Katana, scabbard with ribbed carving decorated in black lacquer

Japanese Collection

Accession Nr.: 51.804.1-2
Type: weapons and armament; metalwork; lacquers
Date of production:
First half of the 19th century
Edo (Tokugawa) period
Place of production:
Materials/Techniques: steel, wood, lacquer, rayskin wrapped with hemp-yarn
Dimensions: length: 92.5 cm
From the 16th century, the samurai had the exclusive right to carry a sword. The swords the samurai wore as their prerogative were not mere decorations but could be used on the common people. The samurai wore two swords thrust through the belt, edges up: the longer katana and the shorter wakizashi. Source: Fajcsák Györgyi (ed.): Japán vörös és fekete. Hagyományos japán viselet és kortárs magyar ékszerek / Japanese 'Rouge et Noir'. Traditional Japanese Wear and Traditional Hungarian Jewellery. Budapest, Iparművészeti Múzeum, 2013.