Maritiem Digitaal
collectie zoeksyteem van de maritieme musea
geen titel
titel | geen titel
|
---|
inventarisnummer | WPN1299
|
---|
collectie | Edged Weapons
|
---|
museum | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
|
---|
datum | 1900-1950
|
---|
omschrijving | Japanese dirk- the hilt of the dirk consists of a gilt brass pommel- which is cap-shaped and is decorated with an embossed design of a cherry flower. A small gilt ferrule is fitted at the top of the pommel and adjoins the simple gilded brass cross-guard. The cross-guard has slightly inversed ends. The wooden grip is covered with white fish-skin probably ray-skin- and is spirally bound with three gilt wires. The grip tapers towards the bottom and the narrow cap-shaped pommel. The grip is secured to the tang by a small bamboo rod 61mm from the pommel. The number '5' is stamped on the tang.
The steel blade is very slightly curved and single-edged- with the edge curving sharply near the point- although not as sharply as classical Japanese weapons. A brass collar (habaki) is fitted over the shoulder and there is a faint fuller 140mm long running near the back edge on each side. There are no engravings on the obverse or reverse of the blade- although there are faint traces of 'watering'. The wooden scabbard is covered with dark brown leather- which is sewn down the reverse side. The gilt top locket- is fitted with a suspension ring on each side- and is decorated with cherry blossoms and has a trefoil shape cut-out on each side. The gilt chape is decorated in a similar manner and has the same cut-out shape. The scabbard is far longer than the blade warrants.
Although this weapon is not made in the Japanese tradition of sword design- it bears many similar features- which illustrate its origins. The cherry flower motif is the same as that appearing on service swords - the cherry being auspicious and widely used as a decorative form. This is a factory-produced weapon- which compares favourably with similar articles in the West. It seems likely that most Japanese Officers could wear dirks from about the time of the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905) onwards.
|
---|
afmetingen | Overall: 229 x 19 mm
|
---|
Commentaar van bezoekers