Sword Pommel (Kashira)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Iron, gold, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi)
Dimensions
H. 1 5/16 in. (3.3 cm); Wt. 0.4 oz. (11.3 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Fuchi-Kashira
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Bashford Dean, 1919
Accession Number
19.154.110
Art Historical Context
This delicate Sword Pommel, or *kashira*, hails from Japan's Edo period (ca.1615–1868), a time of relative peace under the Tokug shogunate when samurai culture emphasized refinement over warfare. As part of a sword's hilt fittings—often paired with a matching *fuchi*—the *kashira* capped the pommel, securing the handle while serving as a canvas for artistry. These small objects (just 1 5/16 inches high weighing a mere 0.4 oz.) transformed functional weapons into symbols of status and aesthetic sophistication. Crafted from iron inlaid with gold and *shibuichi* (a copper-silver alloy known for ...