good or bad idea?

[Reinier]

hello

 

i'm new to nihonto and i have this idea on how i would like to collect fittings but i wonder if it's feasable. i read in a book that samurai sometimes had different mountings for one blade.

 

i plan on buying my first katana blade in the near future and would like to have different koshirae mountings made for it in different styles/themes/colors.

 

for each mounting i would buy antique fittings that match nicely to eachother and to the theme i have in mind. i think it would be great fun to search around for matching fittings and would make it less random than just buying seperate pieces for display.

 

there are three questions i have going through my mind.

 

1. am i overlooking something? for all i know i'm braking some sacred rule or maybe it's just impossible for some reason i don't know yet...

 

2. is there a way to avoid sending the blade to Japan everytime i want a mounting made? can i maybe send a tsunagi instead? or maybe i could have several "raw" tsuka and saya made that could be finished on a later date? maybe there is another alternative?

 

3. are there other things i should be aware of. for example differences in sizes making certain fittings incompatible.

 

i will greatly appreciate any feedback you can give me.

 

regards,

 

reinier korth

the netherlands

[Grey Doffin]

I'll leave the technical questions (do I have to send the blade or just a tsunagi) to others. I'd like to discuss whether or no this makes sense for your collection.

As you progress with your collecting and studying your tastes will likely change. Something that impresses you today might be uninteresting in 10 or 20 years. What you're proposing is putting all your eggs into one basket. What's more, that basket of eggs will be very difficult to sell at anything near your investment when the time comes.

If you do this you'll have a sword, either in nice koshirae or in shira-saya with nice koshirae on a tsunagi, and some number of other tsunagis with nice koshirae. Unless they're exceptional or historically important, koshirae on tsunagi are usually worth less than the sum of the parts, which is why they often get broken up when sold. There aren't as many koshirae on tsunagi collectors as there are tsuba or menuki or fuchi/kashira collectors and saya and tsuka are worth less than it costs to have them made.

What you propose is possible and if you have your heart set on it, by all means go ahead. Just realize that when you want to sell and move on, you might have to settle for significantly less than you have in.

I'll be curious to hear what others have to say on the subject.

Grey

[sencho]

Hi Reinier.

 

Welcome to the board. I think as you work with the people on here that are around the world, who understand the study of Nihonto, your perceptions and appreciations will start to change.

 

I think Grey is absolutely right with his assesment of your plans.

 

I have now been interested for a year and a half, so I am not qualified in any way to give you advice on your historical question. I remember originally asking about a Chinese fake on the board and getting some invaluable advice.... onward from there I have become a proud owner of two beautiful Wakazashi made 300 years apart, with amazing fittings (koshirae). My goal was to have lots and lots of blades, however I have found that I am becoming more and more addicted to collecting the reference books and consequently my library has vastly outstripped the nihonto peices that I own!!

 

Since starting collecting and studying, I have found that my direction of interest has changed two or three times. I suggest you buy a blade or two to appreciate and study; and using the advice of the people on here, that know what they are talking about, you will find the onward direction that you want this to take.

 

Your attitude to Nihonto seems very positive. I am sure your goals will change as you start to understand more about the subject. I think you are right about it being fun to search and match fittings. I am still searching for a tsuba to match fittings on one of my swords.... 8 months and counting.... but it will appear in the next couple of years I am sure!!

 

My advice?... Buy a reasonably priced good blade in good koshirae and enjoy it and it's fittings.... and see where it takes you... above all read and ask more questions to the 'spurts, here on the board.

 

Cheers!

[Rich T]

looking for the right pieces to make up a koshirae for a katana I had, by the time I got half of them together, I sold the sword. :?

 

It can be a very difficult thing to do for just one set let alone several sets.

 

Rich

[Reinier]

thnx guys you have given me new things to consider.

[Henry Wilson]

I agree with what was said above. I have shifted from swords to fittings over three years when I first started and am surprised how my tastes have changed. It seems that nothing is that long term in this game unless you have been collecting for quite sometime and have seen everything a few times over.

 

If you want to get a taste for a swords and fittings I think this could be a good deal for you.

 

http://www.japaneseswordcollector.com/wak/wak.html

 

Just my two pennies worth

[Bungo]

you boys change wives, girlfriends like so many times with tsuba ?

 

ye unfaithful ones.........heck, what am I saying ?! I buy , sell and trade them too !!

p.s. some like the old rusty wabi kind ( hope his taste in ladies are different !! :lol: )

milt the ronin

[Reinier]

that is indeed a nice blade by i have plans to visit Japan/tokyo and i want to look there in the shops for a nice starter blade.