A wonderful Meiji-era Iron replica of a sail boat

Object Description

A Japanese Meiji Period (1868-1912) iron model of a Kitamae-type bezaisen with damascene decoration, on a wood based carved to resemble waves.

Object History

Kitamae-type bezaisen

A Kitamae-type bezaisen was a cargo ship that sailed the Japan Sea during the Edo period.
The Edo period is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country’s 300 regional daimyō.
Our thanks to The Rope Tokyo, model ship builders club for identifying the ship model.

Damascene (Zougan)

Damascening is the art of inlaying different metals into one another, typically gold or silver into a darker oxidised background. The name comes from the resemblance to damask silk embroideries.

Object Details