Help with New Sword Purchase

[pike-56]

Hello I'm new to these boards but hope to get some much needed information about a newly acquired group of swords. I have questions about two of them. The first one has a blade length of 23 inches. My question is can anyone identify this tsuba? It is signed on both sides and I've included pics. In addition the Habaki looks to have a character on it and wondering if that might be a signature. There are no markings on the tang. I'm also interested in missing parts from this sword. The Kaskira is missing along with the Menukis's are missing. Is there a place to purchase correct ones for this sword. And do you have any suggestions on somebody to rewrap the handle? I know this blade would benefit greatly from a good polish job but that will be down the road, I would greatly appreciate any information anybody can offer. Thanks for helping out a newbie.

 

http://

 

http://

 

http://

 

http://

 

http://

 

http://

______

David P

[pike-56]

http://

 

http://

 

http://

 

http://

[Grey Doffin]

Hi David,

You will have to buy both a fuchi & kashira; the chances of finding an orphan kashira to match your fuchi are slim to none. Check the dealers listed under links on NMB for antique fuchi/kashira and menuki.

David McDonald, also under links, I believe, will do a fine job or handle rewrap for you.

Grey

[SwordGuyJoe]

The mon on the fuchi is the kugi nuki mon. Not sure what families used it, but someone here can tell you. The habaki doesn't have any decernable characters, just looks like scratches.

[Lee Bray]

The tsuba looks to be Jakushi school.

http://www.nihonto.us/JAKUSHI%20II.htm

http://www.silk-road.us/jakushi4.html

 

Grey is right that it will be very difficult to find a matching kashira; I managed to find a matching fuchi for a tsuka with kashira that I had but it took a few years of trawling the internet to no avail and then I eventually found one in a box of bits at a large sword show in Japan.

Your best bet is a new set, as said, or perhaps a horn kashira. They are fairly common, inexpensive and means you keep the fuchi with the tsuka.

I can also vouch for Mr.McDonald, he does good work.

 

The sword is possibly a naginata naoshi, which is a shortened polearm(naginata).

The overall shape and the thickness at the ridge suggest that to me.

I'm assuming it's thick based on the shape of the ana in the seppa and it also looks as though the nakago ana on the tsuba as been altered slightly to allow for that thickness.

 

The mark on the habaki looks to be just that and not a kanji.

[george trotter]

It might also be worthwhile to see if you can get a kashira made to match your fuchi?

We have some very talented people on this board such as Ford Hallam...I might be wrong but never hurts to enquire.

The mon is used by many families, such as that of Baba (just google ka mon)...here is one on a gunto.

regards,

[Drago]

I usually try to avoid modern replica fittings. But sometimes it's inpossible to find the right originals and I'm not so patient to have an incomplete swords lying around for years...

 

If you don't mind replicas, check Fred Lohman's site. Either he has something or he can make you an offer for making one - e.g. he offers to add specific mon to some kashira for a reasonable price.

[Marius]

David,

 

unless you are some kind of millionaire or billionaire, I would advise you to keep the sword in the koshirae as it is now, save any money for the polish, and when you have polished it (please choose a qualified polisher only, there are maybe two of them outside Japan) you will have a new shirasaya made.

 

It looks lovely, a naginata/nagamaki naoshi which seems still healthy. It is likely to be a stunnig sword when polished. Enjoy the blade in a good shirasaya. BTW, a good shirasaya is really much better than a crappy koshirae, assembled of various pieces.

[Grey Doffin]

I agree with Mariusz; good advice. BTW, if you go the route of getting replacement fuchi/kashira you have to check to make sure the new fuchi fits your tsuka; they aren't all the same size.

Grey

[nagamaki - Franco]

Another option for a replacement kashira other than having one made or getting lucky finding one is the use of a black horn kashira, which is not uncommon when the kashira is missing and perfectly acceptable. This can also be custom made to fit precisely.

[Ron STL]

Owning what looks to be a healthy O-suriage naginata-naoshi blade like this would excite me. Being a cut-down naginata as it is, there is a good possibility of this dating into the Nambokucho period (14c) and with some up-close examination -- if quality jigane, nie/nioi hataraki exists -- it would be a wonderful sword to have restored, polished and put into shirasaya. If so, it might be nice to keep the parts and one day reconstruct things, but first things first. The habaki looks in good condition and that could save you the cost of a new habaki if you wish.

 

I really do like the nicely signed Jakushi tsuba as it looks to be a good quality example. A lot of Jakushi work is rather common but when you see one of good quality, personally, I get excited about them!

 

Ron H.

[pcfarrar]

I believe the tsuba is signed Kiyobo sanjin Jakushi Ryuunken Koretaka with kakihan. This generation of Jakushi worked in the mid 19th century.

 

Not a bad tsuba I have a similar one that is katana size with the same mei.

[Peter Bleed]

David,

Let's cut to the chase.

1. You have an interesting sword, but

2. It has lost a great deal of it's latest history, BUT

3. Its latest history wasn't all that important. By 1700 this was being treated as "an old sword."

4. If you like Jakushi tsuba, keep the guard. If not, sell it. (go to #5)

5. Dump the fittings. Somebody may be able to use them. Buy lunch at a sword show. (Actually, I like the habaki)

6. Make the blade as clean as you can and submit it to shinsa. Ron Hartmann gave you a great kantei - this looks like a Nambokucho weapon that earned its wound badge. This is a 'samurai sword."

7. If you get positive kantei, (no saiha, no hagiri) have this blade polished.

8. Enjoy the blade.

So there

Peter

[Ron STL]

That said, Peter, I'll that the tsuba. :lol: Seriously, iteresting to learn which generation made this tsuba. Ron H.

[pike-56]

I would like to thank all those that have replied, I have received an immense amount of information about this sword. I'm starting to rethink my original thoughts about what to go after to restore this. Looks like I'll be submitting it to Shinsa and getting an evaluation and polish prior to anything else. Special thanks to Peter Bleed, Peter Farrar, Ron H, and Lee Bray. I do have another sword I'll post tomorrow, also a new acquisition. It has a strange blade and a interesting Tsuba. You're a bunch of friendly guys and really appreciate all the input.

 

Newbie

_____________

David P

[Lee Bray]

All good advice and you seem to take it on board.

 

Out of interest, how is the fit between tsuba and sword?

I ask because, to me, it looks like the tsuba nakago ana has been widened to accommodate the blade.

If that's the case and the fit is good, I'd refrain from selling the tsuba. It's always annoying when you buy a sword and the tsuba rattles around and clearly was never meant for the blade.

If this one fits, and it looks like it was fitted to the blade many years back from the patina, then I'd keep it with the blade.

 

Despite all the offers you'll get from NMB Jakushi tsuba admirers...

:D

[pike-56]

Lee, The Tsuba fits like a glove, and I planned on keeping all the parts I've received with this sword. I just feel I should keep it as found. Thanks for the advice.

__________

David P.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Owning what looks to be a healthy O-suriage naginata-naoshi blade like this would excite me. Being a cut-down naginata as it is, there is a good possibility of this dating into the Nambokucho period (14c) and with some up-close examination -- if quality jigane, nie/nioi hataraki exists -- it would be a wonderful sword to have restored, polished and put into shirasaya. If so, it might be nice to keep the parts and one day reconstruct things, but first things first. The habaki looks in good condition and that could save you the cost of a new habaki if you wish.

 

comment; It does look to be healthy, the soe bi still has good depth. What I wonder about is just how O suriage this is considering the soe bi looks to end pretty much where the nakago begins with no visible evidence in the images, at least from what I'm seeing, that it might have once run longer into the nakago area (and, fully realizing the nakago would have been much longer at one time for a pole mount). Currently my thinking is that this mekugi-ana could be the original, which, if so, would make Ron's call of Nambokucho a pretty good one.[changed my mind overnight, now believe this was much longer once upon a time. Which opens up the intriguing possibility of perhaps being older than nambokucho into play]. Also, exciting looking hamon for Koto aficionados, meaning this piece deserves a "good polish" from a class polisher. If this were mine, I would give it careful study to decide if the current condition is good enough for shinsa or whether a window at the very least should be opened first, and perhaps even the full polish before submitting.

The fit after foundation polish along with the finish should be carefully considered in deciding on a new habaki or not, regardless, at the very least I would probably keep this habaki for the fittings mount. The fittings could be kept together with a tsunagi.

[Marius]

Guys, I wouldn't go gaga about the fittings. You don't hav a a period koshirae here (actually, no koshirae at all), just a tsuba, a fuchi and an old tsuka stripped of menuki and with no wrapping. Building a new koshirae around it? The result will be bad, as all other assembled koshirae.

 

I understand there is the romantic notion of history, previous owners, etc., but c'mon!

[nagamaki - Franco]

Guys, I wouldn't go gaga about the fittings. ..... Building a new koshirae around it?

 

I don't see that anyone is going gaga here, if you go back to the original post there was an expressed desire to reassemble the koshirae which is what is being addressed, options. Otherwise your points should be considered.

[Marius]

 

I don't see that anyone is going gaga here, .

 

Well, David's last post feels a bit like going gaga.