Metal fighting pipe (buyōkiseru), 19th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Metalexpand_more
The Gary L. Gliem Endowment for Japanese Artexpand_more 2022.5
Not on Viewexpand_more
This long metal pipe might look like a delicate, fashionable accessory, but weighs nearly one and a half pounds and is made entirely of metal. In the Edo period, smoking was a common but expensive activity, and intricately decorated pipes were considered status symbols. Depending on the situation, a person could use the pipe to smoke tobacco, or could brandished it like a baton or a club. In Edo-period Japan, only samurai were allowed to carry swords. Young merchant-class ruffians called machi yakko often kept them as a weapon in case they got involved in fights with low-class samurai or other troublemakers. While samurai were usually armed, when they had to disarm themselves for some reason (such as visits to the pleasure quarters), they would carry a metal pipe instead for self-protection.
Details
- Title
- Metal fighting pipe (buyōkiseru)
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2022.5
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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