紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)

紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)

重武 Shigetake

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The mounting features a scabbard lacquered to resemble tree bark and decorated with maple leaves and an ornament in the shape of a cicada. With a snail that forms the cord knob (kurigata) and snakes as hilt ornaments (menuki), it is likely that the design refers to a popular East Asian hand game (Japanese: san-sukumi ken, 三すくみ拳) that was introduced to the West as Rock Paper Scissors. The third element would be a frog. In China, the snail is replaced by a centipede, which, interestingly, appears on the sword guard (tsuba) here. The maker of the blade, Shigetake (重武), was active in Edo during the 18th century, but the lineage to which he belonged is unclear.


Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)紅葉蒔絵鞘脇指拵 Mounting for a Short Sword (<i>Wakizashi</i>)

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.