Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This mounting for a dagger (tantō) featured a silver-clad scabbard and hilt which show a design of fish and turtles moving on top of waves, with a catfish peeking through an opening at the end of the pomel. The maker, Takamoto Hidemune (高本秀宗, 1819–1887) was a student of Tanaka Kiyotoshi (田中着寿, 1804–1876), a self-taught Edo-based rtist who went on to establish one of the largest and most mportant schools of sword-fitting making in Japanese hstory.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art