Alex A Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 Every now and again i think back to a wakizashi in the Bolton museum. The koshirae is something you rarely see and you just know its original and untouched. Been looking online and cant find it, been saying one day will go back in just to take a picture. From memory, stocky and had that dark lacquered kind of a Tensho look about it. Real museum piece, not as in high quality glitz, just basic utilitarian and even the first time i saw it i knew it was the real deal. Not seen it for many years but have always remembered it, presume its still there. There was a suit of armour as well and other bits and bobs. Just looking if anyone has koshirae or is aware of koshirae online that is totally as it was back when they were owned by someone in the Edo period. Quality don't matter and neither does it matter if look tatty as hell with the fuchi kashira hanging off or whatever. I know some folks collect old tsuka, so maybe they could post here. Not looking for anything restored. 3 Quote
GeorgeLuucas Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 I’m looking forward to what members have to share here. I have this sword in koshirae. I don’t think it’s been messed with since it left Japan sometime prior to the Korean American war (time my grandfather acquired it). Although my grandpa did spray paint the saya gold that has since flaked off Not sure if it qualifies, and open to learn otherwise; but it’s at least a not-so-modern assembly. Cheers, -Sam (yep that’s me!) Menuki is mouse on ear of corn. 4 Quote
Matsunoki Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 Here are a couple of late Edo pieces that I bitterly bitterly regret selling. Totally untouched and not messed with. The blades were superb as well. 4 Quote
Dan tsuba Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 Hey Alex, I think this qualifies for what you are looking for. The katana of my daisho. 2 1 Quote
Okan Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 The best one I had was the Kaga tachi koshirae..I'm sure you remember it @Alex A (it’s gone now). Here are a few more... 2 Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 Hello, yes that was wonderful koshirare, real nice package with the blade, shame it has gone. Quote
Matsunoki Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 I will soon make more mistakes and sell these….again, untouched. 6 1 Quote
Okan Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 8 minutes ago, Matsunoki said: I will soon make more mistakes and sell these….again, untouched. PM Haha! Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 Was also looking at what is about online. Tsuka with Wasps and Chrysanthemums | The Walters Art Museum Tsuka with a Dragon | The Walters Art Museum Tsuka with Dragons and Waves | The Walters Art Museum 15 Tsuka, Artwork Images: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search baleen whale / OAI - Open Art Images Sword Grip (Tsuka) with Hilt Collar and Pommel (Fuchigashira) | Japanese | The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1 Quote
Steve Waszak Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 An early-Edo koshirae for a Wakasa no kami Ujifusa O-tanto, blade signed and dated to Genki 3 (1572). The koshirae is thought by some knowledgeable folks to be original to the blade, but I feel it is more likely to be early-Edo, latest-Momoyama at the earliest. There were various times during late-Momoyama and early-Edo that bolder saya were briefly fashionable, but the Tokugawa government handed down edicts restricting/forbidding the use of such flamboyant displays. The periods I'm most aware of here would be the last 10-12 years of Momoyama (1603-1615), the mid- to late-1620s, and then Genroku at the end of the 17th century. I feel that this koshirae is most likely one of the earlier periods, maybe the 1620s, but those more knowledgeable than I can probably provide a much more informed opinion. The saya is lacquered in black, brown, and red, with some fading to all of it over the centuries. The saya is also peppered with more than four hundred inlaid elements, made of iron, perhaps, or lead? Pewter? I'm really not sure. The koshirae is in aikuchi mounts, with shakudo log-eared rabbit menuki (probably Kyo-kinko). The habaki is silver (or silver-plated), I believe, in a kiku motif. The blade presents with a hitatsura hamon; perhaps the boldness of the saya was seen by the individual commissioning it to suit such a blade. Detailed sayagaki by Tanobe-sensei extolling the virtues of the blade. 5 2 Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 Don't remember ever seeing inlay like that on a saya Steve, a lot of work obviously went into it, cheers. Quote
Matsunoki Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 Just one more….a nice custom shinshinto koshirae on a big shinshinto blade ….cant decide if the metalwork is very heavily tarnished silver or shibuichi with a high silver content. Plovers and waves. I have found a better tsuba with same subject but can’t bring myself to swap it because then it isn’t original. Even got it’s old collection label. 4 Quote
Dan tsuba Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 So an old tsuka that I have. It is small at about 5 inches in length. 1 1 Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 Misses watching masked singer, so perfect opportunity look through the Lanes, as one thing they seem to have a knack for is finding good old Edo fittings, they do it well. A quick fly through The Lanes Armoury | A Beautiful Samurai Shinto Kirin Based Tanto Fabulous Signed Blade by Echizen Ju Yasutsugu The Lanes Armoury | A Delightful Armour Piercing Sengoku Period Samurai’s Dagger. A Period That Commenced in 1468. A Samurai Tanto From The Koto Era, Made Around 500 Years Old. Fully Mounted And Fitted With Original Edo Period Mountings {Koshirae} The Lanes Armoury | An Opportunity to Acquire An Original Almost 700 Year Old, Ancient & Beautiful Samurai Dagger, A Signed, 14th Century Nambokochu Period Ancient Samurai Tanto The Lanes Armoury | A Superb Antique, Shinto Era, Unokubi (鵜首) Zukuri Blade Tantō, Late 16th To Early 17th Century, from the Battle of Sekigahara, Shinjitai: 関ヶ原の戦い; Kyūjitai: 關ヶ原の戰い The Lanes Armoury | A Beautiful & Impressive Shinto Period Long Samurai Tanto Circa 1650 The Lanes Armoury | Koto Tanto By Masaiye With A Full Matching Suite of Edo Mounts, & a Fabulous Oni Demon Mount on The Saya The Lanes Armoury | A Very Good & Beautiful, Late Koto Samurai Katana, Mounted With A Full Suite of Higo Mounts The Lanes Armoury | A Magnificent and Large Horse Mounted Samurai's Battle Sword Katana, With A Simply Stunning Shinto Blade In Near Mint Condition for Age. The Mounts Are All Completely Original Edo Period. Quote
Dan tsuba Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 A little off topic here. But I just happened to look at a link that Alex posted about The Lanes Armoury. This is the link- https://www.thelanes.../shop.php?code=25439 The tsuka on that tanto is similar to the small tsuka I posted above. I think that is too cool! 1 1 Quote
Shugyosha Posted January 5 Report Posted January 5 Alex, I could have made the koshirae yesterday and the Lanes Armoury would try to convince a buyer that it was Edo period and that Miyamoto Musashi had once owned it. 6 Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 Agree John, though given the ones above a look over for appropriate wear, for the most part i am convinced. Pictures are not good and maybe some restoration to some saya. Also assume Kozuka are just something paired up at a later date. The only reason i really look in the Lanes is to see what koshirae comes in, try and avoid write-ups lol. Quote
Alex A Posted January 5 Author Report Posted January 5 1 hour ago, Dan tsuba said: A little off topic here. But I just happened to look at a link that Alex posted about The Lanes Armoury. This is the link- https://www.thelanes.../shop.php?code=25439 The tsuka on that tanto is similar to the small tsuka I posted above. I think that is too cool! Dan, your tsuka looks like what i expect untouched and used Edo tsuka to look like 1 Quote
C0D Posted January 6 Report Posted January 6 I have one even earlier than Edo period, Tensho koshirae from Muromachi period, still with the original blade inside. All lacquered black, even the original seppa have traces. 6 3 Quote
Davis Posted January 6 Report Posted January 6 Alex, when I acquired this it was in a very sleepy state. Blade covered in thick grease, tsuba rusty, binding disintegrating. Very difficult to take apart without damage. Probably not much different from when it left Japan. 1 Quote
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