Advice Sought: Koshirae Funiture Sites

[SwordGuyJoe]

All,

I have been looking for some furniture to build a koshirae. The problem is, the sites I look at regularly for swords, have more "collector" level material (meaning that I'd drop $2k for piecing together f/k, menuki, Tsuba). I have looked at eBay but acknowledge that I don't know a ton about tosogu and would prefer to not get bit (again), so leaning towards a dealer.

 

Any suggestions?

[Lance]

Below are some links to some good dealers:,

 

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/

 

http://www.nihonto.com/itemsale.html

 

http://www.nihonto.us/

 

http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/fuchi-kashira.html

 

Also I believe there's a member here, David McDonald who does tsuka work, he did one for me some years ago and I was very happy with the results.

 

The general consensus I've seen here on the board was having a koshirae built is almost always a money losing proposition, so if you were going to go that route it would probably be best to find fittings that you would fully enjoy whenever looking at or handling it.

 

Also something else to consider:

If you're looking to save money a single fuchi and a horn kashira might be a good way to go, (and still traditional.)

Orphan fuchi usually sell for less than a complete set, so you should be able to get a better quality piece for the same money.

 

single fuchi below

http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/sw ... -page.html

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Lance

[Stephen]

Hey Joe

id shope Aoi Art, usually wide selection and price range for most budgets, ..Tsuruta San will work with ya on the price too.

[Barrie B]

Hi Joe,

I agree with both Lance and Stephen, although cost is relative.. If you were looking to reproduce a particular style (Banzashi Diasho for example) then cost of fittings may not be so important - if you get my meaning.

Do you have a style of koshirae in mind or perhaps an idea of what you hope to end up with?

If you are not that concerned, then almost any menuki would do and as Lance stated, a horn kashira was totally acceptable. In fact the horn kashira and wasted tsuka on the Tensho style koshirae is one of my favourites.. Almost any plain 'thin or low' fuchi and an iron tsuba in the tea taste would suit this style.. That would keep the cost down. Probably don't even need menuki, although if you did, you could mount them in the reverse position under the palms of the hand (aka Yagyu style) and have a real mix of styles.. :D

I have added a photo of a modern Tensho style koshirae for you..

Barrie.

[Guido]

I have added a photo of a modern Tensho style koshirae for you..

Looks can be deceiving. This koshirae seeems to be made by Kazuyuki Takayama (you probably will not get better quality) and will set you back quite a few Yen ...