Barrie B

Thanks Mark; I appreciate your time. Barrie.

Hi Mark, Normally Menuki are made 'Left and Right' or 'mirrored' with (normally) the head end facing the Fuchi, even if the animal - dragon for instance - is looking backwards towards the Kashira... I have heard (unsubstantiated) that in the case of plants or flowers, the roots face the Fuchi. Noting these both face the same way, can I please see a pic of the backs? Thanks. Barrie.

Hi Victor, Just curious; what materiel will you use? B.

Thank you Markus, Email sent. Apologies for any inconvenience caused. Barrie.

Hi Markus, Can I please get an update on my order? I paid up front for all volumes in the series, and am still waiting for the third volume to arrive. I have already received Volume's 1 & 2; thank you. I have moved house since this project was started, so will need to update my postal address, but was unable to PM you unfortunately? Not sure why. Barrie.

@ Markus, Can I please get an update on my order? I paid up front for all volumes in the series, and am still waiting for the third volume to arrive. I have already received Volume's 1 & 2; very many thanks. Why can't I PM Markus to confirm.? Barrie.

Thanks Jean; much appreciated. Barrie.

Hi everyone, I didn't know Ford, but has anyone checked in with Bella? Is she going okay? I'm not sure she is coping as well as she could be.. Barrie.

Is he not confused with Toppei Koshira because of the shape of the Saya - The Kojiri looks to be shaped to slide into a frog? Barrie

53 years young. Started when I was 20, with a Gunto prchased from Sydney Antiques Centre, that I still own today... Back then I was just a 'militaria' collector, but when I bought that Gunto and started researching it, I was hooked on Nihonto forever. Thanks to the Australian Nihonto collectors, I'm still collecting today. Barrie.

Hi Geoige, I am not sure why or even if they are separated. My guess: Normally, if a sword is polished, a shirasaya would be made (post polish) so it doesn't get scratched by being placed back into its original Saya. The saya would then (normally) have a tsunagi made to keep the Koshirae together. But everything gets damaged if not looked after. So, if the sword gets rusty and is ruined, then there's a spare Koshirae. Likewise if insects eat the Koshirae, there is a stand-alone sword. Perhaps someone with a large collection passes away and the Shirasaya are separated from the Koshirae and the family mix them up, or sell them separately, not knowing they may be paired. Once parted, it's almost impossible to re pair them. Koshirae were changed out from time to time as the fashion, mood or even the law dictated, so a Samurai or Daimyo may have had several Koshirae for the one blade or blades (Daisho), depending on what they were up to. Especially during the Edo Period if attending the Castle. For example; they may have changed their 'local' or cultural regional koshirae (Higo, Owari, Satsuma etc) out for a Banzashi Koshirae, more in keeping with the etiquette or even the laws of visiting the Castle - Horn Kashira and rounded Saya on the Wakizashi for example. Perhaps they wanted something more flashy than their 'daily' Koshirae if they were visiting the Saki (Geisha) houses and wanted to show off a bit. Swords were expensive, so it made sense that they may have had several Koshirae for the same pair of swords, to suit different occasions. And that is without even including the wealthy merchants who probably changed Koshirae on their Wakizashi as the fashion, Zodiac year or even the seasons and festivals dictated. Samurai may have done the same. Lastly, (and this is a wild guess here) collectors may not want the Koshirae - or or the blade - as that ls not the focus of their collection, so they sell (or don't purchase) the other, in order to further fund their hobby..? Or they fall into hard times and have to sell one half to keep afloat? Who knows. As for pairing them back up, my advice would be nope, and don't even try. Apart from not having the money or resources to do that, it could potentially damage the blade in doing so. Barrie.

I don't know Tom that well, but I do know him (or of him). I once bought a very nice Shakudo Tsuba (with a Shakudo Fukurin) off him in Perth, Western Australia, in 2003. I still have it. I love it.. It was at his house and he had sort of set up his front lounge room as a quasi shopfront. The Tsuba was $750, but after a conversation, he let me have it for $650, so I was very pleased.. Although, he did pass it off as a 'Daimyo Tsuba' (blah, blah, blah) with (supposedly) 60% gold content.!! Of course I just wanted the Tsuba, so let him rabbit on (pretending I was a bit of a nube) until I was out of there... Not long after that, I was led to beleive he moved to Ballarat, Victoria. Where did you run into him..? Barrie.

Hi Micheal, I could not find this in the Kinko Meikan or in Markus' Signatures of Japanese Sword Fitting Artists. Unfortunately I don't have Wakayama's publication. Good luck. Barrie.

Curran, that is a very nice Tsuba indeed..! Baz.

George (et al), Thanks for sharing your knowledge to broaden mine. And thanks to everyone else for sharing their items to increasing my limited understanding on the use of this theme.. Not as rare as I first thought. I never once imagined this O Tanto/ Ko Wakizashi might have actually been owned by a Bushi, and not by a Kabuki actor.. Thanks again. Baz.