Knife Handle (Kozuka)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1615–1868
Medium
Copper-gold alloy (shakudō), gold, silver
Dimensions
L. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm); W. 9/16 in. (1.4 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 1 oz. (28.3 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Kozuka
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.1111
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Kozuka*, or knife handle, hails from Japan during the Edo period (ca 1615–1868), a time when samurai culture flourished and everyday weapons became canvases for artistic mastery. As part of sword furniture, the kozuka was the handle for a small utility knife tucked into the scabbard alongside a warrior's katana. Measuring just under 4 inches long, this compact piece exemplifies the Japanese tradition of transforming functional objects into symbols of refinement and status. Crafted from shakudō—a copper-gold alloy prized for its deep, velvety black patina when chemically treate...