fittings on sword

[Jock]

Hi Folks,

 

 

Just bought the following sword and wondered if any of you can tell me anything about the Tsuba Saya Fittings etc?

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Genuine-Antique-Ful ... 2ea9a1d526

 

Ebay Item number: 200414450982

 

Thank you very much!

 

Regards,

 

Jock

[John A Stuart]

It looks like you have an iron katchushi tsuba with a ko-sukashi, sakura maybe, no, kikuhana. The fuchi has giniroe looks like an Higo wasp waisted type. The kashira, is it horn? The wrap on the tsuka is jabaraito nice. Can't see the menuki. John

 

I have been thinking it may be a better call in the tsuba being tosho rather than katchushi. Not because it hasn't a dotemimi, but, I am just more comfortable with it being that. J

[FlorianB]

Hello Jock,

the Tsuba looks definitely to small for this Katana, it's probably a Wakizashi-Tsuba. Furthermore, because of its small size the seppa seem to cover partly the hitsu-ana.

Such Tosho-style Tsubas were often made during the Edo Period easy to recognize on the basis of the tapering at the rim and the placement of the sukashi in the middle of the plate. The exactness of the sukashi hints to a later period, too.

However, the tsuka is well made with an interesting wrapping. Just try to get another Tsuba.

 

Greetings,

Florian