fittings puzzle

[Ford Hallam]

I suspect some of the members who've been in the antiques game for a few years may have seen these before and if you're a friend of mine of facebook you're not allowed to comment ...

 

So, what are these used for in relation to tosogu?

 

[Brian]

I think I know....but can you give us some idea of scale?

 

Brina

[Pete Klein]

Well, I haven't a clue. I keep thinking perhaps something to do with a cord hanger/sageo but I can't see how it is utilized.

[Brian]

Are they used when manufacturing something?

 

Brian

[ROKUJURO]

The parts remind me of the KODOGU on an AIKUCHI (SAYA and TSUKA). Could they be for a similar fitting system?

[Ford Hallam]

Jean C has the right sort of size in mind....

[Peter Bleed]

These certainly do look saya/tsuka sized. They seem too light to be drifts or swedges for fuchi-kashira production. Are they forms for making non-metal fittings?

Peter

[Chishiki]

Hi. For assembling pill boxes using fuchi gashira? Mark

[Lance]

I'd agree with Mark, looks like they're the interiors of the little Meiji Era boxes used to hold pills, snuff, etc. Does this mean you were able to rescue some fittings from them?

 

Below is a ring with a kashira that looks to have been part of a decent set:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-JAPANES ... 5794wt_770

 

Regards,

Lance

[Ford Hallam]

Mark and Lance are spot on :D

 

And yes, they way they were assembled, with the fitting 'glued' in place with hot pitch, means that most fuchi/kashira can be safely recovered.

 

Lance, it was actually that image that a friend posted on facebook and which prompted me to dig these bits out of my scrap box.

 

This sort of refashioning was done in Japan as evidenced by the kanji scratched on the inner linings and the fact that one of the pieces is actually shibuichi (the pink one)

[Bugyotsuji]

Good stuff.

 

BTW the fitting on the left in the bottom pic actually has 'Shibuichi' written on it.

[Ford Hallam]

Piers,

 

Yes, the fuchi it came out of was probably shibuichi The linings themselves are of fine silver except for the pink one, which is shibuichi.

 

The other kanji reads 'uchi' or inside...which seems pretty obvious :D

[Lance]

It's nice to know some of these were recoverable, over the years I've seen a few of what looked to have been pretty good fittings re purposed into various kinds of jewelry, and just assumed they were soldered in place or something similar.

 

Regards,

Lance

[Pete Klein]

Ford -- I really like the new avatar. It says it all.

[Ford Hallam]

Cheers Pete, yup, life seen through the lens of the tsuba

 

This was actually a pic taken by a fellow who did an interview and a 'sort of' photo essay on me and my work a little while ago. His idea but I think it's sorta cool, gotta work with what ya got.

[Mantis dude]

A tsuba collectors version of Colonel Klink

[Soshin]

Hi Ken,

 

If Ford is a tsuba collectors version of Colonel Klink the I can be Sargent Schultz. This will be my new avatar.