Tsuka

[kissakai]

I recently bought this from Higo-san (Chris)

He bought it because of the style/wrapping as did I.

I'd like to find out a bit more about if anyone can help

The wrapping is unusual and very well done and something I've not seen before

The 'sharks skin' is also unusual as instead of the normal nodes this has scales that look like sharks teeth

Fuchi is nice nanako and the kashira is plain

Any idea what would be suitable menuki to use if I decide to add them

 

 

 

 

 

[kissakai]

Is this a difficult one?

 

[Matsunoki]

Hello Grev

I’m no tsukamaki expert but here’s what I think.

This is not “normal” ito. I believe the style is called Jabara string wrap and you can see the wrap does look like a type string. The individual strands are thinner and allow for very  intricate decorative patterns….twists, overlaps etc as we see here. This difficult and expensive style is very often encountered on lavishly mounted Tanto but obviously gets used on katana etc. 

However it’s very decorative nature sometimes makes it more prone to damage and when it starts to unravel it’s a nightmare and difficult to repair. It’s just a bit more fragile.

The wrap on this tsuka looks reasonably recent buy very nicely done. You can see that removal of the menuki has loosened it in those areas. Great care will be needed to slide new menuki in. Shakudo and gilt menuki would look good bearing in mind the fuchi kashira. They will need to be long enough to enable the wrap to secure them but not so thick as to break the binding. Handle with great care!

All the best

Colin

[Matsunoki]

Meant to say the same looks more like snakeskin.

[Bazza]

Sharkskin???  It has denticles rather than scales...

https://ocean.si.edu...icry-shark-denticles

 

BaZZa.

[kissakai]

I thought I had some images of differing wrap styles but maybe just in my imagination or an obscure book

With Colins reply I don't think I'd be able to find a more definite answer

I worked out the scale from the link supplied but I assume my maths (yes it should have an 's') makes the denticles minute but they are a great match

Are we looking at circa 1850 or much later?

 

[Matsunoki]

2 hours ago, kissakai said:

Are we looking at circa 1850 or much later?

 

Grev, to me it looks much much later. It shows hardly any wear or handling grime. Can never be sure….it may have been simply very well looked after but my bet is late 20thC.  I’ll try and find an interesting link for you…..I’ve seen someone either on the web or maybe even on this forum capable of doing this impressive type of work.

[Matsunoki]

Grev, this is the forum member that I was thinking of. His tsuka wrapping is superb and he does Jabara. He may even have done yours.

@Artur DrogaMiecza

[1kinko]

I may well be wrong but I believe Artur injured his hands doing tsuka maki and now just sells tosogu. He has a Facebook page (his name). For a pretty good coverage of styles of wrap, Thomas Buck’s Facebook page Tsukamaki.net is a good resource. 

[Steves87]

Yep, Artur is reliable and good to deal with... has a high standard of Tsuka too (I didn't know about the injury).

His Flickr account https://www.flickr.c..._drogamiecza/albums/ is best to see his stock

[kissakai]

Thanks for the links and I'll check them out