Ox Bone Shirasaya...but Is It Japanese?

[IanB]

Further to this, the isolated piece illustrated by Mick does show a guy in early Japanese hunting costume. There is one rider in the current yabusame event a Nikko who dresses in this costume, the rest in Edo period clothing. Part of my reasoning for suggesting a possible Chinese origin for some at least of these items is the dreadful quality of the 'carving' , or rather scratching, and imagery. Look at the two photos on the left of the top line of the original posting. Beards are definitely in vogue for all the adults and two figures wear Chinese court caps. There is also a very Chinese looking child with what to me looks like a Chinese type fan. Having said that there are Japanese touches such as the drying fishing nets and the 'cracked ice' design. There is also the fact that these things are invariably done with brass mounts rather than copper which Japan had an abundance of. I may be totally wrong and I'm not being derogatory to the Chinese but somehow I cannot see Japanese craftsmen turning things like this out. If you compare it with the one Brian illustrates, you see what could be done in Japan. Even the 'tachi' illustrated by Kyle has non-bearded samurai wearing armour and Japanese dress and could well be a Japanese made version.

Ian Bottomley 

[kyushukairu]

James, it's technically a tachi due to the length. To be considered such the nagasa must be 2尺3寸1分 (27in), and this one is 2尺3寸4分 (28in).

[Prewar70]

Ok I'm learning, so why a katana mei?

[Ford Hallam]

If it's 'katana mei' it's probably a katana... maybe. The converse contradiction would be a tachi-mei on katana Hizen-to. It's never a 'sure thing' to rely on absolute rules when discussing any aspect of Nihonto.

 

Katana / tachi distinction is never solely down to length.

[dominnimod]

Also,katana/tachi gimei might have been added on mumei katanas/tachi,so you must be very acquainted with the age schools and sword construction to be sure 100% and make the distinction with no doubts

[Guido]

James, it's technically a tachi due to the length. To be considered such the nagasa must be 2尺3寸1分 (27in), and this one is 2尺3寸4分 (28in).

 

What Ford said. Besides, I don’t know where you got the 2/3/1 information from, first time I hear that. The contemporary legal classification by length says that a daitō (whether katana or tachi) is a sword that’s longer than 2 shaku. IOW, a sword of 2 shaku 尺 1 rin 厘 (2/0/0/1) = 606.303 mm or 23 7/8”.

[Gordon Sanders]

 

While you can't save photos off YJP anymore, here is the link to it, if anyone cares to see what a slightly "better" one looks like.

 

http://page24.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/q60776491?u=%3bimanam97

 

If you turn off / disable  your java-script after the page loads, you should be able to copy ;-D

[Davis]

Ian, thanks very much for that information.  Kyle, the only article on the subject that I've come across appeared in a "Programme" of the To-Ken Society of Great Britain.  I no longer have the back issues but someone might. Sometime in the 60's or 70's I think.

Mick