Seeking input on "uma menuki"

[outlier48]

Hi all - I am trying to decide what to do with these two uma menuki. The are mounted to a tsuka that I inherited (I think it was for a katana that I did not inherit ) The kashira depicts a different theme (two gnarled evergreen trees and two cranes) and the tsuka has no fuchi! Given that I have no blade for this tsuka, should I remove these uma menuki to keep as the first pieces in my collection, or, try to find a fuchi that ties into the theme of the kashira and keep this tsuka intact?

 

I'm interested in all opinions and suggestions as to how to proceed.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Charlie

[Soshin]

  outlier48 said:

Hi all - I am trying to decide what to do with these two uma menuki. The are mounted to a tsuka that I inherited (I think it was for a katana that I did not inherit ) The kashira depicts a different theme (two gnarled evergreen trees and two cranes) and the tsuka has no fuchi!

 

Could you please provide a detail photographs of the kashira? It make it easier for people to make suggestions as to what you should do with the set of menuki, kashira, and the tsuka.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S. (Soshin)

[outlier48]

I thought this would be helpful but it has been a real struggle to get half way different pics. Hope these help.

 

Charlie

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

IMHO, I would let as it is in the tsuka. bicolor ito is not so common.

The kashira and the menuki seems interesting items. May you could found a kashira and a blade for your tsuka :D

 

Sebastien

[outlier48]

Sebastien - thanks for the input. That is certainly a great option. I am so new to nihinto that I did not realize two color tsuka-ito was unusual

 

Charlie

[Ted Tenold]

Charlie,

 

I'd highly recommend against cutting the menuki out. Though as a horse fittings fanatic, I'd love to see them unobstructed. This style of ito is quite uncommon, and it displays very good workmanship of wrap. Ito such as this requires good skill to wrap. Look at the junctures where the green borders meet and notice how precise they continue through the center of the wrap overlays. Also look at the "points" of the diamonds and note that all the green colors terminate precisely in relation to eachother. Now considering these things, look at how accruately and uniformly the diamond all are the same size, placement, and shape. There is some shifting in the overlays and crossovers, and that's to be expected with older wraps because the wood and same underneath shrink causing the wrap to loosen with time, but the craftsmanship is still quite obvious. Multiple color itos can magnify lesser skills of a craftman much like bad body work on a car that will be painted black. Though the "tome" (knots the tie off the wrap at the kashira) are not shown, I'd predict they also are well done. Cutting this wrap off effectively destroys this craftsmans work.

 

As for the menuki, they are *wonderful*. I wonder if they might be solid gold, though that is difficult or impossible to determine without cutting them out, and it's really not that critical to find out at the loss of the wrap. The shakudo inlayed eye is a nice touch, and even from the distance shown the carving looks very good.

 

Finding a fuchi with pine and chidori (these are plovers btw, not cranes) may take a while, but I don't see it as impossible. The harder of the two handle parts to replace is the kashira, and you still have that. If you can get to the San Francisco there are a couple folks that have large selections of orphan parts. A good guy named Cole Cantrel is always there with masses of them and he may have something that will work. There are others folks that also may have something for you.

[Soshin]

I fully agree with Ted opinion on the subject. I would keep the tsuka as is and look for a matching kashira. There are a number of orphan kashira at different Nihonto shows for sale.

 

 

 

Yours truly,

David S. (Soshin)

[outlier48]

Ted - thanks for the detailed response - it makes sense to me - no need to rush to change things. Yes, tome look excellent in my very inexperienced opinion. And, after reading your post I took the time to really examine the ito and was amazed. I just assumed that this was typical of type and quality.

 

Hope to make it to the SF show and find a fuchi that fits (physically and thematically)! Could use a seppa and silk bag as well! Maybe a katana for this tsuka?

 

Charlie

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

Sure the fittings & wrapping of this tsuka is great quality :D .

I guess the entire koshirae and blade would be also quality items.

 

Sebastien

[outlier48]

Hi Sebastien - you may well be correct, but I will never know There is nothing left in my swordbag. I even searched the inside for any indication of the previous owner - having heard that sometimes such information was sewn into the bag lining - but found nothing.

 

Now that I have "discovered" these various treasures they will form the beginning of my collection. While I am planning on focusing on tsuba and menuki, I will keep this tsuka in hopes of finding a compatible fuchi and, with any luck, a blade that fits it and my pocketbook and that piques my interest.

 

I cannot help but wonder how many similar treasures currently lie hidden waiting to be be discovered!

 

Charlie

[remzy]

I wouldnt touch it if i were you, just in case the blade is refound later on.. and as mentioned before, the wrap is of excellent quality!

[outlier48]

Thanks to a new found friend I am able to post a couple of higher def pics. Hopefully someone will be able to comment further after seeing them. They show much better detail than the first pics I posted. Thanks in advance for any input. I hope you find them of interest.

 

Charlie

[remzy]

This is certainly the best diamonds i have seen so far, granted i havent seen a whole lot.

The menuki look pretty good too!