What a history

[grendolino]

This somehow conventional Indian khanjar was sold lately by a well known Italian seller.
But not the item but its history had amazed me.
According to the seller's description it is a GIFT OF THE LAST SHOGUN TOKUGAWA IESADA TO THE COMMANDER MATTHEW C. PERRY.

The lid with text, chiselled in Japanese, indicating the act of donation from the XIII Shogun Tokugawa Iesada to the Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry in the 1854, to celebrate the Kanagawa Convention, signed by both of them.
Another japanese replacement is the painted, porcelain, sphere-shaped pendant.

I hope that I made no offence sharing this post, description and pictures with the forumites though unfortunately I'm not the buyer.

[Roland_M]

Nice dagger and I like the symbolism of a sword as a diplomatic gift.

Roland

[ALEX]

Its a nice Indian Mughal style dagger. Copper kundan is known to be used instead of traditional gold. Jens is an expert in the field, and also has a fine copper kundan dagger, and perhaps will comment on. Also, the hilt contour (and color of jade, if the hilt is jade) does not match the scabbard throat, and could be not original to each other. The work on the scabbard... Asian(?), known to produce Mughal like hilts and daggers.
The writing on the box IMHO is not enough for claimed provenance without solid paper-based evidence. Are there any additional records to support a claim?
The box and pendant weaving do not look 19thC to me. The small red stone setting on the scabbard close-up, and "drilled" setting with missed gem on the hilt (and the hilt itself) seem to be off... just a few observations
...
Also, is there a photo of the blade?
...

[David]

Seems strange that a Japanese Shogun would make a gift of a non-Japanese dagger as a diplomatic offering, especially considering the world renown bladesmithing of the Japanese culture.

[Gustav]

The workmanship on some scabbard details certainly looks off, as look the calligraphy on the box (the three lines with smaller characters - quite careless work).

And Tokugawa Iesada wasn't the last Shogun.

[estcrh]

The workmanship does not look like the quality that a Shogun would send as a gift to an important foreign Diplomatic envoy.

[mariusgmioc]

The history is fascinating but the dagger doesn't appear to live to it.

I find extremely strange that a Japanese shogun will present a foreign dignitary with an Indian dagger.

Why not a Katana or a Tanto. Why not a Japanese fan with cranes a Mt. Fuji, why not some Japanese Maki-e or some Satsuma/Arita/Kutani ceramics?

Japanese are deservingly proud of their arts and crafts, so again, why present a foreign dignitary with an Indian dagger?!

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Gustav

And Tokugawa Iesada wasn't the last Shogun.

But he was the last Shogun with power. After the Meiji-restoration in 1868 the Shogun became politically totally meaningless. A person of honor and well reputation but nothing to say, which tangents the country's fate.


Roland

[Gustav]

To say Tokugawa Iesada was the last Shogun simply is historically incorrect. There were 2 Shoguns after him.

But if for you a person with the title of Shogun is imaginable in Japan after 1868 as it seems, correct facts are not something you are looking for.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

But he was the last Shogun with power. After the Meiji-restoration in 1868 the Shogun became politically totally meaningless. A person of honor and well reputation but nothing to say, which tangents the country's fate.


Roland

There was no shogunate after the Meiji, you can argue the exact date...some were between 1867 and 1868 but the title was abolished. Yes the former shogun was still around and involved but not as "shogun".

The last shogun was Tokugawa Yoshinobu (1837–1913), shogun from 1866-1867, the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, he officially gave up the title of shogun in 1867, he was granted the rank of prince in 1902.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

But he was the last Shogun with power. After the Meiji-restoration in 1868 the Shogun became politically totally meaningless. A person of honor and well reputation but nothing to say, which tangents the country's fate.


Roland

Tokugawa Ieyoshi was really the last of the powerful shoguns I think, his son Tokugawa Iesada who became shogun when Ieyoshi died was seen as being at the forefront of the decline which eventually let to the elimination of the shogunate. Ieyoshi died while working out a treaty with the Americans. The events which happened after his death led directly to the end of the samurai era.

The Tokugawa shogunate, which at one time owned vast resources along with being seen as the worlds largest estate as far as land holdings held almost total control over the entire country. In a very short period of time they managed to lose everything. A good lesson for the modern world.