Kinai Nanadai (active Echizen, 19th century)
Sword and Scabbard, early 19th century
Steel blade with shark skin handle, silk cord, and lacquer scabbard , 106 cm (41 3/4 in.)
General admission for children 17 years and under is always free
This sword and scabbard are displayed on a two-part black rack. The sword rests on the back part of the rack, with the point to our left and the hilt, or handle, to our right. The steel blade is long, slender, and slightly curved. The steel guard is engraved with the Japanese word “Kinai”. The handle is made of white sharkskin. Over the sharkskin is blue fabric with diamond cutouts to reveal the sharkskin underneath. On the front part of the rack is the brown lacquer scabbard. Wrapped around and tied to the scabbard, to our right, is a white silk cord.
Vatichino
Commentary
Made according to traditional Japanese techniques, the long, curved steel blade of this sword, or katana, may have required weeks to craft. Like most katanas, the wooden hilt is covered with stingray skin, which is both decorative and practical—its bumpy texture provided additional grip. The hilt is wrapped with a dark blue silk cord in a pattern that exposes diamond-shaped patches of the white stingray skin beneath.
Isabella’s friend, the curator of Asian art Okakura Kakuzō, introduced her to Uchimura Tengan, a jiu jitsu expert. Soon Isabella started learning the martial art, and newspapers couldn’t resist reporting on her lessons. One article even warned burglars and bad characters to beware of Isabella’s new skills. Perhaps in recognition of her interest, Uchimura gave Isabella this sword and scabbard which she kept in her personal treasure trove, the Vatichino.