Knife Handle (Kozuka)
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Copper, gold, silver, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), copper-gold alloy (shakudō)
Dimensions
L. 3 13/16 in. (9.7 cm); W. 9/16 in. (1.4 cm); thickness 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 1.2 oz. (34 g)
Classification
Sword Furniture-Kozuka
Culture
Japanese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of a Trustee of the Museum, 1917
Accession Number
17.208.44
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Kozuka*, or knife handle, is a fine example of 19th-century Japanese sword furniture the Arms and Armor tradition. Crafted for the small utility knife carried alongside a samurai's katana in the scabbard, it measures just under 4 inches long, perfectly sized for practicality and concealment. Dating to Japan's late Edo or early Meiji period, such fittings blended functionality with artistry, reflecting the samurai class's emphasis on refined craftsmanship even in weapons. The handle showcases masterful metalworking with copper, gold, silver, shibuichi (a copper-silver alloy wit...