Snakeskin Wrap?

[barnejp]

Hi Everyone.

 

Found this on eBay;

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/WW2-Japanese-Sword-Signed-Rare-Late-War-Snakeskin-Wrap/123636221451?hash=item1cc94b060b:g:-uwAAOSwOJZcJxMW

 

Is this snakeskin? And is this type of wrap rare?

 

Thank you,

Greg

[Logan09]

I'm going to say Shark skin.

[nagamaki - Franco]

 

Is this snakeskin? And is this type of wrap rare?

 

 

Looks to be. Can't recall seeing more than once or twice before.

 

p.s. yes, agree, shark skin here. Have seen snake skin, too.

Edited February 20, 2019 by nagamaki - Franco

[Dave R]

 I have an Edo period tsuka with the same sharkskin under the Ito. Not common, but far from unknown.

[Bazza]

IMHO "RARE" has a connotation that is not applicable here.  "RARE" as in hardly ever seen doesn't qualify for the descriptor if it is less preferable and a cheaper option than the real thing - i.e., same.  It certainly does not make it more valuable in $$$ terms - again, IMHO.

 

BaZZa.

[TETSUGENDO]

RARE, QUALITY, and VALUE are often completely unrelated.

 

-S-

[barnejp]

Well put...even rare plus quality doesn't equal $

[Ken-Hawaii]

Nope, not sharkskin. Our bay is full of baby sharks, & I've handled enough of them to be able to recognize at least a couple of species. That wrap is not nearly rough enough to be from a shark, although I haven't the slightest idea what beast it came from.

[Logan09]

I just wanted to add this.

 

I just picked up a gunto with this wrap. I do believe it is sharkskin. The skin is like little Barb's if you go against the grain.

[Endrass]

Hi,

 

I was thinking of starting a new topic but since there is already one with the same title (although somewhat old...) I preferred to include a new post.

 

Surfing the internet I found what I think is snakeskin in a kaigunto for sell.

 

Addtional info: Theoretically the blade (Kiyonobu Okumura) is from 1940, although there are no photos of that side of the nakago to confirm the date.

 

Any thoughts? Can you help me confirm the type of skin? I have searched the forum but have not found anything quite similar.

 

Thank you,

 

Mario