Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The guard oblong with rounded angles and narrowing towards the top; the kodzuka with pointed butt (like a sword); the kurikata with square ends. The whole of the first and the fronts of the second and third are modelled in relief as a tangled mass of fine susuki grass, amid which in bold relief are a grasshopper (gold) and a wingless locust (copper) on the guard, and a winged locust (copper) on the kodzuka. The back of the latter is of dark shibuichi engraved with a few grass-stems and inlaid in gold with a cricket; it is signed in cursive, Seikiūken [Japanese text] Masahiro [Japanese text] with kakihan [Figure]. (Compare the next [EAX.11084].

W. J. Stuart Collection. Although the name kodzuka (ko-tsuka, "little handle") belong strictly to the complete scabbard-knife, i.e. handle plus blade, it is often applied for convenience, as here, to the handle only. The kurikata ("chesnut shape") is a metal loop fixed to the ura (rear or kōgai side) of the scabbard near the top; through it is passed the sageo or cord of flat silk braid by which the sword is secured to the girdle (having first been thrust between this and the garment below it). [Hamano work, Group XLI.]