SWORD,JAPANESE, TANTO, KWAIKAN

W1970.932

Black/Green Mother Of Pearl Lacquer Scabbard
Blade Type: TANTO
Mei: mumei
Nagasa: 16.5 cm
Sori: 3.0 cm, tori slightly saki zori
Sugata: hira tsukuri, iori mune
Nakago: 6.7 cm, one mekugi ana, ubu
Hada: tight masame/itame
Hamon: wide sanbonsugi/gonome

Date: 17th century

This is an example of the Mino Seki school

Koshirae
Type: KWAIKEN
Saya: mijingai nuri in black lacquer over wood
Tsuka: en suite with scabbard
Overall length: 25.4 cm

Date: 19th century

Kwaiken are a style of Japanese dagger usually carried by women for self-defence. The fittings are not usually as elaborate as those found on daggers carried by men.

Ref; TROTTER George, Japanese Swords and Fittings in the Western Australian Museum, Western Australian Museum, Perth 1989, No.23 ,
page 33

Department: 

History Department

Collection

History Collection

Collection Item Data

Accession Number: W1970.932
Accession Date: 19 Apr 1967

Material

Mother of Pearl/Shell0 - Whole
Lacquer/Wood

Measurement

length254mm
length165mmnagasa
length67mmnakago [ tang that fits into the hilt]

 

 

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Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/content/W1970.932
Accessed 14 May 2025

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