Description
This wooden sword stand is suitable for exhibiting a Katana sword. As seen in the example pictures, you could also display a Daisho (Katana & Wakizashi) set. You could enjoy this item as a sword stand or interior decoration in your room. The Makie (蒔絵) technique is used effectively to make an elegant look of this sword stand. The Makie is a typical Japanese lacquer art technique developed uniquely in Japan for about 1,200 years. Firstly, it needs to draw a picture with lacquer on the surface with a thin brush. Next, sprinkle the gold powder from above to show the pattern before the lacquer hardens. This technique gives a gorgeous and elegant look to the works.
In regard to the design, the Icho Karakusa (銀杏唐草) design decorates this box part. It is a combination of Ichou (銀杏: Ginkgo Biloba) and the Karakusa (唐草: arabesque) pattern. Ichou contains lots of water; therefore, it is fire resistant. It does not quickly die even if flames burn it. Because of its strong vitality and longevity, the Ichou pattern has been considered a good luck motif. In Japan, we can often find Ichou trees in shrines. People believe it as Goshinboku (ご神木, tree of worship) and treat it respectfully. In Japanese, there is another word that has the same pronunciation. It is written as “異朝” and means a foreign country. People thought the Ichou pattern shows the joy of welcoming honored guests overseas based on this common pronunciation.
The Karakusa pattern is a design in which vine stems, and leaves are twined and make curves. Since ivy has a strong vitality and grows up without interruption, people regarded this design as a symbol of prosperity and longevity. Among the Karakusa patterns, the Botan Karakusa pattern has been favored as a representative design of Karakusa patterns since the Muromachi period.
Also, a family crest is drawn on one side of this stand. This family crest is called Taka no Hamon (鷹の羽紋). Taka means Hawk. Hawk is an intelligent bird used for hunting, called falconry. It was famous as a recreation among high-class Samurais. In the old days, it was also familiar with emperors and royal families, so it might be why the hawk was regarded as a symbol of the ruler’s authority. During the warring period, the boy’s success was to become an excellent Samurai; therefore, it has been thought that men (Samurai) and the hawk had a deep connection as a symbol of advancement and authority. Many Samurais loved this design based on that reason. Furthermore, its wings were used for one of Samurai’s primary weapons; an arrow (They put hawk’s wings as arrow’s feather). The arrow itself is reminiscent of victory or defeat, battlefield; it is not difficult to imagine that Samurais also liked the hawk wings attracted to arrows. Still today, various family crests use this bird wing’s motif like this one. The family crest emblem of this stand is so clean than the other parts that it might have been reattached to the stand later.
*Please keep in mind that the upper part of the holder is relatively wide.
*As this product is an antique, there are small scratches and dents on the wood. Please check each photo and ensure its condition.
*Please note that these replica swords are NOT included in this item.
【About us】
Samurai Museum is located in Tokyo, Japan, exhibiting antique artifacts related to the Samurai history. Samurai Museum Shop is the place for those who are interested in Japanese culture and craftsmanship. We deal with antique Samurai swords/armor, traditional crafts made in Japan and so on.
【Payment method】
We accept payment through Stripe (Credit card), PayPal, Apple Pay or ChromePay, all of which are secure payment methods. Also, you don’t need to make an account on Stripe for the checkout. If you prefer other payment method, please contact us. You may either pay in JPY, USD, AUD, CAD, EUR, CHF or GBP. The price is set in Japanese Yen. Prices in other currencies are automatically calculated based on the latest exchange rate.
【Shipping duration】
We normally ship via EMS (Express Mail Service) provided by Japan Post. It usually takes at least 5-14 days to deliver the package after you place an order. Time of delivery is estimated as accurately as possible by the carrier but does not take into account any delays beyond our control such as by inclement weather, post office holiday seasons.
We offer Free International Shipping as long as we can ship your order by EMS. If you prefer other shipping carriers, please contact us.
We will inform you of the order’s tracking number via email. Please make sure you fill out your valid email address correctly.
*If you like to make sure if EMS shipping is available to your country, please contact us.
【Antique Japanese item and Export process】
After receiving the full payment from you, we will apply for its export permit from the Board of Education to legally export the item to other countries. It normally takes around 2 to 4 weeks to receive this permit. And we would like you to expect at least 1.0 – 1.5 months for your order to arrive at your given address after you ordered.
【How to make sure the condition】
Please keep in mind that what you are going to purchase is an antique item. We uploaded high resolution photos for you to check its condition thoroughly. If you like to see more photos with different angles, please feel free to contact us. We will be happy to send them to you so that you can make informed decision.
It is essential for us to know that you are happy with your choice of antique item and we are prepared to use the best of our ability to serve you.
Would you like see some more antique items for sale? Please check the link below. We hope you can find your favorite item.
https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/shop/product-category/antique/