Rustic koshirae

[Peter Bleed]

Dear Friends,

I am hoping that I may use a no longer for sale, but still visible koshirae on ebay to beg the help of this list.

Please look at item

250765324904

and give me a name for this style of mounting.

I am sure several of you will think/tell me that these are Ainu fittings, but I am as sure as I can be that they are NOT Ainu. I have never seen this style of mountings either in photos of Ainu or in catalogues of Ainu material culture. They just ain't there.

They are certainly are a type, tho. plain wood with swirling ratan closures, and deer antler fittings. Almost invariable for shoto. I have also never seen them presented in books on koshirae.

What are they?

Peter

[watsonmil]

Dear Peter,

My feeling is Meiji era tourist. If for the Japanese market : This is the type of Koshira that only a Japanese Pimp would flash. Certainly not a merchant or heaven forbid a true Samurai unless he was trying to make the statement that the Country had gone to hell in a handbasket.

... Ron Watson

[Curgan]

This is the type of Koshira that only a Japanese Pimp would flash. Certainly not a merchant or heaven forbid a true Samurai unless he was trying to make the statement that the Country had gone to hell in a handbasket. ... Ron Watson

 

 

By far the most intelligent comment for the occasion (and the best way to reply without leaving any doubt).

Thanks for the good laugh!!!

[moss]

Ron ,

 

The pimps ones all have a cigarette lighter in the tsuka.

Much handier for karioke nights :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Moss

[b.hennick]

Hi Pete:

I too saw that koshirae and asked the vendor about it. Here is his reply

"Dear b.hennick,

 

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your question.

I think it is not Ainu koshirae, but it looks like same as Ainu.

Best regards

hitendo "

Honest vendor... not Ainu. It is similar to a koshirae I have that I do think is Ainu.

[Peter Bleed]

Let's stay serious, friends. This koshirae is NOT "hade". It may not be particularly sabishi, either, but that is a taste issue. This koshirae is well made but rustic. We have all seen lots of Meiji period stuff, but what would be the market for a rig like this?

I wonder if it might not be the sort ot sword used by "matagi", the prfessional woodsmen and hunters of the Edo period.

Peter

[Ford Hallam]

I have to say, gentlemen, I disagree with the general consensus expressed regarding the quality/aesthetic of this koshirae. To my eye the work is in fact quite sophisticated. The aesthetic, while not typical is by no means that unusual. I have no problem seeing this as a product intended for a cultured and refined person. Perhaps not a Samurai but by the late Edo period I think the distinction between tastes of the upper levels of the merchant class and that of the warrior caste were somewhat blurred anyway.

 

Perhaps this was worn by a netsuke fancier, someone who was intent on expressing Iki.

 

regards,

 

fh

[sanjuro]

Gentlemen

 

Whilst I dont always see things exactly as Ford says, in this instance I agree completely with his assessment. :D

For what it may be worth I have seen a very similar item before in a very good private collection. It was one of a pair, the one being meant to hold a true blade, the other an almost identical Cha to (tea sword). The pair were much prized by their owner and the Tanto koshirae held a very fine blade.

Far from being a rustic item this if it is rustic, is of such a deliberate rusticity and ascetic nature that it could only be most carefully contrived.

Why would a samurai not use such a sword in the Edo or the Meiji period? the dictates of the warrior class were relaxed to the point of being a memory of bygone times and many samurai as well as the richer merchants (some of them ex samurai) were patrons of the arts and the arbiters of taste in their time. They were forbidden to wear the daisho by then, so let us not get caught up in the misaprehension that there were no fashionable samurai just because it was against the much vaunted, rigid (and by the meiji period) bygone tastes of the old classical warrior. The samurai of Tosa for instance were thought of as flashy even in the Muromachi period because of their liking for bright red saya.

Anyhow, I rather like this koshirae for its own sake and because of its difference. Vive la difference!

[b.hennick]

Here is a link to photos of my "Ainu" sword koshirae.

http://picasaweb.google.com/b.hennick/A ... uXTq4PCcA#

Please let me know if you think that this one is in fact Ainu.

[Ted Tenold]

Peter,

 

I agree it is not overtly garrish. Clearly it was not designed for a sword blade but is hollow, probably to carry personal items such as writing supplies, money, medicine, messages, etc.. I believe this may be a Doctor's sword (Bokuto) which also were not designed to carry blades but were either mounted with a faux blade (I had one with a buffalo horn blade) or were a solid single piece that didn't open at all. I once saw a good collection of Bokuto, and the workmanship on some was very similar and very nice in hand.

 

There's much more work in those than meets the eye. I'd challenge someone to make it's equal for $370.00.

[sanjuro]

I wonder could this have been intended as a Kiseru?

[watsonmil]

Dear Peter, Barry, et al,

After looking at Barry's example, I cannot but note the similarities in style between the example Peter indicates, and the example Barry states as being of probable Ainu origin. Note the use of plain wood, bone, and rattan. The similarities are to me at least striking. I also note Barry's example houses a blade of dubious quality ( or at least well worn ). Note also the quality of inlay and etching, .... not what one would expect of a "special order ", .... rustic or not. I also doubt the theory that it may be for a Kiseru, ... or for storage of medicines, papers, or anything other than a blade , .... of poor quality or faux. I would still lean towards Meiji Tourist, ... quite possibly made by the Ainu. See article :

http://oldphotosjapan.com/photos/648/ainu-carving-wood It would appear the Ainu were at this time making carvings and trinkets for the Tourist Trade to supplement their normal income and way of life because of repressive Japanese laws. I cannot for the life of me see the quality nor exactness of Japanese craftmanship in either of these two pieces. It has also been stated that this type of Koshira does not appear in any published works on Japanese Koshira, .... quite understandable since it may well NOT be traditional Japanese in the sense we think of Japanese craftmanship, but rather of the indigenous peoples of the north. I would re-interate however that it has a "tourist " look to it even if it has some artistic appeal ? I see no great difference in the time it would require to carve these composite Koshira, vis a vis the carving of complete bone koshira ( some quite elaborate ) but never-the-less agreed upon that MOST were done for the European tourist and NOT for the domestic market.

... Ron Watson

[Peter Bleed]

Thank you all for the responses.

I think Barry's example is proof positive that this style is a "type", a regular pattern. I have to agree with the dealer that Barry contacted. These are NOT like other Ainu fittings. The fact seems to be that these fittings are always associated with very low quality blades. This convinces me that they were not made for samurai. They are, indeed, attractive and well crafted, but a great deal of "mingei" has those qualities. Kiseru? How would a pipe go in there? The fact that Ainu carved wood and that these fittings are wood does not make them Ainu.

Peter