Where To Find High-End Kiribako (Tsuba Or Tosogu Boxes)

[Tanto54]

Does anyone know where to get the very high-end tsuba boxes with silk cover bags like the one pictured?  I’ve searched the Board and have found many posts on where to get other boxes or how to make them, but I can’t find this particular type anywhere.

 

 

FYI (and to collect it all in one place) - Here’s are few of the others that I found from other posts here on NMB (I have not used, so I cannot personally recommend any of these... and sorry if I missed anyone):

NAMIKAWA HEIBEI www.namikawa-ltd.com/product-list/20

http://sanmei.com/contents/en-us/d23_01.html

http://hakoyoshi.com/company.html

http://nihonto.us/BOXES.htm

Tozando

http://www.tokensibata.co.jp/acc/acc1.html

 

Here’s info from a post on a custom box insert maker in Japan:

Mr. Yoshiaki Iimura

K.K.Token Bijutsu Kogeisha

ITABASHI 4-10-2, ITABASHI-KU, TOKYO

Postcode 173-0004

Japan

Email: katana-iimura@apost.plala.or.jp

Website: http://www16.plala.o... ... glish.html

 

Here’s Ford’s Instructions for making custom box inserts: http://www.followingtheironbrush.org/viewtopic.php?f=70&t=736&hilit=fitted+tsuba+box

 

Here’s some similar instructions for making your own custom inserts posted by Guido (from Martin Hellmann) http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18459-anyone-in-the-us-making-custom-made-fittings-boxes/?hl=%2Btsuba+%2Bboxes&do=findComment&comment=190162

 

Other places from the web:

 

http://www.yamatobudogu.com/category_s/277.htm

http://ryujinswords.com/pawlonia.htm

http://www.nuovashobudo.it/catalog/index.php?cPath=1_12

[Curran]

High end fitted boxes like that cost a pretty penny.

$250 down to $175 if you are having a bunch of them done? Usually it doesn't make sense, unless they are in Japan for shinsa and you are having many of them done.

 

Personally I only have them done those that have passed TH or are I feel are extremely rare.

[Logic on that:    Some tsuba are very rare but Captain Obvious in what they are, and not necessarily worth all the added expense of TH papers. Ie an early Aoi tsuba deserving of Hozon to validate it and a custom box for presentation, but the extra few hundred $$ for TH doesn't add any mental or financial value in my mind].

 

The silk jackets:   For a long time, I didn't like them very much. I felt they were an odd jacket around the nice grain of higher end boxes.

Only now that I have a fair number of custom boxes do I appreciate how much they preserve the wood.

As to who makes them now-  I have NO idea.

 

Paul Martin is probably best to ask.

 

 

PS.  I gotta ask- what is the tsuba in that box?

With that sort of carriage, it has got to be something interesting.

[rkg]

FWIW, I came across a style of these box bags not too long ago that is open at the end:

 

 

These are really handy as you can then stick a label on the end of the box so you can see which box it is at a glance in the safe, etc:

 

 

 

(the two boxes at the top of the image)

 

I just sent off a pile 'o boxes to have Elliott Long's (http://www.shibuiswords.com) better half make up some of these for me...  They do them pretty reasonably, and...

 

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

 

[kissakai]

What a great idea to but an image and description on the box

I'll get my boxes out and copy this idea

Obviously I shant do with with the boxes that have an old kanji description

[rkg]

3m makes a printable post-it note material that you can get in 8.5X11 sheets - you have to work around the placement of the post-it adhesive on the back (it is in 5 large strips running down the page), but it works great (and it theoretically doesn't damage anything).  Just get access to a wheel paper cutter (READ: rotatrim) and you're golden (you can put the slice through the middle of the edge ones as you cut them off...)

 

You can see a bunch of them I made up on the kodogu no sekai farcebook page.

Best,

rkg

(Richard George)

What a great idea to but an image and description on the box

I'll get my boxes out and copy this idea

Obviously I shant do with with the boxes that have an old kanji description

[Tanto54]

Dear Curran and Richard,

 

Great ideas - Thanks!

[kissakai]

I bought this from Paul Martin as they are not available very often and has a bit of age to it

It looks like cotton with stitched liner

It was from a museum in Japan but as you see no internal fittings

I was going to make an interior but never got round to it

I did think about putting it on the for sale section but had no idea what it was worth

The sleeve is a very good fit over the box

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grev

 

[Alan Morton]

Barrie Bergy of this board does this kind of high end custom work for collectors. Don’t be shy Baz show us your outstanding stuff. I know Bazza has had some done.

Alan

[Tanto54]

Thanks Alan,

 

I sent him a message and will let you guys know what I find out.