Japanese Gassan Sadayoshi 19th Century Blade & Lacquer Mounts
Japanese Gassan Sadayoshi, attributed blade and lacquer mounts, 19th century, the blade of 'hirazukuri (sunnobi tanto), hada' of 'ko-itame', temper edge of boxed shape 'choji' with 'ji-nie' and 'ashi', a carving of 'gomabashi' and a sanskrit character, 'ubu' tang with two peg holes, unsigned in a 'shirasaya', with an NBTHK 'hozon' paper, with a black lacquer 'saya' with iron 'mokko-gata tsuba' with decoration of foliage in gold 'nunome zogan', fitted with matching 'shakudo fuchi-kashira, soritsuno' and 'kurikata' decorated in flat gold 'zogan', with a kaga 'shakudo kozuka' decorated in flat gold 'zogan' with insects, the 'tsuka' cotton bound and with 'shibuichi' cranes 'menuki', the blade 12.20 in. long
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- Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
- Shakudo - Japanese shakudo is a traditional alloy that has been used in Japan for centuries. It is primarily composed of copper and gold, with the copper serving as the base metal and the gold adding a yellowish hue to the alloy. Shakudo is known for its beautiful dark blue-black or black colour, which is achieved through the addition of a small amount of a patina-inducing element like silver or arsenic.
The word "shakudo" itself can be translated as "red copper" in Japanese, referring to the reddish-brown color of the pure copper base metal before it is patinated. The gold content in shakudo is usually around 4-10%, but this can vary depending on the specific purpose or desired appearance.
Shakudo has been traditionally used in various forms of decorative arts and crafts in Japan. It is particularly associated with metalwork, including sword fittings (such as tsuba, menuki, and kashira), jewelry, and small ornamental objects. The alloy's dark color provides a striking contrast to other metals like silver or gold, making it ideal for intricate inlay work or as a background for other decorative elements.
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