Any thoughts about this koshirae?

[mas4t0]

I've been admiring this koshirae for quite some time now, but I can't seem to find any other examples which are similar. I'd really like to know if this is indicative of any particular time period or region, or if it is simply a variation. I am intending to have a blade mounted in a similar style and I would be very appreciative of any opinions as to what style of tsuba you think would be appropriate.

 

Unfortunately, this is the only picture that I have, it has been saved on my computer for a long time and I don't any longer remember the source.

 

 

 

 

Kind Regards,

Mark H

[Travis Clarke]

Hi Mark,

 

It's hard to tell from this photo but this almost resembles toppei koshirae. Well, the saya is kind of similar anyway. Toppei koshirae became popular in the Bakumatsu period (late Edo) and had a heavy western influence. With toppei koshirae there was a large metal fitting on the end of the saya called a o-jiri. Your example seems to be a little more pointed at the tip though. Here's an example of toppei koshirae...

 

http://www.aoijapan.com/koshirae-toppei-goshirae

[uwe]

Like Travis mentioned hard to tell, but close to what a toppei goshirae look alike. Therefore late Edo (maybe late 19th century).

Nice indeed

Uwe

[Jussi Ekholm]

I can try to help a bit, but my help will be only partial, and it will need much more clearing by experienced people. I have first seen that picture around 2005, and around the net it's usually referred as being a koshirae that Musashi used.

 

Here you can see a pic of one Musashi koshirae, pic from Zusetsu Nihonto Yogo Jiten.

 

 

I was able to find this picture, which is from some book, and you can see it says Musashi koshirae.

 

 

Here is the blog post which had the picture: http://ameblo.jp/rokurokusanjin/entry-11328900973.html I'm unfortunately limited in my Japanese reading, and translator programs always leave me scratching my head almost as much I did before. So hopefully someone can provide rest of the help.

 

Markus Sesko's koshirae book gives following description about Musashi koshirae "The term Musashi-koshirae is ambigious. It can be applied to sword mounting from the possession of Miyamoto Musashi and those which were made later and modelled after the original(s)."

[uwe]

 

Uwe