SWORD, JAPANESE, SHOTO, HANDACHI

W1970.919a-b

Blade Type: SHOTO
Mei: Omote: YOSHIMITSU. Ura: TERUYOSHI SAKU
Nagasa: 50.5 cm
Sori: 1.5 cm, torii
Sugata: shinogi tsukuri
Nakago: 16.4 cm
Kissaki: o
Hada: masame/itame
Hamon: unclear due to over-polishing
Horimono: Omote: bo-hi

Date: mid-19th century

This Sagami style wakizashi blade is the companion shoto of W917. It may be a dual effort by the two swordsmiths, Teruyoshi and Yoshimitsu. Swordsmiths of these names lived in Tatebayashi village, in Kozuke Province. A Teruyoshi is listed there c. 1860. Because Teruyoshi has ‘Saku’ inscribed after his name, he could be considered the senior smith in this partnership.

Koshirae
Type: HANDACHI
Saya: black lacquer over wood, gilt/shakudo metal ishi dzuki with two owls in a tree. Kodzuka not original
Tsuka: same bound with gold-coloured silk
Fuchi/kabuto gane: shakudo birds, flowers and grasshoppers
Tsuka ai: en suite
Tsuba: shakudo, of mokko shape, carved inlaid and overlaid with morning glory vine, cock and hen. Obverse decorated with seated woman; reverse, with tortoise, bird and water plantain.

Dimensions: 7.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 cm

Overall length: 76.0 cm

Ref; TROTTER George, Japanese Swords and Fittings in the Western Australian Museum, Western Australian Museum, Perth 1989, No.41 ,
page 55

Department:

History Department

Collection

History Collection

Collection Item Data

Accession Number:	W1970.919a-b
Accession Date:	18 Apr 1967

Material

Lacquer/Wood	b - scabbard

Gilt	b - scabbard

Copper Alloy/Metal	b - scabbard

Skin	a - sword

Silk/Textile	a - sword

Measurement

length	720mm

length	491mm	nagasa

length	134mm	nakago

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Enquiries can be emailed to reception@museum.wa.gov.au

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Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/content/W1970.919a-b
Accessed 19 Aug 2024

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