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A big topic. There is not much in the way of definitive documentation on koshirae. There are a few books in Japanese on regional styles such as Satsuma. In contrast, there are many books about regional sword fittings makers that show metal parts and occasionally koshirae. Part of the problem is that relatively few koshirae were preserved or documented as koshirae fashions changed. Since there are a lot of gaps in the material record, it is difficult to describe trends or specific styles from the remaining intact examples. Over the history of the blade, the saya and tsuka were periodically discarded due to damage and wear, and the blade refitted with a new koshirae according to the taste of the then present owner. There is an article I wrote titled A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF Japanese SWORD MOUNTS OF THE LATE MUROMACHI THROUGH EDO PERIODS in the Downloads section under Member Articles. This gets into questions about koshirae differences by time period, class status, and level of formality. There is a bibliography with references for further reading. In other types of sword collecting, European and American swords for example, preservation of the mounts is considered as important as preservation of the blade, so more historical context is known, and can be correlated to time and place and class of user. A nihonto in new shirasaya on the other hand, tells us nothing about who used it or how it was mounted, unless that was separately documented. Part of the problem is the formation of specialist collectors for nihonto, tsuba and other fittings which has led to koshirae being taken apart to get at the metal bits. The downside is a loss of context and in some cases the destruction of a historic object. As a group dedicated to the preservation of the Japanese sword I think we nihonto collectors should consider choosing the western conservation approach in some cases, by keeping and stabilizing that old koshirae and sword blade together as a complete object.

And sure, I designed a simple 3D printed stand. The general idea was to make thing that holds the tsuba firmly but not draw attention away from the object.

Not long ago, a number of tsuba popped up on the local internet auction. Time to time I like to go through topics here or in the corresponding sales section, but I couldn't say that I am a tsuba man. Yet one particular tsuba from that batch caught my eye by its simple elegance. So I bid on it and won. It arrived, but for some time I had no time to take photos. Tsuba seems to be slightly damaged in one place, yet I like it like it is. So I decided to share it here. Also, if someone could tell me more about it it would be great. The diameter of this tsuba is 65mm.

The Suikōsha was established in 1876. 水交社

Two ways of wearing the Model 1883 naval sword. Both officers were KIA in 1945.

I think that your reading is correct. The nuance of "... saku ka" is conjecture rather than doubt.

Hi Dan, I think you mean 'mitsu'

Good taste - one I would go for as well. - - what Mauro said! not a gazillion miles from this?

Hi Chris. Your squirrel tsuba appeared in 2024 in this thread - along with this image of an utsushi Another from this thread : With this image There is also a single squirrel design with papers listed here -https://matsukaze.thebase.in/items/8490153 And another with both ategane filled here https://www.touken-world.jp/search-sword-guard/art0002655/ and here with papers https://www.ayakashi.co.jp/items/83815405 I have seen a few tsuba with "Shoki on the bridge" as well, but they tend to be cast copies [Not yours] https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/396800258462 you can tell the design is Shoki because of his "Ken" type sword as opossed to Yoshitsune and Benkei on the bridge. There are rarely only "just one" of anything!

Jeff , it is hard to judge blades when you are holding them in your hands , even more difficult from photos and almost impossible from crummy photos like these . You can see almost no hada or hamon in the photos . I doubt that even Mr Tanobe himself could tell you much from these photos .

Serge Degore books sold. Robert E.Haynes Gai So Shi sold. Ran

Hi Susan/@Millers1257, welcome to the forum! Just to clarify what others have suggested, this looks to be a real Japanese blade, likely hundreds of years old. It 100% needs treating with care, so please don't attempt to clean the blade, even though it seems in rough shape, as you may damage it further (for example, cleaning the rust off the nagako/tang can drastically reduce a sword's value as it is a key way to tell it's age). In terms of price, these swords can have quite a large range - from a few hundred dollars, to tens of thousands. It all comes down to the smith, the quality and aesthetics of the blade, as well as its condition and any flaws it has. Even a sword's tsuba/guard or other fittings can command quite a high valuation on their own, or be near valueless. It all depends. There's so much nuance in the field it's hard to properly summarise. Smith signatures are often faked (called gimei), and even a near-invisible hairline crack in part of the blade could render it fatally flawed (though this depends on where the crack is). As Dan suggested, this really should be seen by a collector or expert in person, or else you risk potentially underselling the sword without knowing it's true value or history.

Hi! This Muramasa Mei looks a little weaker than what we usually see on Tanto, Wakizashi or Katana of Muramasa, But Meirin had a Hozon Yari quite resembles this one (https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords5/WK328588.htm), have you seen it? I guess Muramasa's Mei on Yari could be a little different. There are some Mei from Hozon or better papered Muramasa's Yari.

Well... It has a tachi mei which is well carved in koto fashion.. very beafy both nakago and blade, with uniform nakago patina. Probably Muromachi. Probably toriizori. So its likely 1500-1550. Weird uchigatana with tachi mei? Could be, interesting how long is the nagasa. Mitsu was used by a few schools, Bizen being most famous. But there are some issues with it being Bizen... Late Bungo it can be.

I believe you are referring to the quillion. I think the reason the proportions on the C&J seem larger than the Japanese one is because the Germans made it more true to size with the French sword these Type 19s are modeled on.

I am looking to buy Type 95 Guntō variations in good condition. I hope to buy each variant, take photographs for my document project in the downloads section, and then resell them to buy another. So please understand that I will be reselling these swords; an arrangement can be made where I sell them right back to you for the same price (and I cover all shipping). Budget 5k USD and under. This is a "long term" project, and I do not expect this to accomplish this quickly All the best, -Sam Variation 1 (Early Copper Hilt horseshoe Saya plug) Variation 1 (Copper Hilt straight Saya plug) Variation 2 Suya Variation 2 Iijima Variation 2 Gifu Variation 3 Variation 4 (Dawsons 2a) Variation 4 Variation 5 (nagoya aluminum side latch) Variation 6 (Unfullered Aluminum Suya) Variation 7 (Fullered Wood Handle) Variation 8 Variation 9 (Jinsen)

Agreed. Also, note that where Tachi Shi has been well rubbed away, 'Den' looks to have been added at a later time.

Nice tsuba. The kawari-ishime-ji gives it an unusual look; otherwise, it’s quite an obvious Heianjō-zōgan piece.

Thank You for your reponse. I have searched everywhere for another example and have not found one. I have a pretty good library, but no luck with finding one. An Improvised example as you said probably field made. Edward G.

Hi Susan, It would be easier for us to see what you have if you take your pictures on a dark background. Your camera is reading off the light colored background and detail has been washed out. Pictures of both sides of the tang (part of the blade inside the handle) and of the whole bare blade with a yard stick beside it will help. Look here for a care and handling brochure: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Best, Grey

Great pipe. Plainly Japanese by virtue of execution. A very Chinese subject, yes, but as others have noted, in East Asia, all roads lead to China. I think the piece provides a nice opportunity to talk about the intriguing artistic trend it falls into, because it is an excellent example of a distinctly East Asian material aesthetic. A great deal of its beauty comes not merely from its form, but from its surface finish and “maturation” (aging, like a fine wine) through time, care, handling, and use. The coloration seen here, warm copper-browns, amber-black transitions, tea-toned lacquer hues, is part of a palette long prized in East Asian decorative arts. One sees the same shades in smoked bamboo tea utensils, rubbed walnut bracelets, old lacquerware, tiger-eye beads, darkened bronze, polished deer antler, and centuries-old furniture. They seem to evoke an aroma of autumn, smoke, earth, tea, resin, and slow oxidation - they are organic, “living” colors that speak to an artistic philosophy where time becomes a collaborator. This sensibility is deeply rooted in Chinese academic and literati culture, especially the traditions surrounding 文玩 (wenwan), the appreciation of scholar’s objects whose surfaces evolve through repetitive touch and care. In this worldview, objects are not considered complete at the moment of manufacture, rather, they gradually mature and are “nourished” by human contact. Oils from the skin, exposure to smoke, incense, tea vapors, friction from cloth, humidity etc all contribute to the development of 包浆 (baojiang): the mellow, lustrous patina prized by collectors. This concept certainly crossed over into Japan from China together with the wider genre of art, I propose as a sort of “way of seeing” or way of “appreciating” these objects to a greater degree. You get more bang for your buck from the thing if you’re encouraged to fixate, fiddle and baby it. The idea that the object becomes richer, darker, softer, and more spiritually intimate over time, as one invests one’s care and attention into it, is admittedly an alluring albeit romantic idea for me. There are even certain strict handling customs and beliefs associated with this “genre”, if you will, from the perspective of a purist. Discussing the topic with Chinese aficionados, it was noted several times to me that these sorts of objects are exclusively male oriented and should under no circumstances be handled by women, nor enter a bathroom or wash area. Although many of these artistic sensibilities originated in China, Japan absorbed and transformed them through centuries of cultural exchange. Chinese influence, especially during the Tang dynasty, profoundly shaped early Japanese court culture, artistic imagery, decorative vocabulary, Buddhism, and material arts. Over time, Japan cultivated its own parallel sensibilities, especially through concepts such as shibui, sabi, and wabi, which favor subdued richness over brilliance and quiet depth over overt display. This pipe reflects this genre wonderfully. Its artistry lies in tactility, atmosphere, and accumulated human presence. One undeniably romantic truth is this: following the notion that handling improves such an object, it is accurate to say that through years of touch and companionship, the connoisseur owner does in fact become part of the object’s final finish.

Hello, A nice collection. I like the kozuka and the fan menuki

As stated in my first post, I am not the owner of the sword. I'm trying to help the owner get a little more info, on what I think, is an interesting sword. If it matters, I saw a thread, not on WAF, but on WMF, he didn't get much response or knowledge. I asked to see some more photos, said I thought he had a good 14th cent, blade and offered to post it here to help him out. The owner is a militaria collector as I was, I was accustomed to sharing knowledge with others and helping when I could. I feel like that is being "active " in the learning process of a hobby. Which is the case here. Jeff

Just added a nice HUGE Nobuie Utsushi. Fantastic iron with lump tekkotsu on the mimi and ji. 9.1 x 8.5cm. SD 3.5mm and 7.5-8.1mm at the mimi. Thing is a brick.

I am beginning to think Nobuie made nothing else! https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1229171949 I do like the udenuki-ana. https://www.bonhams.com/auction/22472/lot/99/a-nobuie-tsuba-edo-period-17th-century/

Last month I was in Kyoto. went into a tourist trap antique shop. It was at the end of a long street that is aimed at the tourist trade, but had genuine antiques for sale. There was a large section of sword fittings, most of them in poor shape. Some were sets connected by small bits of plastic, others individuals. In the individual menuki box, I found this treasure and bought it on the spot. A giant frog holding an umbrella, while a man in court dress bows down and prostrates himself to the frog. (I, For One, Welcome Our New Amphibian Overlords!) Whatever it was paired with has been lost to time. I am therefore posting it here, to ask if anyone else has seen it's like? (Besides the fire breathing toad of Tenjiku Tokubei...)

George, perhaps the first thing to learn is what we would call a "matching" KOSHIRAE might not be the same in a Japanese view. In fact, there are (often valuable) KOSHIRAE with TOSOGU en suite coming out of the hands of a renowned craftsman, but this is far from being common with all SAMURAI. As I have read, with "average" class SAMURAI, KOSHIRAE were put together following individual taste and available money, and easy-to-change parts like TSUBA, TSUKA, or SAYA were probably exchanged a few times in the life of a good sword. So, not even looking at the historical changes in general styles and use of a sword, there were many factors in the choice and combination of sword parts that we are not always aware of. In many cases, we have to learn about Japanese taste, about their mythology, religion, nature, tales and legends, folklore and customs, a.s.o. Just to give an example: in the West, we would consider martial symbols fitting a weapon, but in Japan, you may find a FUCHI with playing puppies, or a (matching !) FUCHI-GASHIRA set with a peaceful farm scene with hens, chicks, and a cock. So, studying and understanding Japanese beliefs, feelings, and taste in the historical and cultural context will certainly help. Reading books by Lafcadio Hearn might also help. I don't think there is a fast and easy way.

Similar to Sam’s, but the kirikomi(?) is along the nakago-mune of a ko-Fujishima tachi:

This mess is up for auction with an estimate of $1500- $3000. It already has three bids. You can see the whole listing here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/231078630_sword-fittings-tsuba-sword-guard-inscribed-with-made-by-omi-kami-goyo-with-a-copper-base-osaka-osaka

That's because I don't have a life! The thread for that image is here https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/14733-udenuki-no-ana-two-holes-near-edge-of-tsuba/