{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O199618"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O199618/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC9331/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BC9331/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BC9331","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JT7627","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O199618/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O199618","accessionNumber":"M.20:1-1949","objectType":"Sword, scabbard and tsuba","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The long sword, or <i>katana</i>, has a plain ridged blade with a small irregular tempered edge.  This technique is called <i>ko midare</i>.  The surface of the blade is covered in <i>mokume</i> making it resemble pronounced wood grain.  The sword's hand guard, the <i>tsuba</i>, is decorated with a design of a magic fox at moonlight using dark <i>shibuichi</i>, an alloy of copper and silver normally patinated to give a wide variety of colours. The <i>fuchi-kashira</i>, the pommel and collar of the hilt, also have <i>shibuichi</i> decoration, this time depicting oxen amid flowers.\r\n\r\nThe sword's scabbard is of black lacquer decorated with conventional cloud forms.  The scabbard's chape, which the Japanese call a <i>kojiri</i>,  is made of shibuichi and has been engraved to depict the figure of Tai-shun, digging, assisted by an elephant.\r\n\r\nThe fittings of this sword are of very high quality and have mostly been signed by well-known masters active around 1800.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006BC9331","2017JT7627"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"45","id":"THES49801"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"45","id":"THES49801"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"45","id":"THES49801"},"free":"","case":"CA001","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sword","id":""}],[{"text":"Scabbard","id":""}],[{"text":"Tsuba","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1850","earliest":"1845-01-01","latest":"1854-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"96.52","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sword, scabbard and tsuba, lacquered wood, ray fish skin and silk; metal fittings of shibuchi, shakudo, gold, silver and copper, mostly signed by well-known masters active around 1800, Japan","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Pair of long and short swords (daishō)\r\nBlades 1500–1600 and 1600–1700; scabbards and fittings 1750–1850\r\n\r\nThese early blades were remounted with new scabbards and hilts in the mid 19th century. The scabbards are subtly decorated with stylised clouds in glossy black on a matt black lacquer ground. Many of the metal fittings are of very high quality and signed by eminent makers of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.\r\n\r\nSteel blades; lacquered wood scabbards; hilts bound with rayskin and silk; patinated copper alloy, gold and silver fittings\r\nW.J. Alt Bequest\r\nMuseum nos. M.20, 21-1949\r\n","date":{"text":"04/11/2015","earliest":"2015-11-04","latest":"2015-11-04"}}],"partNumbers":["M.20:1-1949","M.20:2-1949","M.20:3-1949"],"accessionNumberNum":"20","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1949,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Sword","Scabbard","Tsuba"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2009-03-16","availableToBook":false}}