Save the Koshirae

[kunitaro]

We can recognize his work without seeing the signature.

[kunitaro]

Kuro-urushi Zokuryu-nuri saya Uchigatana/Handachi Koshirae

(* Zokuryu = bottom of chesnut)

Sasayama Tokuoki Issaku Tachi style Kanagu.

Ordered by Nakai Mitsushige.

(18th Tokubetsu Juyo Toso)

*Mitsushige made a Tanto koshirae for Komei Tennno by order in same year.

[kunitaro]

Nakai Mitsushige is a famous merchant of Omi province in bakumatsu period.

He is well known orderer of "Shoju Raigo no zu, Daisho Kanagu (Juyo Bunka zai)" published in the book "Tagane no Hana" and "Jigoku no zu Tsuba made by Otsuki Mitsuoki.

[kunitaro]

Nakai Mitsushige is a famous merchant of Omi province in bakumatsu period.

He is well known orderer of "Shoju Raigo no zu, Daisho Kanagu (Juyo Bunka zai)" published in the book "Tagane no Hana" and "Jigoku no zu Tsuba made by Otsuki Mitsuoki.

[Brian]

:thud:

Wow..sensory overload!

 

Brian

[Tcat]

No koshirae thread is complete without cracking out some freshly cracked tomei millet. Thank you very much for these photos Kunitaro-san, serious viewing pleasure!

[BMarkhasin]

Beautiful works that should serve as benchmarks for those pursuing Edo Koshirae. Thanks for sharing Kunitaro-san!

 

Best,

Boris.

[John A Stuart]

This is the kind of workmanship that really shows how wonderful it can be and how I despair of ever having examples like it in my greedy little paws. John

[cabowen]

Kunitaro san, thank you for sharing some spectacular examples!

[Peter Bleed]

The koshirae presented in this thread have been fabulous. A real treat, But I think they may be derailing us from the more basic issues of “saving the koshirae.” The reality of most Japanese swords is completely unrelated to the treasures Kunitaro-san has shown us.

I’m sure that in the past 70 years – and in the centuries before that – fabulous treasure koshirae have been dispersed and destroyed. We should discourage that kind of activity. But most of the swords we collect were equipped with fittings that were – if not ephemeral – intended to be functional and easily adjusted. Our swords usually come to us with a mixed bag of tosogu that reflect bad taste, economic realities, and functional wear and tear. Just because they came to us like that did not guarantee that that is how they ought to remain.

I don’t like the modern practice of tricking out old swords with brand new saya and cleanly rewrapped tsuka. I treasure “Samurai swords” and like pieces that show their use by working warriors, even if they have dings and other “flaws.” I would not replace a saya because it is worn were it was carried as part of a daisho.

Still, if old mounts are in poor condition and were never of any particular quality, I see no reason to give them particular privilege. This is especially the case with gunto. Late in the War, lots of swords were mounted in a mishmash of cheap pieces that truly seems to have selected because they were expendable. I see nothing wrong with separating those kinds of blades from their “Koshirae.”

Peter

[bone]

I can't even count the number of pages I've seen removed from great books. Sure you make more money but it's just wrong. Same here. I'd rather have a sword with mediocre koshirae than buy them piecemeal. Actually I won't buy a single piece. (Full disclosure: I couldn't afford full sets anyway.)

[Kronos]

it is plainly wrong and it surprises me as I wold think there should be a premium for intact Koshirae that would be more than the sum of their parts.

[BMarkhasin]

Thanks for circling back to the discussion Peter. I also don't care for 'tricked-out' koshirae as you say, and I think that it is reprehensible behaviour to break apart an intact (unmolested) koshirae for profit. However, I can see some grey in this debate.

 

With age, koshirae degrade - worming, lacquer loss, corrosion, disintegration are all realities with koshirae. Consider if the koshirae in question was already 'Frankenstein-ed' beyond hope by some previous misguided owner, or damaged beyond any reasonable hope of salvage. How about a partial koshirae - saya, tsuka, tsuba, kashira, f/k hopelessly damaged or missing. Broken saya, missing kojiri? Wormed kaeritsuna and kurikata? Splitting, cracking lacquer? Disintegrated or badly damaged tsukamaki? Lost menuki etc...

 

I personally don't see a major issue with reassembling or replacing a part that is damaged beyond salvage, or a part that was an obvious and poor swap by the previous owners. Nor do I see a problem with disarticulation - ie. stripping a tsuba if inappropriate/ contrived. The underlying motivation however must be for conservation / restoration. All such things need to be done in moderation in my personal opinion, and keeping the item in historical context is paramount. If such activities are undertaken thoughtfully and unhurriedly, they can benefit the koshirae and mitigate previous errors of judgement. There are some exceptional shokunin in Japan who specialize in restoration / conservation with an eye to maintaining historical and aesthetic integrity. They are as much historians as artists. I have used such services before and have been extremely satisfied with the results.

 

Let me add another verse to Jon's original rant...

 

As usual, greed motivates people to do some terrible things for a buck (or Yen). One of the most nefarious activities of dealers in Japan, is not simply 'tricking out' koshirae by swapping tsuba and tsuka, but creating fantasy pieces, from authentic period bits of individual tosogu. The same shokunin who are proficient at restorative work are increasingly being employed for big Yen to compile full koshirae. These are then quickly papered Juyo or Tokujuyo and sold for extremely high prices as originals. Last year I am sad to say I saw three such examples - 1 in a collection, 1 being marketed and another in the 'conceptual design' stage. I should add that they were all Muromachi period tachi and koshigatana koshirae (or designed to look like them). Makes swapping out a tsuba seem mundane, and opens the door for other uncomfortable debates.

 

As Jon originally asked,

Is there any sort of unwritten collectors etiquette on this subject?

The answer unfortunately is hell no. Caveat Emptor. Know your stuff...

 

Best,

Boris.

[cabowen]

Caveat Emptor. Know your stuff...

 

 

Ain't that the truth!

[Soshin]

Hi Everyone,

 

Boris touched on some very important points critical to the discussion. Thank you.

[Tcat]

The same shokunin who are proficient at restorative work are increasingly being employed for big Yen to compile full koshirae.

 

Dream job! :D seriously though, hasn't this been standard practise for many years? (Putting a quality period sword together with appropriately matched quality period fittings to sell at profit...) I thought that's basically exactly what dealers do to make a living. In the absence of deception, who loses out from this arrangement?

[BMarkhasin]

Who loses? Well if everyone is a willing participant in the sordid game, then no-one.... Isn't that exactly the philosophy that keeps the shinsa orgs alive and well?? But I digress.

 

Since I am now engaged in this rant, please allow one last verse as food for thought..

 

For all of us western collectors, please keep in mind that our idealized 'vision' of koshirae (especially older ones) is predicated on literally a handful of brutally over-published examples - ie. the idealized Higo, Toppei or Tensho koshirae. We also for some reason weave this idea of wabi-cha into our vision of Momoyama and early Edo koshirae because we have a collective obsession with Hosokawa Tadaoki (above Higo koshirae model). Collectively, we have adopted a vision of aesthetic for an entire Period, based on a snapshot in time of one (or two) koshirae of one individual's tastes. Thats like defining fashion of the 20th c. based on one or two preserved outfits in some museum, and thinking that this should have been what everyone else in that century must have aspired to look like! What if that preserved outfit was Liberace's?! There are actually many fully intact koshirae from these periods to draw on for a broader idea of prevalent aesthetics. We need to do that. Seriously, I want to scream every time I see some soft doe-skin wrapped fern-green tsuka! Just picking on one style here, so forgive me -- its actually beautiful and I love the originals as much as everyone else. But this is a self-limiting and incorrect methodology, resulting in a 'western koshirae'. ... not even bringing up the dragons....

 

There were as many variations of koshirae as wearers - this is especially true for older examples, from a time when there were no regulations governing aesthetics. PHEW! I feel better now. Thanks!

 

Best,

Boris

[nihonto1001]

Gentlemen, thank you for participating in this valuable discussion.

 

Unless my memory betrays me, I remember seeing partial koshirae with papers. I bring this up, because I think it is important to preserve original koshirae, even if parts are missing.

 

Is it acceptable to add a tsuba or kozuka/kogatana to such a koshirae? I think yes, as long as it is disclosed and can be reversed without harming the original koshirae.

 

I too, am not a big fan of fresh tsuka make. But, if the original wrap is gone by way of the 'menuki oni', then why not?

 

I must say, I am more on the side of preservation first. However, playing devils advocate, maybe things like re-lacquering a busted saya, could be considered as maintenance, in much the same way polishing a blade is.

[Brian]

Very good points Boris!

 

Brian

[kusunokimasahige]

Old Koshirae and their owners :

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a large one :

 

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/ ... e8c028.jpg

 

Tastes can of course differ, as do koshirae. Still no reason not to try to save period pieces, unless of course they are beyond saving.

 

But then it can still be attractive to the artefact collectors who do not really care about looks, as long as the item is from the era....

 

KM

[Stephen]

Thanks KM, as I have noticed before, many second swords were more of a tanto, was that a rank thing?

[kusunokimasahige]

Stephen, you might find this an interesting read :

 

http://www.samurai-archives.com/sts.html

 

And this part in particular :

 

The tanto or aikuchi (Japanese dagger) was created much in the style of the katana, but being far shorter and often dispensing with the tsuba (sword guard). Although their advantages are obvious for carrying out clandestine missions or in confined conditions, many samurai carried them into battle, thrust through their obi (sash-like belt). The wakizashi was often discarded in favour of the katana and tanto. There is considerable evidence to suggest that extreme close-quarters conflicts between samurai were often ended with the tanto, a good case in point is that between Etchu Zenji Moritoshi and Inomata Noritsuna at the battle of Ichi-no-Tani in 1184 (Turnbull, 1996 p28). This example and many others outline the reality of samurai warfare throughout its history - that mass-conflicts and single combat could be messy, desperate affairs; wholly removed from the graceful sword duels of movie and legend.

 

The wakizashi was often discarded in favor of the tanto for every day wear. The tanto itself was not really a badge of rank although when a tanto was given as present to a samurai by his lord he often would stop wearing his own tanto in favor of the one his lord presented him with as far as I know, and the same of course goes for daisho.

 

KM

[Stephen]

TY

[nihonto1001]

The challenge will be to find an authentic koshirae (Edo Period or older) at the next sword show in Philadelphia, PA. I will try to post some pics if I encounter one.