Knife Handle (Kozuka)
Unknown Artist
second half 18th century
Medium
Copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), gold, copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
Dimensions
L. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm); W. 9/16 in. (1.4 cm); thickness 1/4 in. (0.6 cm); Wt. 1.3 oz. (36.9 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Kozuka
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936
Accession Number
36.120.293
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Kozuka*, or knife handle, hails from Japan in the second half of the 18 century, during the Edo when samurai culture flourished. As part of a sword's fittings, it served both practical and ornamental purposes, sliding into a scabbard pocket for a small utility knife. These fittings transformed weapons into wearable art, showcasing the wearer's status and appreciation for craftsmanship amid Japan's peaceful yet hierarchical society. Crafted from shibuichi—a copper-silver alloy prized for its subtle, smoky patina—along with shimmering gold and shakudō (a copper-gold alloy that d...