Leather Tsuba

[gtstcactus]

I saw a wakizashi today that had a pretty worn and beat up leather tsuba. The tsuba is pretty had it in terms of the laquer coating but is still in pretty good shape...... How common are / were leather tsuba? Has anyone got one in good condition that they would care to share a photo of? I've searched through the board and not found much on leather tsuba.

 

I've attatched a photo of the one I saw.... I know it's not pretty! Would it be appropriate to replace such a Tsuba? or would this be a "crime"?

[Henry Wilson]

There was something somewhere written about leather tsuba that I think was related to this item:

http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/BM_Ner ... 0Tsuba.htm

I can't find the thread though.

 

Also "Tsuba: An Aesthetic study" has some good info and from what I remember, basically the old ones (Muromachi and before) are a link between ceremonial tsuba and uchigatana tsuba. There were a lot made in the Edo period as a sort of revival tsuba as well.

 

Jim Gilbert has a good article as well.

http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/nerikawa.htm

 

I have a feeling that yours is an Edo period one in bad condition, however they are rare regardless of era so worth keeping and preserving for further study IMHO.

[Bugyotsuji]

Thanks for showing that.

 

Pretty sure I have a leather tsuba for a tanto at home. I'll check later.

[Mark]

i have a ShinShinto Tachi (original koshirae made for the blade) that has a leather tsuba. It is in poor condition like yours. I replaced the tsuba with an iron one but kept the leather tsuba so it can stay with the sword

[Justin Grant]

Here is a link to an old topic about the one from Boris

 

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7267&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[sanjuro]

Jason.

 

A bit of basic info for you:

"Neri tsuba /Kawa tsuba:

 

Although generally speaking, tachi tsuba are usually made of metal, a notable exception to this exists in the Neri Tsuba or Kawa tsuba type. These were guards which having once been used on earlier swords, once again became popular during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries and were almost certainly manufactured by armourers.

One of the few types of Tachi tsuba to be made of material other than metal, they were made of two or more layers of imatagawa flat leather which was at the time used for masks, armour and helmets by armourers. The layers were lacquered to make them rigid and often a rim of metal added to hold the layers together more securely and stop moisture from entering through the edges of the composite disc. The most notable example of this kind of tsuba and the mounting that accompanied it is to be found in the Kitsunegasaki sword made in the 12th century, used at the battle from which it takes its name in the year 1200, and owned by Kojiro Kitsukawa of Iwakuni, who was responsible for the conquest of the Kajiwara family."

 

As already stated, there was a resurgence of Neri Kawa tsuba in the Edo period in emulation of much earlier tachi tsuba, and since the tsuba you posted is a wakizashi tsuba then it most likely (in fact almost certainly) dates from that time. The fact that it is of traditional aoigata form suggests that it is or was mounted as part of a handachi style mounting.

[gtstcactus]

Great information guys, thanks very much. If anyone has any photos or further info please keep it coming.

 

Does anyone have any good pics of the Kitsunegasaki sword, or the kogarasu-maru tachi in the imperial collection.

 

There is a picture in my book by Kanzan Sato but the Kogarasu is the blade only, the Kitsunegasaki sword is a side on shot so you can't really see the tsuba.

 

Or any photos of the oni maru, shishi maru..... Interested in pics with the koshirae on as well as just the blades. Google just got me a heap of manga pictures and chinese made swords...

 

Also wondered if the tsuba in the OP is "restoreable"? Or would one just keep it as is? They look fantastic with all the laquer etc, I'd love to have one in mint condition... I'm suspecting to be told it's not worth it.... Is that the case?