Is it worth it?

[Deiro]

Since I went to utrecht I became a sucker for raden and aogai-nuri. I have found a piece from a known armor seller on a site I really shouldn't even bother looking at. I simply bid a fifty for it and ended up winning. 

 

Now I found he has a full mount too with that stuff and honestly it quite piques me I didn't see it before, it looks like a parody of an efu tachi, I thought such wrapped hilts were only really common for tantos.

https://www.ebay.com...kw=handachi+koshirae

the kashira is just a little rusty, the tsuba too has seem better days but from what I see posted to the NMB it seems "acceptable" I can't turn back the clock on antiques. I can afford it but I have no clue what I should be paying for such stuff, I am still a student who doesn't have deep pockets, I really need to save up more. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Anyone with a semblance of appreciation for Japanese art would utter howls of protest at that thing, what a load of old junk.

[Matsunoki]

42 minutes ago, Deiro said:

I really need to save up more. 

That koshirae looks a bit “cobbled together” imo. Lots of things look dodgy. Personally I wouldn’t go anywhere near it. Save more and buy better would be my advice. Even at that money you could find better aogai koshirae if you are patient. 
 

edit….John just beat me to it 

[Deiro]

1 hour ago, Matsunoki said:

That koshirae looks a bit “cobbled together” imo. Lots of things look dodgy. Personally I wouldn’t go anywhere near it. Save more and buy better would be my advice. Even at that money you could find better aogai koshirae if you are patient. 
 

edit….John just beat me to it 

Yeah thanks, I was questioning it I got to see less koshirae up close than I have seen swords so I am quite inexperienced. I know ebay is practically devoid of life aside from the sellers who also are on here. Unsure what to think of matsu-kaze, the listings seem to be highly detailed.

I tend to check the on sale section on this site practically daily. Unfortunately the best koshirae tend to be paired with a blade already.

My favorite site to look is still japanszwaard, had a good talk with the owner of it.

if only I had 30K for that kenuki gata I held in utrecht, I honestly liked it more than the juyo I got to inspect. I wouldn't ever need anything else a complimentary wakizashi to make a daisho maybe?

[Matsunoki]

No offence intended but if you were seriously even considering buying this koshirae then you need to do a lot more homework. I always recommend  spending time going through Bonhams “past lots” website. Search for whatever you are interested in. You will find large numbers of tsuba, koshirae, all variants of swords etc etc together with their sold prices. That helps recognise quality and will give you a better idea of what you really want to buy within your budget. It’s easy to let our enthusiasm carry us away to be swiftly followed by “buyers remorse”.

Be wary of any koshirae being sold alone especially on online platforms. So many are complete re-fabrications….thats fine if you are happy with that and know what you are buying. 
From personal experience I have always found matsukaze to be reliable and honest. 

[Matsunoki]

This link will get you started on “koshirae”

 

https://www.bonhams....=past&query=Koshirae

[Deiro]

If I actually was convinced to buy something I wouldn't come here. I already knew part of the judgement was flawed.
 

I kinda wanted to say that the good stuff would be far above the price range. but now I actually looked at the site I have to rectract the statement. these types of mountings do sell for this cheap? though the first one in my eyes doesn't really look pretty due the slight missalignments, but the photos obviously don't do it justice.

https://www.bonhams....68-18th19th-century/

https://www.bonhams....t/15/a-kazari-tachi/

for both of these. What a shame to not have been old enough when the prices seemed fair.

 

aside from my bias, I do think these are nice, not over the top but not plain either.

https://www.bonhams....no-mid-16th-century/
https://www.bonhams....-blade-17th-century/

this resource is quite helpful. besides I also draw swords using software, I might get some inspiration.

thank you.

[Matsunoki]

Happy hunting….dont be in a rush and always ask “is this period or is it a later copy” especially if you like those “early” tachi mounts. 

[Deiro]

22 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

Happy hunting….dont be in a rush and always ask “is this period or is it a later copy” especially if you like those “early” tachi mounts. 

I am well aware of the later period copies of such and the fact that they too can fetch quite a price. 

the high end edo stuff really does seem at the top of the craft. 

https://nihonto.com/fw-050-2/
this seems like "endgame" when it comes to collectable items because I think good heian mountings would be kokuho so not ownable even with the money. I've seen some on a Japanese museum site.

If there good preserved pieces abroad please prove me wrong, but perhaps I am better off asking that in the tosogu section.