63.8 cm; Momoyama period, late 16th century; Gift of the Ii Family |
These mountings were designed for a set of katana and wakizashi swords owned by first daimyo Naomasa. The handle is wound with lacquer-coated sharkskin and bound with braid. The sword guard (tsuba) is decorated with raised images of the tachibana citrus crest of the Ii family on a fish-roe ground (nanakoji). Fine engraving craftsmanship, also using a fish-roe ground, can be seen in the metal fittings for the handle ornaments (menuki), the hilt collar (fuchi), the butt cap at the end of the handle (kashira), and the end of the scabbard (kojiri).
