Artwork preview

Blade and Mounting for a Dagger (Tantō)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Metal blade with a curved edge and a hole near the bottom. The blade is shiny and smooth with a darker area near the bottom. The bottom part of the blade is not sharpened and appears rough. A small circular hole is present. The background is black. The image likely depicts a Japanese dagger known as a "Tantō" with its mounting.

Artwork details

Date:
blade, dated 1509; mounting, 19th century
Medium:
Steel, wood, lacquer, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi), silver, gold
Culture:
Japanese
Dimensions:
239 × 623 px
Museum record:
View original
Palette