Arms and Armor
The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.
Saihai
Our interpretation of this 18th-century Saihai—a baton once used to signal the start of a battlefield attack—takes the object’s resplendent tassel and centers it on a silk pillow with an envelope closure. A lacquered piece of bamboo at the envelope terminus holds the tassel in place.