National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

Matched sword fitting sets comprising a kozuka (small knife handle) and a pair of menuki (hilt ornaments) are called futatokoromono, literally "things for two places." This small knife handle is made of shakudo (a material in which a small amount of gold is combined with copper to create an alloy that finishes to black) worked in a raised "fish-egg" pattern. Against this ground are high-relief representations of Two Guardian Demigods (J. Niô) in copper, the drapery around their shoulders and waists highlighted coloristically with gold. On the reverse is a pattern of gold oblique lines and, at the bottom right, an inscription that reads "Sômin." The hilt ornaments, made of copper, also depict the Two Guardian Demigods in high relief and color.
Born in Edo in 1670 (Kan'ei 10), the artisan Sômin was a member of the Yokoya family of metal carvers. He also trained for a long period with the famed Gotô family of metal carvers before going independent and gaining great success with his bold carving techniques. Instead of sword guards he devoted his skills to small sword accessories such as small knives, kôgai (a skewer-like implement), hilt ornaments, and sword pommels. Though he made innovations in katagirihori carving, which produces brushstroke-like marks, he eventually made high-relief colored objects his specialty.