Knife Handle (Kozuka)
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silver, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold
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
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1919
Accession Number
19.59.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 18th-century Japanesekozuka*, or knife handle, is a masterful example of Edo-period sword furniture, designed to sheath a small utility knife alongside a samurai's katana.ed during a time of relative peace when martial arts blended seamlessly with artistic refinement, such fittings transformed functional weapons into wearable sculptures. Measuring just under 4 inches long, this lightweight piece (1.3 oz.) would have been tucked into the scabbard, showcasing the owner's taste and status. The handle gleams with silver, shakudō—a copper-gold alloy patinated to a rich black hue—and...