Page 278 - JAPAN THE SHAPING OFDAIMYO CULTURE 1185-1868

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white stubble of the skin is exposed; rings spiraling stripes of red lacquer and silver 164-169), as in this pair of daisho goshirae
are engraved on the section near the tsubd, plate. The sheath opening, the ring and (cat. 187). High-relief menuki in the form
or sword guard. The tip of the sheath, hook to which the tying cord is fastened, of mandarin oranges (tachibana), the fam-
made of iron, tapers like "the bottom of a and the tip are made of black-lacquered ily crest of the li, are placed on the red-
boat." The round tsuba, also made of iron, horn. lacquered rayskin-covered hilts, which are
is decorated right and left with elegant On the brass tsuba is a large openwork then wrapped with black silk cord. The
openwork of silhouetted butterflies. This moon; in the bottom half, in gold and cop- kashira (pommels) are made of undeco-
dignified and subtly detailed mounting per, stands Zhang Guolao, the Chinese rated silver; the fuchi (collars at the blade
conveys well the taste of the cultivated Daoist immortal of the Tang Dynasty who end of the hilts) are made of brass and in-
Sansai. HY was said to have traveled immense dis- set with the mandarin orange crest in sha-
tances on a white mule, which he kept in a kudd. The rounded tips of both sheaths
190 Katana mounting gourd, at his waist, when not needed. are also made of silver, fashioned with a
wood, lacquer, rayskin, sharkskin, The metal fittings are by Tsuchiya scroll motif. Red lacquer is applied to the
rattan, gold, copper, brass, shakudd Yasuchika (cats. 210, 211). HY sheaths so as to look like cord wrapped
shell, horn diagonally. The tsuba are made of HY
length 96 (37 3/ 4) 191 Set of daishd mountings shakudd.
Edo period, mid-i8th century wood, rayskin, silk, lacquer, 192 Set of daishd mountings
Sword Museum, Tokyo shakudd, gold, silver, brass, horn
length top, 101 (393/4); bottom, 63.8 wood, rayskin, silk, lacquer, iron, gold,
The hilt, covered with white rayskin, is (2 51/8) horn
wrapped in brown-lacquered rattan. The Momoyama period, iyth century length top 105.8 (415/3); bottom 79.5
(31'A)
menuki, copper with gold details, take the li Naoyoshi Collection,
form of a horse. The kashira (pommel) and Shiga Prefecture Edo period, i8th century
the fuchi (metal collar at the blade end of li Naoyoshi Collection,
the hilt) are made of brass with a paulow- li Naomasa (1561-1602), a close ally of To- Shiga Prefecture
nia design in gold, shakudd, and shell. The kugawa leyasu, was famous for the red-
sheath is covered with what appears to be lacquered armor and swords that he wore On both swords, large and small, the hilts
black-lacquered sharkskin, upon which are to battle; this style was carried on by sub- are covered with white rayskin etched
sequent generations of the li clan (cats.

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