金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)

Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo Japanese

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 380

This dagger (tantō) is one of the finest works by Miyata Nobukiyo (宮田信清, 1817–1884), who was born the son of a samurai in Kyōto, but was adopted into the family of a Shintō priest at the age of fifteen. One year after his adoption, he began an apprenticeship with the illustrious Gotō family of sword-fitting makers and established his own workshop in Edo (Tokyo) in 1843. Nobukiyo made the solid-gold fittings decorated with matching autumnal grasses in relief as well as the ceremonial silver blade.The latter is engraved on both sides with temple guardians (Niō) and lines from the Lotus Sutra.

金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese

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Overall; Obverse

金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese
金魚子地秋草図金具合口拵・付銀刀 Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (<i>Tantō</i>), Fittings and blade by 宮田信清 Miyata Nobukiyo (Japanese, Kyōto 1817–1884 Edo (present-day Tokyo)), Steel, silver, copper, copper-gold alloy (<i>shakudō</i>), gold, ray skin (<i>same</i>), baleen, lacquer, Japanese

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