Mekugi Ana

[cuttingedge59]

Hi All,

From time to time you see nihonto with two mekugi ana purposely punched so as to line up with two mekugi 's in the Tsuka.

I am not talking about those nakago that have more than one punched due to remounts or new tsuka.

 

I am wondering if any of the learned collectors here have examples of nihonto where there are two mekugi ana punched in the

nakago that line up and are used in the tsuka.  All fittings are original and in period to the nihonto and not restoration work.

 

I have had a look around various dealers sites and havn't found any examples so if someone here does i would greatly appreciate if

you could share a picture or two .

 

With many thanks ,

Chris nz

 

[Kai-Gunto]

The sword in the thread does have that feature.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/10649-huge-katana-775-cm-nagasa-help-please/

[Jussi Ekholm]

How old are you looking for? It will be pretty tough to find original koshirae that is early Edo or before that.Here are few that might be something you are looking for from Uchigatana Koshirae book.

 

48 - Sukesada blade dated 1524 but the koshirae was made between 1598 and 1604. This was a sword Kuroda Yoshitaka carried a lot before that but the koshirae was made during that time. Sword is a kazuchi-mono by Sukesada and it has hikae meguki-ana. Koshirae has two holes so it was mounted through both. There is also a later copy of this koshirae featured the later copy koshirae just has a single hole as mounted is the famous sword Heshigiri-Hasebe. Both swords were own by Kuroda Yoshitaka.

 

Nagasa 61,2 cm, nakago 15,5 cm, tsuka 21,9 cm, overall length of koshirae 91,6 cm

 

63 - Kiyomitsu blade dated 1514 but the koshirae was made around 1661 and 1704. This sword also has hikae mekugi-ana, you can find plenty of swords around the 1500 that have this backup hole at the end of their short nakago. Koshirae is not as old as the sword but still pretty old.

 

Nagasa 67,5 cm, nakago 17,5 cm, tsuka 22,0 cm, overall length of koshirae 95,3 cm

[Teimei]

Hi,

 

it is called 'shinobi ana' and is generally seen in longer heavier blades. I have seen many shin-shinto blades with that feature.

My example(daito ca. 1800):

 

[cuttingedge59]

Many thanks for the replys and examples shown.

Regards,

Chris nz

[Davidarmy]

Here is one...

 

David W. Easley

[Kronos]

Out of interest is that the 3rd gen Echizen Yasutsugu and papered?

[Davidarmy]

The Wakizashi has new papers and the daito is awaiting a touch up polish and going to Japan for shinsa....yes 3rd GEN

 

D Easley

[Kronos]

Thought so. For the record the daito has the more typical mei (imho without seeing the blade) so I think it'll do well

[Davidarmy]

Kronos...PM sent

 

D Easley

[Ken-Hawaii]

Chris, are you wondering why a blade might need more structural support from two mekugi?

 

Ken

 

[cuttingedge59]

Ken ,

No , I understand as Florian has stated that long , heavy blades may require additional retention as physics would dictate.

What i was looking for was examples of nakago with two mekugi ana where the fitted tsuka used two mekugi to retain the blade.

Jussi has posted some nice examples from a book i don't own that show this .

Seems to be a little more common to early blades .

Regards

Chris nz