The weirdest saya

[Okan]

I was wondering if anyone saw anything like this before..I'm sure there must be a reason for this ugliness but I couldn't come up with anything...

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

I wonder if the blade fits into this "SAYA".

[Okan]

5 minutes ago, ROKUJURO said:

I wonder if the blade fits into this "SAYA".

Yeah Jean, it sadly does..

 

[FZ1]

Antique bottle opener?                             

[DoTanuki yokai]

I don’t know the purpose but I’m a fan of  Negoro-nuri and like this, would say this is a cupholder.
 

[Moley]

Ainu ????

 

[Brian]

Was wondering. Fittings look a bit too good.
@Peter Bleed?

[Grey Doffin]

Late (Meiji) and trying to appeal to western tastes.

In my humbled opinion. Grey

[Okan]

Inside the hole lacquerware seems pretty damaged..so it must have been used but for what  

[Bencld]

Looks a little like pacific island native wooden club, aboriginal club ! 

[Bugyotsuji]

Silk seals usually have a hole through them for checking the proper thickness of sample skeins of silk. 

I am not suggesting that this saya is for measuring spaghetti, but it could be a merchant’s sword with the ability to check the size of some commodity like cotton or something…?

A size standard?