Black Dragon (?) Shakudo Tsuba

[Loco Al]

Hello Gentlemen,

 

I recently acquired a sword that luckily came with koshirae. I really like the tsuba (and the menuki). I am told that it is a black dragon motif, but I wonder if it may be meant to represent some sort of sea monster instead. The menuki are half covered by doeskin lacing, so it is hard to tell what they truly represent. Possibly a 1700's (Edo period) work?

 

I took a number of photos of the tsuba. Photography is one of my hobbies, so I just had to share these. Later I can upload some photos of the menuki and the whole koshirae, if you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alan

[Geraint]

Hi Alan.

 

Nice photos, looking forward to seeing the whole koshirae. Dragons are often depicted in crashing waves in Japanese art so this one certainly fits that convention. Have a look for dragon tsuba and you will find many renditions to compare with yours.

 

Happy New Year.

[raven2]

Hi Alan,

 

Welcome to the board. I like this tsuba very much. Are you sure it is shakudo? It looks more like iron to me.

[Brian]

Lovely tsuba! Surprised it isn't signed.

I would give it a very gentle handwash with a bit of soap and water, no abrasives.

 

Brian

[Justin Grant]

I'll add that it is a male dragon (Ken on tail).

[kaigunair]

Nice tsuba! Is very similar to a choshu-han marked dragon tsuba I have. Possibly from the same area/school?

[Mark Green]

Very nice!!!! Thanks for sharing.

 

Mark

[Loco Al]

Hi Alan,

 

Welcome to the board. I like this tsuba very much. Are you sure it is shakudo? It looks more like iron to me.

 

I also wondered if it might be iron. On the worn inside edge of the nakago-ani (where there is no patina) it looks like copper. It feels heavy and it is non-magnetic. The incandescent light that I used for the photos casts a bit of a golden glow and makes it look like there are some rusty areas between the waves. I'm pretty sure that it is shakudo.

 

Alan

[Baka Gaijin]

Good evening Alan,

 

Nice Tsuba.

 

Dragon symbolism is really complex and one reference can contradict another according to era.

 

One popular dragon and sword reference is related to Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island in Japan's Inland Sea.

 

In The Tale of Heike, Ryujin, the sea-dragon empowers Antoku to ascend the Imperial throne because his father Taira no Kiyomori offered prayers at Itsukushima and declared it his ancestral shrine.

 

When Emperor Antoku drowned himself after being defeated in the 1185 Battle of Dan-no-ura, he lost the imperial Kusanagi sword (which legendarily came from one of the eight tails of the eight headed Yamata no Orochi dragon killed by Takehaya Susanoo-no-Mikoto).

 

Another popular dragon amid waves reference is as a symbol of male energy and protective talisman for crops.

 

Here's possibly all you need to know about Dragon symbolism:

 

http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/dragon.shtml

 

Cheers

[Stephen]

ORG title make me think of this

 

http://www.ricecracker.com/inventory/72 ... etsugu.htm

 

BDS and swords made by Shigetsugu

[Loco Al]

O.K., here's some photos of the koshirae and the menuki. Just a simple black lacquer saya. Menuki are not so easy to photograph behind the thick laces. The close-ups reveal a lot of dirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alan

[Alex A]

Very nice Alan, if im not mistaken, the fuchi looks to be lacquered also.

[Gabriel L]

Japanese dragons are strongly associated with water as has been stated; not just visually, but in terms of their intrinsic mythological character.

 

The menuki on your koshirae are also dragons. Appropriate as dragons are never depicted in full, but always partially hidden (the idea being something along the lines of “mortal eyes could not survive seeing an entire dragon”).

 

This koshirae appears to be top-notch. As enjoyable as it is, it also makes me wonder about the sword it was made for.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Would guess fittings are

Mito school

. Very nice.