Mon significance on koshirae

[Nicolas Maestre]

Hi everyone,

 

Question here 😁. 

 

While researching a bit more on my nihonto (pictures at the bottom of this post here and details from the vendor here), I also found information on this mon, which is present on the fuchi:

 

If I'm not mistaken, it's supposed to be the family crest of the Kuki clan... Wait...

Kuki as in Kuki Yoshitaka !!?

 

I'm pretty sure it's highly unlikely that there be any sort of connection between this sword and this clan, but that led me to this question: could there be?? I mean, could someone back in the day exhibit a mon from a clan they had no connection to?? Was this "allowed" or was there some strict rules surrounding what could or could not be represented on sword koshirae?

 

As usual, thanks a LOT for your input 🙏

[Kurikata]

Bienvenue Nicolas,

 

the 6 Star Mon can be the KUKI Clan one . Different family crest can be found at the same time on a Koshirae depending on the Bushi rank and his relations with some other families.

 

 

[Toryu2020]

Many many families adopted traditional mon after the Meiji restoration. Many many families had several sons and daughters each who earned the right to wear the family crest. They would have started branch families and perhaps changed names several times. Many many cousins, housemen, servants and advisors were given permission to use the mon by their lord. For this reason a single mon on a  koshirae, fitting, item of clothing or armour is most often insignificant.

 

The great houses had primary and secondary mon, three, four or sometimes more. The individual style and combination of these mon can sometimes help to assign something to a single family or a single generation. Without that second mon or some other information it is foolish to try and assign a single item to any one individual from a single example...

 

-t

[Bugyotsuji]

The central blob is also a star, so this is a 7-star Mon.

[Nicolas Maestre]

Thank you guys for the answers ☺️.

Yes Thomas, that makes a lot of sense. I just wanted to understand whether or not a piece of koshirae could be, even very remotely, linked to a particular family thanks to the mon represented on it. 

 

Thanks again for your inputs, much appreciated!