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Japan: Courts and Culture: The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace
This exhibition is in the past. View our current exhibitions.
JAPAN

Dagger (tantō) and scabbard

dagger, c.1500; fittings, c.1868-71

Steel, lacquered wood, gold, ray skin, silk | 27.7 cm (blade length) | RCIN 62631

The Emperor Meiji had many ancient blades, some as old as the Nara period (710–794), lavishly remounted for diplomatic gifts. He is said to have designed the fittings for this knife (tantō) himself. The flowering cherry blossoms on the scabbard are the finest quality gold makie (sprinkled) lacquer.
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