papering koshirae

[runagmc]

We hear a lot about sword and tosogu shinsa on NMB, but I haven't seen the subject of koshirae papering discussed. I thought it might be interesting to see if anyone had any knowledge of the requirements for a koshirae to be papered. Really anything anyone wants to add about the subject, feel free.

[NihontoEurope]

Adam,

 

I have a lot of papered Koshirae.

 

My opinion is as follows. I am probably wrong.

 

If you have a nice koshirae and not so nice tsuba it is sent in as a whole and everything will get papered. If you have accessories like Kogatana and/or other extras, the same goes there; it all gets documented.

 

For a novice like me; I cannot tell the difference to what REALLY got papered.

 

The different papers I have are like; ToenSha (Murakama), Kicho, Tokubetsu Kicho, for complete fittings. But I know for sure that some of the fittings included would NOT get papered alone.

 

This will hopefully evolve into an interesting thread.

 

/Martin

[Lance]

Aside from a set of mounts that were specifically made from matching fittings by an artist, I've been told/read that to be papered koshirae needed to be assembled and used together historically speaking?

For example an original Edo period koshirae might have a Momoyama period tsuba, but as long as it was "period and not a later parts sword , it was a good candidate. How this is judged must be pretty tough considering how easy it is to swap out parts, especially tsuba or kogai/kodzuka.

Regards,

Lance

[runagmc]

I know the NTHK does, but what about NTHK-NPO... do they even paper koshirae? Chris B., any info?

 

I guess since there are relatively few antique koshirae remaining, and even fewer that are worthy of preservation, it's not a topic of great interest... I was hoping it would get more of a response than this though.

[Curran]

I'm not really sure what you want to know?

 

Generally: koshirae get papered if they are original, or are as they were when in authentic use. I don't think the NTHK will paper any koshirae later than Edo period. Anything swapped out obviously "wrong" on them and they won't paper. I keep two koshirae with NBTHK papers:

 

(1) One is a special toppei tanto koshirae people keep prompting me to put up for Juyo. I don't think it will pass at this time, and don't much care about Juyo anymore.

(2) Other is an original Owari / Yagyu koshirae that is minimalist and rather cool.

 

Both are as they were c Edo period.

I've studied a fellow collector's all original koshirae that is as old as late Muromachi period. Practically falling apart, but interesting as heck to see.

[DirkO]

Is it possible to paper a set of menuki attached to an aikuchi tsuka, so without binding, but attached to the samé?

[Jean]

I'll be surprised as they shall be considered as part of the Koshirae

[DirkO]

Thanks for the answer Jean, however, I remember seeing a papered tsuka once - just the tsuka, with pics of the tsuka on the Hozon paper. I didn't translate the paper, so I don't know if the whole tsuka was papered or just the kodogu on the tsuka (as a set?)

[Jean]

Yes you can submit a tsuka with f/k and menuki, but it will be papered as a whole

 

Edit to add, shinsa must be able to manipulate the menuki and see omote and ura sides

[DirkO]

Thanks for the clarification!

[cabowen]

  runagmc said:

I know the NTHK does, but what about NTHK-NPO... do they even paper koshirae? Chris B., any info?

 

I guess since there are relatively few antique koshirae remaining, and even fewer that are worthy of preservation, it's not a topic of great interest... I was hoping it would get more of a response than this though.

 

Yes, the NTHK-NPO papers koshirae. They papered a few at the last Minneapolis shinsa.

[runagmc]

I wonder if any Gendai-era koshirae have ever been seen as worthy of preservation and papered... maybe something especially historically important from WW2...

Anybody ever seen anything like this?

[cabowen]

  runagmc said:

I wonder if any Gendai-era koshirae have ever been seen as worthy of preservation and papered... maybe something especially historically important from WW2...

Anybody ever seen anything like this?

 

if by wwii you mean shin or kai gunto mounts, since they are not traditional, I strongly doubt it....

 

Since gendai blades have been papered, I see no reason why a gendai tsuba or the like couldn't be papered as well....Most people don't bother with papering of gendai blades and I suspect the same logic used there would apply to gendai kodogu.

[Curran]

Gendai fittings generally get rejected.

I think there are one or two recognized artisans that have had tsuba papered, but cannot confirm this with a name and image.

 

A tsuka with menuki on it will just be papered as a 'tsuka with menuki'. I don't think it vets any signature on the menuki. Thus be cautious to think papers verify the mei on a koshirae. Of course the upside is.... that koshirae usually don't make specific attribution of the pieces on them. I've seen papered koshirae for $3000 USD where a 1st gen Kanshiro or Hirata tsuba is on it.

 

In the instance I recall, the tsuba sold for near $10,000.

[Henry Wilson]

Speaking of Muromachi period koshirae, does any one remember way back, the one that Fed Weissberg had up on his site? I am talking about 5 years ago. If I recall it had papers of some form. I would be pleased to be able to see it again if anyone has pictures stashed away.

[Lance]

  Henry Wilson said:

Speaking of Muromachi period koshirae, does any one remember way back, the one that Fed Weissberg had up on his site? I am talking about 5 years ago. If I recall it had papers of some form. I would be pleased to be able to see it again if anyone has pictures stashed away.

 

 

I contacted Fred and he was kind enough he sent me the pictures of the koshirae, whoever owns them must be very happy to have such a great old set of mounts!

Lance

[Henry Wilson]

Many thanks Lance. That was a good idea contacting Fred. It never occured to me.

 

What a lovely set. Would anyone care to comment ?

[sohei]

Never say "never" when papering Gendai. I papered an extraordinary koshirae at the NTHK-NPO shinsa with Chris. Both the Tsuba and Fuchi are signed by the same guy "Yukitsugu" and dated "1943". Must have been a special order for some guy with a lot of money, especially that late in the War. I will try to attach some pictures of the origami.

 

[sohei]

This Gendai Koshirae: Truly outstanding, excellent koshirae. The koshirae has NTHK Kantei-sho papers from the June 2007 Shinsa and scored 75 points. The saya is a gold flecked with a series of gold circles (the sun) in descending size on one side and silver circles (the moon) on the other. The koi-guchi and kojiri match the fuchi & kashira; all a beautiful soft-metal with a wave pattern with gold flecks of spray. The tsuba is large (3-1/4”), circular, iron plate with reeds and a butterfly in gold and silver nunome, beautiful gold-filled hitsu-ana. The seppa-dai is signed. The habaki is a cat-scratch done is silver. Both seppa are silver. The fuchi and kashira are matching, and done with a soft-metal in wave pattern with gold flecks of spray. The fuchi is signed Yukitsugu and dated (1943), the fuchi and tsuba were signed by the same artist (Yukitsugu). The menuki are long, finely made and in the family mon of karabana or Chinese flower. The tsuka is long (9-3/4”), finely wrapped with black ito and full same’. A blue and silver sageo finish the koshirae. Thanks, Mike

[sohei]

[sohei]

Thanks, Mike

sorry about the double post on the worksheet.

[sohei]

I papered this koshirae along with the blade from it; A 66cm katana with a tachi mei reads; Ten sho ko dai jin (or “Ama-terasu-o-mikami”, the name of the sun goddess, the Imperial ancestor) Minamoto Yoshimune saku

Nenki: ura side reads: Ko ki nisen roppyaku san nen sho gatsu hi (January, the year 2603 of the Imperial Reign (1943)).

I thought it was very unusual to see a 'civilian' style (traditional) koshirae with such nice work and everything dated 1943. Thanks, Mike