Unusual mounts

[DGARBUTT]

I have attached pictures of mounts that I find unusual. This sword was brought back from Japan after the war and has been in the family since then. The fittings are all copper with a plain nanako ground. The tsuka appears to be leather wrap over leather, no same. The leather wrap has been lacquered black and then red. There are no menuki, instead two knots have been made on each side of the wrap where menuki would normally be placed. The saya is black lacquer with fairly elaborate decoration of an undersea scene with shells and sea life. There are two metal hangers on the saya one similar to a tachi hanger and the other on the side. The hanger on the side slides and appears to have been intentionally made that way, almost like a moveable kurigata. There is no sign that the side hanger it was ever secured to the saya. The tsuba appears to be late Edo of a devil mask. The suriage blade is signed Kashu Haryoshi and date Eisho 12. I cannot find any reference to this smith. I have posted the signature in another thread. I welcome your comments as to the style and age of these mounts. This katana will be for sale shortly.

[DGARBUTT]

more photos

[kaigunair]

I like the lacquer work on the saya. The nanako work on the fittings seems decent enough. Maybe a theater use item? Would explain the Noh mask themed tsuba...(I'm not a fan of the tsuba). Hope the blade is something.

[Soshin]

Hi Dale G.,

 

I don't see any connection between the designs on the tsuba and theme on the saya. I was lucky enough to see the saya in person and it is really remarkable in quality in terms of the lacquer work. Could the tsuba be a old replacement before World War 2 that fit and balance the sword blade well? Just some ideas off the top of my head.

[Lance]

I don't know of any way to prove it but the tsuba might fit with the rest of the mounts if worn by Kabukimono

 

http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index. ... Kabukimono

 

or the their spiritual successors, the late Edo town-samurai troublemakers/gangs who's name escapes me but are sometimes seen as an early part of the yakuza..

 

Anyway it's a pretty attractive/interesting set of koshirae. Sometimes these flashy yet at the same workmanlike koshirae gets me wondering if the wearers would wear these when out looking for trouble, when catching someone's eye they could say "what are you lookin'at?"

Regards,

Lance,

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning Dale,

 

I think the mask on your Tsuba may be Onryo Hannya, the expression of this mask is a fusion of jealousy, grudge, sorrow, and grief of women.

 

It appears in a variety of Noh plays (Momijigari , Dōjō-ji , Aoi no Ue , Kurozuka , Adachigahara).

 

 

The T shaped item is a stick brandished by various characters to heighten the emotion of the moment, or to establish age and frailty in a character.

 

http://data.ukiyo-e.org/ritsumei/images/arcUP1031.jpg

 

http://data.ukiyo-e.org/artelino/images/45944g1.jpg

 

The item on the reverse may be a stylised Fan.

 

http://data.ukiyo-e.org/aic/images/86165_407445.jpg

 

Cheers

[Bazza]

  ERazer said:

Good morning David,

The item on the reverse may be a stylised Fan.

http://data.ukiyo-e.org/aic/images/86165_407445.jpg

Rather than a stylised fan I think it is a plectrum for a samisen or similar stringed instrument. This would certainly complement the theatre theme we seem to be seeing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamisen

 

Regards,

BaZZa.

[Brian]

I'm still trying to decide if I like the ensemble or not...it certainly is unusual and a-typical and I think is probably quite desirable. It certainly makes a statement, and cannot be called bland :lol:

The saya was a later pairing maybe, being of an undersea theme, and well done. A composite koshirae, but quite unusual fittings.

 

Brian

[Toryu2020]

Terrific stuff Dale.

Thank you for sharing this very interesting piece.

-t

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning all

 

BaZZa wrote:

 

  Quote

Rather than a stylised fan I think it is a plectrum for a samisen or similar stringed instrument. This would certainly complement the theatre theme we seem to be seeing.

 

I see what you are saying BaZZa, but most Plectra that I have seen for both Shamisen and Biwa have a flat horizon not curved.

 

I think the theme of the Tsuba is firmly fixed in Noh Theatre.

 

Also in the classic Noh & Kyogen, the instruments used are Taiko (Large Drum) Ōtsuzumi (Large size hand held drum)

Kotsuzumi (Small size hand held drum) & Nohkan (small transverse Flute). Neither Shamisen nor Biwa appear in Noh.

 

I just discovered that a stylised Ginkgo leaf shaped fan called Chūkei - Ogi is used by main characters.

 

So I will nail my colours to the mast and go for Chūkei - Ogi.

 

Cheers

[Stephen]

Maybe made for the Theatre, so ito could be seen from a distance...just a thought

[Bazza]

  Stephen said:

Maybe made for the Theatre, so ito could be seen from a distance...just a thought

Shooting from the lip here - I can imagine a tanto being worn to the theatre by patrons, but not a katana????

 

Also, I meant to comment on the "sliding ashi" - I once had a tachi with handachi tosogu and one of the ashi moved freely along a contained length similar to the one Dale has shown.

 

Regards,

BaZZa.

[Stephen]

sorry i didnt make my self clear, not by patrons, by the actors...so it could be seen from the back row...stage prop...??