johnnyi Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 Hello. I have heard two differing opinions of what these might be; fans or arrows. There is a pair on the front and a pair on the back of this tsuba. Was there ever a system in Japan, military or government, that might have used a certain number of fans (or arrows) to designate rank or position? I've been looking but can find nothing. Thanks in advance Regards, Johnnyi Quote
dominnimod Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 I think there is a family mon/crest composed of two fans like that, not sure though Edit: Found these three: 1.fans, 2.feathers and 3.arrows? Quote
sabi Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 I'd bet on those being gunbai (fans). Quote
Steve Waszak Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 Good question, Johnny. I find myself leaning toward their being arrows, as it seems there is depicted the extension of the arrow shaft past the feathers to provide the notch. But the motif is a bit on the abstract side, so Evan could be right. Does the motif on the other side look just the same as it does here? Quote
johnnyi Posted August 11, 2017 Author Report Posted August 11, 2017 Here's the reverse which isn't much help. I was leaning toward fans too, but after seeing Jose's post of the rounded two arrow fletches kamon, maybe that's what it is? Thanks all for the input. Johnnyi Quote
sabi Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 Now that's interesting... Those look like arrows with the concave end and no taper to the body. The curvature of the design in your first post still screams gunbai to me though... Quote
Shugyosha Posted August 11, 2017 Report Posted August 11, 2017 One of the other things I do is archery and they ain't arrows. Not if they are expected to fly anyway. Quote
johnnyi Posted August 12, 2017 Author Report Posted August 12, 2017 Thank you all for your help. I will go with gunbai, and try to discover whether they might be mon, rank, or maybe something else. Thank you again. regards, Johnnyi Quote
Prewar70 Posted August 13, 2017 Report Posted August 13, 2017 Arrows for sure the ends are nocked to accept a string. Quote
johnnyi Posted August 13, 2017 Author Report Posted August 13, 2017 Prewar, I thought so too at first, but I think it is just the nature of crosshatching that gives the illusion of knocked. Anywhere crosshatching stops you will get a "v". johnnyi Quote
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