Ito-maki-no tachi scabbard decorated in gold nashiji lacquer with kiri-mon and karakusa scrolling. The metal fittings are all by the Goto school and are of shakudo inlaid with gold. The section of the scabbard near the suspension cords is wrapped with silk brocades to prevent the expensive lacquer from being abrade when the sword is worn with full armour. This mounting, for a fourteenth century sword, was probably assembled around 1850. [September 2001]
Long sword (tachi) with scabbard in wrapped cord (ito-maki) style
Blade about 1400; scabbard and fittings 1750–1800
Long tachi swords with deeply curved blades were used principally when fighting from horseback. They were worn with the cutting edge facing downwards. The flat silk cord that is wrapped around part of the scabbard prevented abrasion of the lacquer surface when the sword was worn with armour. This blade was slightly shortened when it was remounted in the 18th century.
Blade signed ‘Morimitsu of Osafune in Bizen’
Steel blade; lacquered wood scabbard; patinated copper alloy fittings with gold inlay
Gift of Ethel, Lady MacDonald
Museum no. M.139-1929
[04/11/2015]Itomaki tachi scabbard, ca.1850Itomaki tachi scabbard decorated in gold nashiji lacquer with kiri-mon and karakusa scrolling. The metal fittings are all by the Goto school and are of shakudo inlaid with gold. The section of the scabbard near the suspension cords is wrapped with silk brocades to prevent the expensive lacquer from being abraded when the sword is worn with full armour.This <i>ito-maki-no tachi</i> has the scabbard decorated in gold <i>nashiji</i> lacquer with <i>kiri-mon</i> and <i>karakusa</i> scrolling. The metal fittings are all of the Goto School of shakudo, and inlaid with gold. Silk brocades in the style known as ‘ito-maki’ are wrapped round the section of the scabbard near the suspension cords. When the sword was worn with full armour, this helped to prevent the expensive lacquer from being abraded.
This mounting was made for a 14th century sword. It was probably assembled about 1850. The <i>tachi</i> blade itself is signed ‘Bishu Osafune Morimitsu’ (Morimitsu of Osafune in Bizen) and dates from the late 14th century. The blade has been shortened considerably, perhaps by as much as 10 centimetres. It has a strong <i>gunome choji-hamon</i>.
Sir Claude MacDonald was British Ambassador to Japan from 1905 to 1912. He had a particular interest in swords. According to V&A records, this blade was given to him by ‘Prince Katsura’. Sir Claude’s widow, Lady Ethel MacDonald, gave the V&A four splendid swords.