kaigunair Posted July 6, 2011 Report Posted July 6, 2011 Watching ebay for over 10+ years, I've missed out on a wakizashi carrier case, a very nice jinbaori, several jingasas, and 3 different gunto mounts with my family crest on it. Only the first two I really regret not going for. So I was really happy when I finally made my first tosogu/koshirae purchase, which is also my first real nihonto purchase which has some sort of family connection. I admit it was much more than I expected, but it was one of the nicest ken-katabami marked items I've seen. Basically got it for the saya. Unfortunately, I share my kamon with several martial arts schools in the US, which I guess is where some of the competition comes from. The fittings are by no means high grade, and from what little I know, they are actually pretty low quality. I do enjoy the simple and somewhat matching design of the kojiri/kabutogane/koiguchi/fuchi. I'd rather move towards a muted elegance of samurai vs very extravagant court or edo-merchant flair. The kozuka is in really bad shape, but what bothers me most is the tsuba. I'd appreciate any suggestions/pics of tsuba styles which might be a better compliment for this set. I think I'm partial to open iron metal work designs, but I'm sure there are designs which I've never considered since the tsuba field is so vast and diverse. Basically, I'm looking for guidance as to what's out there. Once I have a good idea of style/design, then I'll save up and try to get an excellent example for this set. Any comments, good or bad, of the koshirae itself is also welcomed, as this is a very new area for me. Thanks inadvance. Quote
Ronin Akuma Posted July 6, 2011 Report Posted July 6, 2011 Still jealous that you got this one with "our" family crest, but congrats on the purchase! Quote
Soshin Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 I would go with a tachi style tsuba from the late Edo Period. I had one for sale but it went very quickly in the sales section of the message board. On a related note. One shouldn't disregard eBay automatically. My current tsuba just issued NBTHK Hozon Shinsa Origami was purchased originally by me on eBay for about $95 USD. The deals might be rare but they are there and do happen once in awhile but if you are not very experience I don't recommend you buy anything off of eBay. Go with a well know dealer in Japan or someone on the Nihonto message board. Yours truly, David Stiles Quote
Henry Wilson Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 The koshirae is Handachi which is the cross between a tachi and an uchigatana. I am against mixing and matching fittings especially when there does not seem to be a need for it. The set looks alright as it is. I would leave it alone but if you can't, maybe sell it and get something that you like. Quote
kaigunair Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Thanks all for the current replies. Steve: it was a long time coming, and glad I wasn't bidding against a fellow forum member. David: agree, but at this point, I cant tell the difference between the fake or reproduction. I will be watching for sure. Henry: will look up more info on a handachi. It Can you point out characteristics of handachi? Is quite small, smaller than tachi length as well as uchigatana. I like the saya very much, but I also assumed that the tsuba on it currently could also not be original, as they did stirp it of it's blade. Quote
kaigunair Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Handachi is essentially a nihonto in tachi mounts (but without the hangers) worn as a katana edge upwards and with kurikata added. So just look at a classic tachi, remove the obi hangers and flip it over and theres your Handachi. Question: so is there still the possibility this was the "sho" in a daisho, and that there is a "dai" set out there? Or is handachi mounts indicative of only a single worn blade? Quote
Henry Wilson Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 It seems you have answered your own question. :D However a classical old tachi I think has much more than an inverted Edo period Handachi It could have well been a part of a daisho as they were worn in the Edo period. There could also be the dai out there aswell but the chances of finding would be quite improbable. Quote
sanjuro Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Junichi. Attached is the style of tsuba most often associated with the handachi style of your koshirae. Quote
sanjuro Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Henry. Nice pick for a tachi example..... It just had to be the Kitsunegasaki didn't it????? :D Quote
Henry Wilson Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Indeed Keith. I think it is one of the nicest koshirae in existence. The profile of it is something else. Quote
kaigunair Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Henry: wow, more great history to learn. that is one interesting tachi! but perhaps in the 1200's they had not yet perfected tsuka wrapping skills? But thanks very much for the info and pics. While improbably, not impossible - if its out there, I will seek to one day match up the "dai" koshirae! Keith: thanks for the information on the typical tachi/handachi tsuba, exactly what I was hoping for. Would I be correct in saying that the tsuba which is currently mounted is somewhat in the same correct tachi shape (cross/4sides), though with the dragon/wave design. I had been thinking something like this with the ken katabami kamon would be nice: http://cgi.ebay.com/EDO-Japanese-Iron-Shoami-Kamon-Sukashi-Tsuba-NBTHK-/250815641205?pt=Asian_Antiques&hash=item3a65c6f675 Quote
sanjuro Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 Hmmm a nice enough tsuba in its own right but not really appropriate for your koshirae. In fact the mokko tsuba you already have is more appropriate. Although I'm a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to tachi and handachi koshirae, I have found that when you match up a civilian wakizashi tsuba to a traditional handachi koshirae the result almost always tends to look a bit odd, even though the tsuba in question may look quite nice on its own. Handachi tend to be rather reserved when compared to other koshirae. Henry would be a good sounding board in this regard since he's more of a koshirae man than I am. Just as an aside, the Kitsunegasaki sword that Henry posted is wrapped in the then current flat overlap tachi style in leather tsuka ito without the twist that is common on cloth tsuka ito. The wrapping skills were quite good in the 12th century, and this style was quite common. It has afterall lasted 800 years and seen its own share of action at the battle for which it was named. I wish a couple of my tachi had as good a hilt wrap as this, and they are three hundred years younger :D Quote
Guido Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 This Koshirae may not be "fine art" (the Fuchigashira etc. are rather generic and often seen on late Edo period Koshirae) but it's a very decent set, the Tsuka appropriately shaped and the Saya very nicely lacquered - I wouldn't be ashamed owning it myself. I also see nothing wrong with the shape and size of the Tsuba. It may be a worthwhile project to find a Tsuba and Kozuka to match the Menuki, but keeping it as it is is o.k. as well. In any case, it's way above all the junk that is often posted on NMB. You're on the right track, Kaigunair, and I would like you even better if you'd get rid of that silly handle Quote
kaigunair Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 Thanks both for the helpful comments. I appreciate the current matching fittings, and if anything, would consider getting a rewrap of the tsuka if I found a matching/similar themed kozuka menuki and tsuba set. Maybe going towards the court fittings may be more appropriate, perhaps a kiri-mon Tokugawa theme for the three, in the traditional goto style with the fine nanako background? Whose to say that my family did not have such a connection, since I'm basically reconstructing it's history in my collecting...might as well make it interesting :D Now THIS is a nice handachi mount : http://www.nihontoantiques.com/images/Mounts%20151%20copy.jpg On of the menuki's I can't figure out the theme... Guido: point taken, but I know I can't please everyone... Quote
Ronin Akuma Posted July 7, 2011 Report Posted July 7, 2011 I don't know anything about tsuba, but here's one I found: http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0812/member_frame_fittings.htm [No.22(page 33)] TSUBA Ken-katabami mon Tadanori saku Certified by NBTHK [sUBJECT] Ken katabami family crest [TYPE] Tsuba : a sword guard [ARTIST NAME AND SCHOOL] Tadanori, He was a pupil of Tadashige Akasaka [AREA OF ORIGIN] Musashi province [PERIOD] Late Edo period Length : 78.2 mm Width : 77.5 mm Thickness at seppadai : 6 mm [sTYLE] Tetsu ji marugata nikubori jisukashi marumimi [KIRI BOX] This tsuba comes in a custom made wooden case. [PRICE] 220,000 JPY Quote
kaigunair Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Posted July 7, 2011 saw that one, but its an ad from back in 2008! Quote
DirkO Posted July 8, 2011 Report Posted July 8, 2011 From the latest newsletter of Guiseppe Piva : http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/itomaki-tachi-koshirae.html?___store=us&___from_store=it Quote
Lorenzo Posted July 8, 2011 Report Posted July 8, 2011 OT: he did much better picture than I on the tsuba I posted here time ago: http://www.giuseppepiva.com/index.php/t ... tsune.html Quote
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