Plain Fuchi

Description This plain fuchi is paired in its mounting with an elaborately decorated koi-guchi kanagu. Because there is no tsuba in this set, the fuchi and the koi-guchi kanagu meet when the sword is sheathed. This is called "aikuchi" style because the open edges of the hilt and scabbard ("kuchi") meet ("ai"). This style of mounting became especially common in the 19th century. This is part of a mounted set.

Provenance Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquistion unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.

Inscriptions [Signature] 一藤斎正壽

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters