A LACQUER KATANA-ZUTSU

Details

A LACQUER KATANA-ZUTSU
EDO PERIOD (18TH CENTURY)

The lacquer sword case decorated with sixteen cut-gold foil Aoi (hollyhock) crests of the Tokugawa family, on a 'pear-skin' pattern (nashiji) ground; the interior lacquered black and the silver clasp and pin decorated in cardlines of consistent depth (kebori) and 'cod roe' pattern (nanako) with a floral mon--length 122cm., width at center opening 12.5cm.

Literature

One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 100.
Compton, Sato, Homma and Ogawa (l976), pl. ZXVII, p. 116.

Exhibited

Compton, Sato, Homma and Ogawa (l976), pl. ZXVII, p. 116.

Lot Essay

Traveling cases of this type were used to protect swords when traversing the open road. A retainer would be employed to carry his master's sword in the procession that would follow a daimyo whenever he had to travel on official business.