ShiShi fuchi/kashira

[jamesicus]

I bought the following ShiShi miniatures at a shop in Haijima - site of the Haijima Daishi (Hongakuji) Temple -- close to where I lived in 1960.

 

 

They have now occupied a prominent place in our homes for the past fifty years -- I like to think they have protected my family from harm all those years.

 

I have always wanted to have a Nihontô bearing ShiShi themed metal fittings (tosogu), but I never could find fittings I really liked until now. By sheer chance I have come by this upper pommel (fuchi) and base pommel (kashira): that are especially appealing to me, being made of raw copper (suaka) that has attained a lovely chocolate patina:

 

 

Now I have to decide what menuki to use. here are the ones (radishes?) that accompanied the above fuchi/kashira:

 

 

James

[tony edmunds]

Hi James

I really likethe F/K but then I have a soft spot for red copper fittings her are a pair of shishi menuki i picked up in Japan.

 

Tony

[CurtisR]

Hi James,

 

Here is an amazing Shishi kashira you may want...I know I do but no matching fuchi. Looks like beautiful work,...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Shishi-Lion-Koshirae-Japan-Edo-Period-1603-1868-Katana-Silver-Gold-/190587585760?pt=UK_Collectables_Ethnographic&hash=item2c5fe7c4e0

 

BTW, if you decide to sell the carrot Menuki one day, please let me know. I love the odd ones like they are (smile) and they look like very nice work.

 

Curt R.

[jamesicus]

Hi James

I really likethe F/K but then I have a soft spot for red copper fittings her are a pair of shishi menuki i picked up in Japan.

 

Tony

Thanks, Tony. Nice menuki.

 

James

[jamesicus]

.......... here is an amazing Shishi kashira you may want...I know I do but no matching fuchi. Looks like beautiful work ........

Very nice indeed, Curt -- thanks for posting the link.

 

 

.......... BTW, if you decide to sell the carrot Menuki one day, please let me know. I love the odd ones like they are (smile) and they look like very nice work ..........

I will keep you in mind, Curt.

 

I have always been fascinated by what I perceive to be the marvelous Japanese sense of harmonious balance and appropriate association with regard to their choice of sword fittings. Do you think that exists in this case with my fuchi/kashira/menuki combination, Curt (and anyone else who wishes to comment)?

 

James

[nagamaki - Franco]

Now I have to decide what menuki to use. here are the ones (radishes?) that accompanied the above fuchi/kashira:

 

Daikon radishes. Suggest researching what the thought behind the two sets found together might have been before deciding on what to do, as they appear to make sense together at least in appearance. 2 cents ...

 

P.S. if mine, would consider consulting a pro restorer, like Ford or Mr. Tschernega, about what could be done to bring out the best in these pieces.

[jamesicus]

.......... P.S. if mine, would consider consulting a pro restorer, like Ford or Mr. Tschernega, about what could be done to bring out the best in these pieces.

However, I prefer the beauty of untouched patina, Franco. I gently washed them using warm water to remove any surface grime -- that is as far as I will go.

 

James

[nagamaki - Franco]

that's perfectly fine! Although, I would try to arrest the tiny bit of green corrosion that appears on the daikon set and in the creases of the shi shi in the images.

[jamesicus]

that's perfectly fine! Although, I would try to arrest the tiny bit of green corrosion that appears on the daikon set and in the creases of the shi shi in the images.

That is benign and stable verdigris and not active corrosion (bronze disease). I have been collecting and conserving Roman Imperial coins for some seventy years and know what of I speak. Here is a seventeen hundred year old bronze coin of Constantius and a nineteen hundred year old bronze coin of Nero, both of which exhibit the same verdigris (the Nero more profusely), that I conserved over fifty years ago after simply washing them with warm water:

 

 

The verdigris on these coins, and similar copper coins, was present when they were unearthed after laying buried for undoubtedly many hundreds of years.

 

What it comes down to is personal preference -- do you like your items of antiquity to retain their "as found" condition (with just the surface grime washed off but retaining untouched patina) or do you want them restored to a somewhat cleaner, neater, appearance?

 

Best regards,

 

James

[jamesicus]

Here is the tsuba that accompanied the fuchi/kashira/menuki ensemble pictured above:

 

Engraved weeping Wisteria (sagari fuji):

 

 

James

[edzo]

Dear Jim P,

 

Just a thought, (and i'm new to this), You may want to explore the "somin or somin school" regarding the copper shishi fittings that u posted. I have one and encounterd a kantei point (with photo), on a websearch that pointed out that the round swirl-fur tufts were an indication of that.

 

respectfully,

[edzo]

Dear Jim P.,

 

I visited your very pleasant website. I wondered what magnification you used on the "close-up" magnification shots (on the website), and by what means? I would appreciate that info if you have an oppurtunity, Thank You,

[edzo]

Hi Jim P.

 

Thought i'd share some photos of a shishi koshira on a tanto that i have. I find it well designed in that it is crouching and looking upward so as to be "attentive" when worn in the obi and viewed. Some areas have traces of gold however i have not yet determined if the gold was in patches or if the piece was covered. The eyes are solid gold inlay. Hope you enjoy this. The samenuri appears to have incorporated a gold dust lacquer. The clamps on eithr side appear to be shakudo. Thought u may be interested.

 

respectfully,