Unusual Tassel

[BANGBANGSAN]

My friend got one Tassel in China, the craftsmanship is very good, but missing the knot, look like made of cotton instead of silk,the original color should be blue 。People who give him the tassel told him it is a Manchukuo 滿洲國  tassel. Did anyone saw these before?

[PNSSHOGUN]

The regional tassels were more or less the same as the standard tassels with different colour variations, I do not think this is related to IJA tassels.

[BANGBANGSAN]

John

I don't think it's an IJA tassel either. I just never saw Manchukuo 滿洲國 or Chinese Nanking Puppets government 南京偽政府 tassel before.

 

The regional tassels were more or less the same as the standard tassels with different colour variations, I do not think this is related to IJA tassels.

[Stephen]

Tassel for a sword bag.

[Guest]

Agree in part with Stephen, Fusa Himo, but the  Himo's a bit short to tie around Katana or Wakizashi, maybe Tanto Bag or from a box?

[BANGBANGSAN]

Stephen

I don't think this is a sword bag tassel.Sword bag tassel is much narrower than this one and more like thin rope shape.This one is flat,almost same wide as the IJA tassel.It's not IJA tassel for sure.But,could it be Manchukuo 滿洲國 or Chinese Nanking Puppets government 南京偽政府 tassel ?I can't find any photo/Info of those tassel.

[Kiipu]

Found one similar but it is Japanese.  Will do better next time!

天 皇 御 服 改 正・大 元 帥 佩 刀

http://ohmura-study.net/282.html

[Bruce Pennington]

Is this the one you are refering to Thomas?

 

[Kiipu]

Is this the one you are refering to Thomas?

 

Yes it is.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Thomas

Thanks for the link, but the tassel I post does not really look like the tassel in that photo.I don't think it used by the Japanese officer.

Anyone have info of Manchukuo 滿洲國 or Chinese Nanking Puppets government 南京偽政府 sword tassel ?

 

 

 

Found one similar but it is Japanese.  Will do better next time!

天 皇 御 服 改 正・大 元 帥 佩 刀

http://ohmura-study.net/282.html

[PNSSHOGUN]

That generals tassel in the picture is unusual in that the stitch pattern is more complex than the standard examples seen today. On buyee there was a replica with a similar pattern but the colours were purple and red, the listing said it was a replica based off the very first model of tassel.

[Guest]

Good afternoon all, 

 

I am coming around to it being for a sword, given Trystan's side by side image above, it shows the weave on the blue example to be very much thicker than the Gunto weave, which is very much like fine quality Silk Sageo weave such as  Kourai Uragawari.

 

http://www16.plala.or.jp/katana-iimura/uragawari-e.html

 

The thickness of the weave of the blue does remind me of the width and pattern traditionally used for Kendo Armour Helmet cords (Men Himo).

 

Here's an image of some in white, to show the width and pattern:

 

http://www.tozandoshop.com/White-Men-Himo-Cord-p/200-hmw[6].htm

 

And here it is in traditional dyed Indigo, which with time would fade down to a pale blue.

 

http://www.tozandoshop.com/Standard-Indigo-Dyed-Cotton-Do-Himo-For-Adults-p/202-hmkdl.htm

 

Which raises the questions, was its original colour dark blue and was it a Field repair using available materials?

 

Or tantalisingly, something else.

 

Great Thread!!!

 

No pun intended.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Malcolm

This tassel cord looks kinda like  Kendo Armour Helmet cords or the cords put around traditional wood Katana Saya, but it has the  fringe（I'm not sure how to call the bottom parts of tassel)，so make me wonder it's a tassel rather than cords.

[Guest]

Good  evening Trystan,

 

Tassels are called Fusa, cords are called Himo.

 

Usually they are constructed as separate elements to the Himo for Sword bags and boxes..

 

The Himo is usually slotted through a central opening in the Fusa and terminated with a knot, but there are variations where the Himo itself is "frayed" and tied to form a Fusa.

 

Difficult to tell with your example, perhaps invert it and allow the strands to fall back and see how the Himo is terminated with a knot or stitch around the Fusa.

 

It could be that the Fusa is indeed formed by fraying the Himo, and back tying to create volume.

 

I hope I am explaining myself adequately.

 

[BANGBANGSAN]

Malcolm

I would like to see some example of Manchukuo  or Chinese Nanking Puppets government 's sword tassel.I'm NOT talking about Protepee style sword knot for Western-style sword.

[IJASWORDS]

Has the rare falcon sarute and yellow tzuka wrap.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Neil

That's a very cool one!Thanks for sharing!What is this Tassel for?

[IJASWORDS]

No idea, looking for answers.

[Bruce Pennington]

Reminded me of the tan railway gaurd tassel, but it's two-tone tan.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28631-railway-swords-stamps/?hl=tassel&do=findComment&comment=290148

[BANGBANGSAN]

Bruce

You're right,Neil's Tassel does look like Railway guard tassel

[Shamsy]

Basically only related via the subject of tassels, but here are a few pictures I found in a book detailing Japanese military and navy equipment.

 

The illustration shows... not sure what they are called, but basically belt tassels used with dress uniform, not sword tassels.

 

The only yellow I could find was naval. Sorry, not my area of expertise by a long shot, this is more of an interest post.

[BANGBANGSAN]

Steve

Thanks  for the photos!

Whether it's a sword tassel or not, I think it's not for IJA/IJN. More like something from Manchukuo, people told me it was on a Manchukuo sword.

[BANGBANGSAN]

I found this Manchukuo NCO sword,the style of the tassel on it kinda like the one I post,but not the same.

 

[Kai-Gunto]

I found this Manchukuo NCO sword,the style of the tassel on it kinda like the one I post,but not the same.

Its not a sword tassel, but for a sword bag.