Henry Wilson

This might be of use in the future: http://www.nihontocraft.com/japanese_sword_papers.html

Jason You might like this. Especially when it is still on the Golden Week sale viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7166

Who said there are no ninjas??????????? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_p ... 130346.stm

Any chance it could be Namban? Just a thought.

I think that is about the third Musashi Miyamoto tsuba of near same theme that I have seen. Does anyone know how many of the same tsuba he made?

I don`t know about the rest of you, but I am sitting on the edge of my computer screen waiting with baited breath for the pictures...

What are you talking about?

Lovely Paul. Very nice. A great example of Tensho koshirae. Tensho-tastic in other words!!!

Hi Paul When you say wasted, do you mean waste or waist? Wasted to me suggests wasting away to nothing. But it could mean an hourglass shape. Here is an extremely well written and informative article (with a great kanji lesson thrown in) by Guido Schiller and S. Alexander Takeuchi, Ph.D. I hope they don`t mind me linking it here. http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/ja ... rticle.htm I have taken the liberty to copy and paste a few extracts from the article which I think says it all and to provide other definitions as requested by Paul. Here is an example an Edo-Higo-Koshirae as mentioned above. http://www.yamabushiantiques.com/KOSHIRAE16.htm

Hi Pete Is that not a Higo style?

Here are few references that I love when thinking about koshirae "Tosogu no Kigen" by Sasano Masayuki. http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/t ... en/6438122 http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/t ... on/6450887 "Uchigatana" by the Tokyo National Museum "Kokusai Tosogu Kai 2005 International Convention and Exhibition Supplement" by Richard K George http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/k ... nt/1648110 All the above texts have in depth info on koshirae which sheds light on an area of tosogu and nihonto that is surprising over looked.

That is an interesting question Jean. It seems that we are used to and familiar with the kogai on the omote and the kozuka on the ura side of the koshirae. The origins of this convention seem to be unknown and from what I have read it emerged during the Edo period. I have gone through my koshirae references and I can find only one koshirae that has only a kogai mounted on the reverse (ura). It is illustrated in "Uchigatana" from the Tokyo National Museum and is a wakizashi of a daisho owned by Torii Mototada (son of Hideyoshi) who lived from around 1567 to 1688. I can`t get any pics up of it but it is number 46 for those who have the book. This probably is not the only existing example but it seems to demonstrate that they are quite rare for whatever reason. The Tosogu no Kigen discusses at length the origins of the kogai. It mentions that before the Muromachi period and the emergence of the uchigatana that there are records of koshigatana and the like being mounted with kogai in the position of where we usually find the kozuka. Also it mentions that the kogai is much older than the kozuka which I read as some people think kogai once existed before kozuka were invented. Concerning the uchigatana and kogai, there are theories that Tosogu no Kigen cites "On swords worn in camps when on campaign, only kogatana are mounted, but in camps at the castles, only kogai are worn and this is on the omote as well as on the ura side" There exists kogai where the motif is orientated in the same way as on a kozuka. For certain designs that have a top and bottom, the orientation of the design on some kogai make them suitable only to be worn on the ura side of the koshirae. So to answer your question, I think that from the Edo period onwards, the kogai would have been placed on the omote (outerside) but this probably was not always the case, especially before the Muromachi period and the advent of the uchigatana. I hope these ramblings answer you question and I also hope that someone with more knowledge than me can add something to this discussion.

Actually Jean, I think what i wrote above is wrong. The kogai is on the correct side. The tsuba is the wrong way around which has confused me.

Going back to the Tensho koshirae and kogai. I think there is no slot on the other side. I believe that convention would dictate that a kozuka would be inserted on the side of the koshirae facing out. Of course there are exceptions especially with very early Muromachi period koshirae, but this piece is not one of those and probably a late Edo revival piece. I can`t help feeling the kogai has been put in so to fill the empty slot. Also the kogai ana on the tsuba is not aline with the kogai as well. All of this makes me think the kogai is on the wrong side.

This appears to be quite nice. A good Muromachi period sword in a Tensho style koshirae with nice fittings . I like the tsuka shape and the lacquered leather tsuka maki. http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/katana/09379.html The kogai is on the wrong side though....

No idea ask Bojan!

The koshirae looks Higo to me

Many thanks Moriyama San

Thanks John I will check next time I am there. I am hoping that some one knows of a link were I can view a high resolution version easily on a PC.

I am interested in having a look at 伴大納言絵詞, the "Ban Dainagon Ekotoba" handscroll paintings. I have trawled around the net a bit but can't find the complete set, just sections of it. Does anyone know where I can view images of the whole painting online? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ban_Dainagon_Ekotoba Cheers

Here is a nice tsuba that is similar in appearance. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=7166

You 2 should get a room.................

Why do rumours of the NBTHK being in trouble generate so much emotion? Especially if they are just rumours?

Neat!!! It would be interesting to see the same types of photos on a Ko Tosho or Ko Katchushi tsuba.