If Skakes Make You Queezy Then Look Away

[Nickupero]

I found this interesting and what I think is a rare set, at least I've never seen such a piece or something of similar. As the title states snakes is the going theme, and they are very animated. There is a lot going on here, even to the point that the seppa have snakes, overkill or a nice touch... My favorite fitting is the Kurikata, the way the tail wraps around and dangles in the air, it even seems to have a small sinister looking smile. Something also I'd like to point your attention to is the urushi, has actual snake skin worked into it, like a snake candy-cane. The tsuka has also snake skin instead of shark skin.

 

The Koshirae is enough to like the set but the blade is interesting, you'll notice plenty of Horimono that actually looks snake-ish... Nakago is mumei, any thoughts to the smith??? You don't need to look far to find the answer? Easy kantei

 

[Nickupero]

some more...

 

 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Oh sure Nick! Why didn't you tell us there were snakes? I hate snakes. Skakes don't bother me much, but snakes?!?!? Next time, warn a guy

 

Kidding aside, that is really interesting!

[b.hennick]

I love the menuki - I collect iron menuki.

[IJASWORDS]

Nick, I opened the post hoping to see SKAKES, but could only see SNAKES...I am comfortable with SKAKES, but SNAKES scare the heck outa me. Neil.

[Greg F]

Well done in finding this never ending supply of wonderful koshirae Nick! The saya looks terrific and i love the seppa.

The blade has a pretty hamon. All the best.

 

Greg

[Brian]

I was going to correct the title, but don't want to ruin the ribbing we are giving Nick
Those give me the creeps. Have a friend who would pass out if he saw that.

[Gilles]

Dear Nick,

 

Very nice koshirae. This shin-shinto blade seems to be made by ARIKOTO.

[Dr Fox]

Snakes or as written in Canada skakes... are featured very often in Japanese mythology.

Indeed human transformation especially women, do indeed represent both good and evil in these forms.

In this case the art and execution of the work, far exceeded any phobias I have.

Its spiders by the way.

 

Always your fan Nick. 

[Stephen]

Love'm, Stakes are our protectors, eat verem that carry diseases. Now to have one slither over you while camping in the Ozarks ....whole different story.  

[Brian]

So now we have skakes, snakes and stakes?


The mind refusing to type the word?

[Stephen]

dang,  t is a long ways from n on keyboard, wonder how that happened...LOL 

[Jean]

What about skates, but the topic could rip LoL

[Nickupero]

WHAT HAVE I STARTED!!! Seems like my excitement to show this piece has made a little mess. Skakes, Stakes, Snakes, could be all of the above from what I know. The biggest thing we got up here are grass snakes... seen some earth-worms that were bigger. First off apologies to the fellow Canadians for poorly representing you, was worth it though wasn't it?

 

A big thank you guys for the kind comments, Barry if I ever see something similar I'll let you know, I did find the twists and turns intense and must have been a task to work with iron. Not sure if it was picked up in the pictures but even has finely chiseled scales. Denis your comments prompted me to read more into snakes in Japanese Mythology, very interesting.

Gilles you got it, blade is made from Arikoto, his complete mei is found above the machi, can be seen in the attached picture. After researching it this same poem is found on an example of Arikoto is Markus Sesko's book "E-Swordsmiths". I hope he doesn't mind if I post the page here as an image. The poem translates "The true warrior leaves his sword in its scabbard and sharpens first of all his mind”.

 

 

 

 

 

[vajo]

Very nice Nick. 

Terrible that you live so far away to see your very nice stuff.

[Nickupero]

Thank you Chris, much appreciated! Montreal is only a 7.5 hr direct flight to Munich, not so bad, hehe.

 

Moderators if I could ask you to remove this thread in the next couple of days, will allow members to get one last look if they please. The new owner is someone private so it will not appear in my archives section of my website. Thanks again to all those who participated with comments.