War Fan (Gunbai) with Concealed Spear Blade

Japanese

Not on view

Military commanders used a type of fixed fan, called a war fan (gunbai), to signal soldiers on the battlefield. The silver mounts of this example are engraved with flowers against a stippled background, and the lower section of the shaft, which is detachable, is mounted with a concealed steel blade—an unusual feature that would have appealed to Western collectors.

War Fan (<i>Gunbai</i>) with Concealed Spear Blade, Wood, silver, steel, lacquer, silk, Japanese

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

War Fan (<i>Gunbai</i>) with Concealed Spear Blade, Wood, silver, steel, lacquer, silk, Japanese
War Fan (<i>Gunbai</i>) with Concealed Spear Blade, Wood, silver, steel, lacquer, silk, Japanese

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.