Koshirae - Family set

[kissakai]

I hope you bear with me with adding so many images

This was from a surrendered WWII sword – A family sword and I will elaborate on this when I put the blade on the NMB shortly.

Apart from a few general questions I would appreciate any comments or corrections. I’m assuming these fittings have been together for quite some time

I know the NMB is keen for the holder/owner to do as much research as they can and this is what I have found out

 

Seppa – looks pretty standard

 

Hanger – probably made in the field

 

Habaki & Fuchi – Top – Pretty standard

 

Habaki & Fuchi – Side – Pretty standard

 

Fuchi – Side – I’ve not seen the overlapping used on this fuchi cap. Any views on this

 

Tsuba – This may be Ko-tosho around 1650

 

Tsuka – I don’t now the date of these fitting – Any ideas

 

Kashira

 

Menuki – this is Flowery Diamond (Hanabishi) or Chinese Flower (Karabana). I don’t know the difference. Any help

 

Saya full

 

Saya top

 

Saya uncovered – Amazingly after over 60 years it almost slid off

 

These details were from Hawley’s ‘Mon’

Menuki

Flowery Diamond (Hanabishi)

Family mon for:

Koriyama in Yamato

Kurokana in Echigo

Mikkaichi in Echigo

Or

Chinese Flower (Karabana)

Yanagisawa

 

 

Grev UK

[Geraint]

Hi Grev.

 

 

Well, the seppa look to be fairly standard gunto with one additional pair that do not have the piercing for the scabbard clip. The habaki is silver foil and the saya appears to be a civil one with a rather basic hanger and a leather combat cover. Seems to be something missing from the lower end, perhaps an additional layer of leather as a drag. The tsuba is signed but I can't help you with the mei from this photograph. The sleeved fuchi is unusual though they do crop up from time time; I seem to recall a recent thread about these. I would have expected this feature to have been on a much better fuchi, the hilt fittings of themselves would seem to be late and pretty ropy. If I was a guessing man I would suggest that this was civil sword dressed up for the war, interested to see the blade.

 

Cheers

[kissakai]

Hi Geraint

Thanks for the coments – so quick

The end of the saya is missing. The mei on the tsuba, even with a glass I can only make out a couple of strokes. Do you think I'm right with the tsuba description. I like your summing up. The blade is signed Nagamitsu but we will see!. A real bugger trying to take good photos of the blade.

 

 

Grev UK

[Drago]

  Geraint said:

The sleeved fuchi is unusual though they do crop up from time time; I seem to recall a recent thread about these.

 

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13066

[Grey Doffin]

To my knowledge, no Ko Tosho tsuba were signed. I would place this in mid to late Edo and call it Tosho or Tosho like.

Anyone have a better opinion?

Grey

[J Reid]

I want to see the blade!! The suspense is killing me..

[kissakai]

Thanks for the links, great info but as was mentioned earlier the eamples of the split fuchi were much better quality than mine but still good references

I will have another look on the tsuba as the couble of strokes I can see may not be part of a mei

I will post the blade images now but the images are not that good

 

 

Grev UK

[Marius]

Grev,

 

I am sorry to say this, but the only item here that is of quality is the habaki. I do not say there is no history in these items, even though they look like Chinese stuff, I only say they are... what can I say? Nothing exciting? The carving on the fuchi... just look at that...

[kissakai]

Mariusz

No need to apologise - I put these up for an honest opinion not praise

I agree with your comments, it was mainly the unusual (to me) split fuchi I was interested in and an idea of the age of the tsuka

 

 

Grev UK