Kozuka
ca. 1750-1800 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This handle for a scabbard knife is called a kozuka. It is made of shibuichi, an alloy of copper and silver which is normally patinated to give a wide variety of colours from silver to brown as well as a range of greys. This example is decorated with gold low relief and engraving which depicts the front view of a tiger.
It has been signed "Hamano Masayuki, aged 70".
It has been signed "Hamano Masayuki, aged 70".
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | copper-silver alloy (<i>shibuichi</i>) with gold low relief and engraving |
Brief description | Handle (kozuka) for a scabbard-knife, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi) with gold low relief and engraving depicting front view of a tiger, signed Hamano Masayuki aged 70, Hamano school, Japan, ca. 1750-1800 |
Physical description | Handle (kozuka) for a scabbard-knife, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi) with gold low relief and engraving depicting front view of a tiger, signed Hamano Masayuki aged 70 |
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | signed Hamano Masayuki aged 70 |
Gallery label | Skewers, utility knives and handles (kōgai, kogatana and kozuka)
The scabbards of some swords had slots into which small skewers (kōgai) and knives (kogatana) fitted. The handles of the knives are called kozuka. Holes in the sword guard allowed the skewers and knives to slide in and out of the scabbard without the sword being drawn. The skewers were used by samurai to arrange their hair and clean their ears. Some were bifurcated and could be used as chopsticks. The skewers and knife handles were usually made from patinated copper alloy and often decorated with matching designs.
(04/11/2015) |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | This handle for a scabbard knife is called a kozuka. It is made of shibuichi, an alloy of copper and silver which is normally patinated to give a wide variety of colours from silver to brown as well as a range of greys. This example is decorated with gold low relief and engraving which depicts the front view of a tiger. It has been signed "Hamano Masayuki, aged 70". |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.118-1936 |
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Record created | March 2, 2009 |
Record URL |
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