Knife Item Number: N2.895 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

Tanto style knife with an elaborately ornamented wooden sheath and handle. The knife handle has two inlaid abalone shell butterflies. The sheath has inlaid and raised floral and leaf designs of mother of pearl, ivory, and lacquer work. There is a small green seal.

History Of Use

Samurai dress knife.

Narrative

Collected by a missionary family while living in Japan. Suggested to be 17th century?