Pair of Sword-Grip Ornaments (Menuki)
Unknown Artist
late 16th–early 17th century
Medium
Gold
Dimensions
Menuki (a); L. 7/8 in. (2.2 cm); Wt. 0.2 oz. (5.7 g); menuki (b); L. 1 in. (2.5 cm); Wt. 0.2 oz. (5.7 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Menuki
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1938
Accession Number
38.55.35a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Arms Armor department, this exquisite pair of gold menukisword-grip ornaments—dates to Japan's late 16th to 17th century, a transitional era from the turbulent Muromachi period to the stable Edo shogunate. Menuki were essential components of samurai sword fittings, tucked beneath the silk wrapping of the hilt (tsuka) to the grip while serving as subtle displays of status and artistry. Crafted from pure gold, these small treasures (one 7/8 inch long, the other 1 inch, each weighing just 0.2 ounces) exemplify the meticulous metalworking of Japanese swo...