Kaga koshirae

Okan · June 3

Hey guys,

A recent acquisition to collection and I felt it deserved to be shared. It's a Tokubetsu Kaga koshirae, original to the sword, resided in the private collection of an armor collector in Japan for over 50 years. Sword it was made for is a Naokatsu, made in Echigo. I would appreciate it if you could share additional information, as I have only just started studying it yesterday.

Thanks

Okan · June 3

Okan · June 3

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Alex A · June 3

Wonderful!

Glad it arrived safely.

ROKUJURO · June 3

Okan,

very beautiful! I hope the bugs are gone and the leather TSUKA ITO can be restored !

Alex A · June 3

The holes could be filled easily with leather repair filler, they do many various colours in many shades.

You would hardly see them, used it a few times.

The question is whether you should?,

Don't see it as much of an issue either way.

Brian · June 3

Wow...stunning koshirae, and textbook Kaga. Lovely!

Deiro · June 3

incredible, I have no words.

Gakusee · June 3

That is excellent koshirae. Congratulations on the acquisition.

Okan · June 4

Thank you all! @ROKUJURO I think I'll leave it like this hoping the bugs are gone..

Bugyotsuji · June 5

If there is brown-white powder round the holes, they are active. If not, probably long gone.

Oh, loving the package, by the way! :thumbsup:

Okan · June 5

7 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

If there is brown-white powder round the holes, they are active. If not, probably long gone.

Oh, loving the package, by the way!

Thank you Piers. I believe they are gone for future reference, how do we get rid of them without damaging tsukamaki?

Alex A · June 5

Folks get rid of worms in antiques (books etc) by placing the object in a sealed bag with a rag soaked in a chemical.

Though i wouldn't do this before speaking with someone like Ford H

As you don't know of any possible effects it may have on any metal parts.

I guess folks have to be real careful with antiques.

Okan · June 5

Thanks @Alex A good to know. I guess the koshirae was forgotten in a shelf for too long

Alex A · June 5

Obviously very common with antiques.

Had a few guns with woodworm holes, long gone though.

Dereks · June 10

I guess its a good koshirea. But i have a question. It does not look like a regular katana koshirea, looks more like the ones they wear on battlegrounds.

if this koshirae was made specifically for the blade, which you said is a Naokatsu(if not gimei of course), koshirae was made in the 19th century? Who would wear this in the 19th century?

Matsunoki · June 10

1 hour ago, Dereks said:

I guess its a good koshirea.

No need to guess. It’s a superb Tachi koshirae. I’m not sure what your point is. Tachi Koshirae were made and worn throughout the Edo period.

1 hour ago, Dereks said:

Who would wear this in the 19th century?

Any Samurai who was lucky enough and high ranking enough to be able to afford it.

Dereks · June 10

10 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

No need to guess. It’s a superb Tachi koshirae. I’m not sure what your point is. Tachi Koshirae were made and worn throughout the Edo period.

Any Samurai who was lucky enough and high ranking enough to be able to afford it.

Sorry i don’t have much experience and knowledge on what good koshirae is, that was the reason using the word “guess”: (it looks fancy though)

so my question is, as you know samurai wear two swords. And in some old photos, they wear two swords on samurai armor as well. I believe tachi is worn only with armors, not with daily clothes.

Did the owner of this sword wore this on a samurai armor? If so, did he change koshirae to katana when he switched to daily clothing?

Matsunoki · June 10

Samurai that could afford it would often have multiple koshirae for their swords and would interchange them depending on the circumstances and requirements……on duty/off duty, formal daytime, casual, armour, court attendance, parade etc. Tachi would be more comfortably worn with armour but armour was often required to be worn without actual combat.

Most Samurai were pretty impoverished and only the wealthy/high ranking could afford such luxurious mountings.

Dereks · June 10

7 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

Samurai that could afford it would often have multiple koshirae for their swords and would interchange them depending on the circumstances and requirements……on duty/off duty, formal daytime, casual, armour, court attendance, parade etc. Tachi would be more comfortably worn with armour but armour was often required to be worn without actual combat.

Most Samurai were pretty impoverished and only the wealthy/high ranking could afford such luxurious mountings.

thank you very much for the great information!

Matsunoki · June 10

4 minutes ago, Dereks said:

thank you very much for the great information!

You are welcome. Do you have any books on this vast and complex subject…..what ever your personal interests are there will be many books that would prove invaluable to you in your quest!

Dereks · June 10

13 minutes ago, Matsunoki said:

You are welcome. Do you have any books on this vast and complex subject…..what ever your personal interests are there will be many books that would prove invaluable to you in your quest!

I already have 2 books but they have no info on koshirae, only blades. I will get more and more in the near future.

Do you think those yellow flowers on the koshirae are real gold? And the base is darkened bronze? What makes this for the rich samurai only? Thank you!

Matsunoki · June 10

The inlay could be done in gilt copper or solid gold.

The base metal looks shakudo but perhaps I should let the owner tell you!

It would have been very very expensive at the time of manufacture thus only the wealthiest could afford such pieces.

I really think I should defer to the lucky owner if you need further info. He can tell you exactly.

Okan · June 13

Derek, as Colin mentioned, Tachi swords were worn throughout the Edo period, and a piece with this level of detail would have been very expensive (it still is). It was nearly impossible for a low-level Samurai to own one, as it would be equivalent to 4-5 years of his salary. Therefore, it was probably commissioned by a high-level Samurai for personal use or as a gift to a Lord or someone of high status.

To me, although this requires further research, a more interesting fact than the amount of gold on the koshirae is the year it was made, 1853, during the Perry Expedition and the opening of Japan to the West, events which contributed to the eventual collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate. This was a year when the Japanese were uncertain about what to expect and were preparing for all possibilities. The depicted Kachimushi (dragonfly), known as the symbol of victory, and Ame Ryū (Water Dragon), known as the guardian of waterways, might have been depicted in accordance with the situation.

As for the materials, gold and mix metal inlays on Shakudo base, polished soild silver(or shibuichi) Habaki with gold inlays and solid gold earlier gen. Goto menuki.

And the sword is not gimei.

Thanks

mywei · June 14

Looks amazing

Pardon my ignorance (don't know much about kodogu) but what are the indicators of a Kaga koshirae? Is it the style of the metal fittings or are there other characteristics that make it so?

Franco D · June 15

On 6/13/2024 at 4:06 PM, Okan said:

solid gold earlier gen. Goto menuki.

Solid gold. Have these been tested?

Earlier generation Goto. Earlier as in who/what generation?

Thank you.

Regards

Okan · June 15

11 hours ago, Franco D said:

Solid gold. Have these been tested?

Earlier generation Goto. Earlier as in who/what generation?

Thank you.

Regards

Why the questioning?

Franco D · June 15

Curious how these conclusions were reached especially when these menuki are under wrap?

Regards

Okan · June 15

24 minutes ago, Franco D said:

Curious how these conclusions were reached especially when these menuki are under wrap?

Regards

Here, have a closer look, and I would love to hear your opinion.

Thanks

Franco D · June 15

On 6/13/2024 at 4:06 PM, Okan said:

solid gold earlier gen. Goto menuki.

Much better images!

Questions answered.

Thank you

Regards

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