Jump to content

New acquisition that needs some TLC

Surfson

By Surfson
in Tosogu

 Share

Recommended Posts

Surfson Grand Master

Surfson

Posted
Posted

Hi All.  Just requested some help with the signature on this piece and got a request to show photos, so I am doing so here, in case the tosogu section followers don't go to the translation page.  

 

This is an interesting wakizashi koshirae that I was moved to buy for several reasons.  It has very nice mounts that appear to all be by the same hand.  The fuchi and the kojiri are both signed Yasuhara Yoshinori and Yoshinori respectively (also Bijo - thanks to Steve for help with the translation), who is listed in Haynes as H12005.0. Haynes mentions his lineage, but I haven't had a chance to look into it more, so if any of you know about him or the line, please speak up.  

 

The fuchi-kashira are made in iron and some neglect has led to considerable surface rusting.  I believe that this made it more affordable and gives me the chance to have some restoration done.  I am open to suggestions as to who might be right for it.  Since it is in Japan right now, somebody in Japan would be worth considering.  I have the options to send it to Mishina San to use his collaborators or to Pablo Kunze, who I believe does this sort of thing.  I have sent many items to Brian Tschernega, but he is very busy now.  The seppa are also missing a few pieces of gold that I would like to have redone.  

 

The habaki appears likely to be solid gold to me, based on the depth of the carvings, though it may just have a very thick plate. 

 

The saya is quite interesting and I would love to hear what any of you may know about this style of work and how it is done.  I assume that layering is involved and the layers are cut through, sort of like with guribori.

 

The kozuka looks very good to my eye.  I can't tell if it is likely to be Goto or not, but the nanako is perfectly geometrically placed, which is usually an indicator of top work in my experience.  The kokatana is not shown, but has a very nice looking signature of Tamba no Kami Yoshimichi.  It also has some surface rust.

 

Any comments are appreciated.  Cheers, Bob

 

 

post-620-0-03177600-1594742381_thumb.png

post-620-0-38894600-1594742418_thumb.png

post-620-0-87935200-1594742430_thumb.png

post-620-0-38510600-1594742441_thumb.png

post-620-0-31151400-1594742455_thumb.png

post-620-0-98930600-1594742468_thumb.png

post-620-0-62003600-1594742482_thumb.png

  • Like 6
Geraint Grand Master

Geraint

Posted
Posted

Sweet!  Thanks for sharing these, that's a lovely koshirae.   Just look at the shittodome on the kashira.  I think the first step is some careful work with a fragment of bone to clean off the worst of the fresh rust.

 

All the best.

Babu

Babu

Posted
Posted

The gold habaki may be relatively low quality gold content as I think it's tarnished and I may be able to see verdigris at the back of your image.

In or around 1830 the shogun's representative Tadakuni Echizen no kami, forbade the further use of any more ornaments of solid gold in sword fittings so many other ways of achieving a customer's expectations were developed including making something in pure gold then lacquering it Black.

Fuuten Mentor

Fuuten

Posted
Posted

Such a unique kind of lacquer ware finish too. I don't have anything in the 'oll digital archive like this (or at least not that i could find).

Babu

Babu

Posted
Posted

This technique appears to be to build up the profile of bark like ridges and in different colours of laquer then to shave back those ridges to achieve this effect.

I wonder if it was first made to resemble bark of a tree then due to damages that were unavoidable this was not done as a sort of a saving grace repair.

Ganko Proficient

Ganko

Posted
Posted

Very nice koshirae. I think the rust on the F/K will clean off fairly well, as Geraint says, a little work with sharp piece of bone will tell you more. The lacquer is a variant of Wakasa Nuri I believe, and very nicely done.

Peter Bleed Veteran

Peter Bleed

Posted
Posted

Wonderful rig! I would love to know the history - where was such a wonderful weapon sitting - ignored and unhandled  - long enough to end up in this condition. Please tell us what you can about its history.

Peter

Surfson Grand Master

Surfson

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks for the input.  I know nothing about the history, as it came out of a Yahoo.jp auction that just ended yesterday!  The maker of the fittings worked for the Ideda Daimyo of Matsuyama and apparently worked in Bitchu.  I want to think that it had a Bizen sword in it, but the set was certainly made in late Edo, so it could have had anything, and if the sword was new, it would be a shinshinto blade.  From a glance at the habaki, it looks like it may have been a shinogi zukuri wakizashi.  

 

Do you think that I should have a go at it with ivory first?  I was thinking to put it straight in the hands of an expert, since the seppa are also missing a few gold "teeth".  

Bazza Grand Master

Bazza

Posted
Posted

Gents,  lovely koshirae, very desirable IMHO.  Now the rust.  Long ago - decades in fact - the late lamented Alan Harvie while visiting Australia commented on an attempt of mine to remove rust from an iron tsuba.  I had carefully picked away at the encrustation of rust with a de-tempered scalpel blade to remove as much as I could.  This left pits where the rust had more severely bitten into the iron surface.  Alan remonstrated with me saying that it would have been better to use the small flat of a bone (or ivory) with oil and gently abrade the surface until the rust was level with the original iron surface.  This technique would therefore have left a smooth surface rather than a pitted one.  Hopefully!!

 

So, Robert, I would go with using an expert, of which there must be a few in Japan.  And I would guess to do this restoration work at a professional level might cost as much as the koshirae??!!

 

BaZZa.

Ken-Hawaii Grand Master

Ken-Hawaii

Posted
Posted

The more I look at it, the more cool details I see.  It's too bad that the tanto isn't still with it, as I'm sure the owner made this exquisite koshirae to match its quality.

 

Can you post a few more shots of the habaki, showing all sides? I have one late-Edo solid-gold habaki, but it's much-plainer than yours.

Surfson Grand Master

Surfson

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I will take some more shots of the habaki when it arrives Ken.  I have another like it that is on a Yokoyama Bizen tanto - I think there is a thread with it somewhere.  Also solid gold and deeply carved.  Tom, that's an interesting name for it.  Is that Japanese or a western name for a similarly complex western product?  Bakana urushi?

Ganko Proficient

Ganko

Posted
Posted

I will take some more shots of the habaki when it arrives Ken.  I have another like it that is on a Yokoyama Bizen tanto - I think there is a thread with it somewhere.  Also solid gold and deeply carved.  Tom, that's an interesting name for it.  Is that Japanese or a western name for a similarly complex western product?  Bakana urushi?

I believe it was from a Japanese site that was in English, it may have been "Kichigai nuri".  I had a tachi kake that was done in that manner.

  • Like 1
This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...