Perry, Matthew

Important and historic 1852 Pattern Naval Officer's Sword, ca. 1853, 28 1/2 inch single-edged slightly curved etched blade decorated with shield and anchor, rope and foliate, "U.S.N." tridents and fouled anchors to each side, guard with acorn, foliate and fouled-acorn, wire-wrapped stringray grip in excellent condition. Original leather over wood scabbard with brass fittings; retains approximately 30% of brass gilding to furniture.  Inscription to drag, "This sword was once the property of Matthew G. Perry, Commodore USN. / Who conducted the skillful negotiations which opened Japan to Foreign / Commerce in 1854 ------- Presented to Adelphi Lodge, AF & AM No. 33 R.I./ Feb. 7th 1882"

commodore matthew perry's sword  carried on his momentous japan expedition

Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858), son of Revolutionary War ship captain Christopher Perry, and brother of Oliver Hazard Perry, began his career aboard his brother’s ship, the U.S.S. Revenge, serving during the 1809 Battle of Lake Erie. Perry began to rise through the ranks in the 1820s and from 1833-37, he acted as the 2^nd officer of the New York Naval Yard (later the Brooklyn Naval Yard).  While there he helped establish a new curriculum for the U.S. Naval Academy.  In 1838 Perry was promoted to captain of the U.S.S. Fulton, the nation's second steam frigate the construction of which he had personally supervised, another example of his role in the modernization of the service.  His promotion to Commodore in 1840, often seen as an administrative position, did not prevent him from seeing considerable action during the war with Mexico, helping to capture Frontera, Tampico, Veracruz, and Tuxpan.

Perry’s greatest legacy is his key role in the “gunboat diplomacy” which finally fully opened up Japan to Western trade and influences. The Perry Expedition of 1853-1854 sought to establish diplomatic relations and trade with Japan, previously isolated from foreign influence  through sakoku, a policy allowing only the most limited contact with Chinese and Dutch merchants and trading only through designated ports. As a result, Japanese society remained in stasis for centuries, falling far behind the West in technology, industry and politics. Ruled by the extremely traditional Tokugawa Shogunate and with the Emperor severely limited, the country was for all intents a military dictatorship closer to feudalism than any in the West.  The Shogunate’s policy of absolute isolationism went so far as to refuse aid and in some cases actively mistreat those sailors from whaling ships that had the misfortune to shipwreck on their shores.

The Commodore arrived in Uraga Harbor, just outside of Edo (modern day Tokyo), on July 8, 1852 after having steamed his four frigates past the Japanese lines unannounced. Once there, representatives of the Shogunate told him to proceed to Nagasaki, the only port in Japan open to foreigners. Perry ignored this and instead ported his fleet, readied his guns, and demanded that a letter he carried from President Millard Fillmore be delivered to the Emperor (being initially unaware that the emperor was virtually powerless in government affairs). He threatened force, and famously sent a white flag ashore to be used by the Japanese to surrender in case hostilities did break out. The letter was accepted, and Perry sailed his fleet to the coast of China, promising to return for a reply.  In February 1854, Perry arrived with eight ships. Not surprisingly given the increased show of power from the Navy, the Shogunate  decided to propose a treaty accepting nearly all of President Fillmore’s conditions; however, they also increased Japan’s  defenses against a naval invasion through the fortification of Odaiba Island in Tokyo Bay. Perry and the Shogun’s delegates signed the Treaty of Kanagawa on March 31^st 1854, opening the ports of Shikoda and Hakodate to American trade as well as allowing for the rescue of shipwrecked Americans.  The Western influence in Japan had begun, one of the most significant events of the 19th century.

Given the early style of this pattern, Perry must have received the present sword just prior to his embarking for Japan. Commodore Perry is pictured wearing this sword in his uniform portrait held at the Library of Congress.