Umetada is said to have been used by silversmiths since the Muromachi period. But in the Momoyama period, a certain Umetada Myoju (1558-1631) emerged to become the founder of the manufacture of so-called "new swords," or shinto, and to rank with Kaneie and Nobuie as a great designer and maker of sword guards. Although he is said to have done metal carving for sword mounts, not a single sword guard that can safely be said to have been carved by him remains. Most of the things that do remain are works in inlay, (zogan) in copper, brass, and shakudo using designs that recall the colorful pictures of the Ogata Kōrin

Ogata Korin

was a Japanese painter of the Rinpa school.-Early life:Kōrin was born in Kyoto, to a wealthy merchant who had a taste for the arts and is said to have given his son some elementary instruction therein...

 school. Umetada Myoju established the style and the fame of the Umetada name, which flourished greatly after his time. But he was not the first to make sword guards in the Umetada style. Both nameless craftsmen and a certain Mitsutada are known to have done this kind of work before Myoju. It seems likely that as was the case with Shoami

Shoami

Shoami is a name of artistic school for making sword-guards , mounted on a Japanese sword...

 guards - Umetada guards were first produced in the Muromachi period. Those which predate Myoju are based on Shoami

Shoami

Shoami is a name of artistic school for making sword-guards , mounted on a Japanese sword...

 ideas and are called Ko-Umetada, or old Umetada.

See also

• katana
  Katana
  A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
  
  
• saya
  Scabbard
  A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. Scabbards have been made of many materials over the millennia, including leather, wood, and metals such as brass or steel.-Types of scabbards:...
  
  
• Shoami
  Shoami
  Shoami is a name of artistic school for making sword-guards , mounted on a Japanese sword...
  
  
• Aesthetics
  Aesthetics
  Aesthetics is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty, art, and taste, and with the creation and appreciation of beauty. It is more scientifically defined as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values, sometimes called judgments of sentiment and taste...
  
  
• History of decorative arts
  History of decorative arts
  The Ancient World*Antique Furniture*Pottery of Ancient GreeceThe Byzantine EmpireThe Antique and Medieval Asian World*Chinese Pottery*Japanese Pottery*Korean PotteryThe Arts of Islam*Islamic pottery*Persian rug...
  
  
• Toreutics
  Toreutics
  Toreutics is a term, relatively rare in English, for artistic metalworking, by hammering gold or silver , engraving, Repoussé and chasing to form minute detailed reliefs or small engraved patterns. Toreutics can include metal-engraving - forward-pressure linear metal removal with a...
  
  
• Cloisonné
  Cloisonné
  Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects, in recent centuries using vitreous enamel, and in older periods also inlays of cut gemstones, glass, and other materials. The resulting objects can also be called cloisonné...