High quality fittings

[william m]

Hello all, I was just wondering if anybody could shead any light on these fittings I have?

 

Thanks in advance!

William

 

[Brian]

Hi William,

 

I know you headed this post "high quality fittings" but I hope you know they aren't really?

The kozuka and menuki look like very late edo mass produced punched work, with not a lot of detail.

The tsuba looks fair, but fairly standard. Not sure of the fuchi/kashira school, but it will come to me in a bit. All in all a fairly standard and mediocre mounted set. Hope you don't take offense, but the truth is always better than no reply at all I think. (Hopefully)

 

Regards,

Brian

[william m]

Hi Brian,

 

Sorry but I thought these were really nice! haha. I guess I have had a lot of junk in the past. The kozuka I agree is nasty, the design is exactly the same on both sides making it difficult to slot into the saya.

I am surprised with the menuki and tsuba, as I quite liked them. I wouldn't mind having a set like these.

But anyways no offense taken :D , these fittings are for a wakizashi that belongs to a friend. I am planning on redoing the tsukamaki so I thought I might as well post the fittings up on the board to see what you guys thought of them.

 

Thanks for the reply Brian!

 

Regards,

William

[Brian]

William,

No worries about sharing them, if we don't get opinions, then how are we going to learn?

The f/k are, I think, very late Hizen school, but not much detail and the carving isn't too well done, so genuine, but not very good work I would guess.

The kozuka (you say it is double sided?) would then point to those meiji stamped table-knife style kozuka that are often pressed back into use as kozuka. Made when the fittings market died, for export. Stamped and of low quality. Real kozuka don't have the same design on both sides.

The tsuba has a late edo cast look to it? The iron looks a bit rough, which then had some decoration applied.

All the fittings look genuine enough, just late work made for a simple mounting. I would say this is also a composite patchwork of different styles put together for this sword. Browse some of the links in the NMB linls section and check some of the dealer stock there for some great examples of high class work. But of course then they have a price to match

You get what you pay for as always.

 

Brian

[Thierry BERNARD]

Hi William

 

The kozuka I agree is nasty, the design is exactly the same on both sides making it difficult to slot into the saya.

 

this mean it's not a kozuka but a kitchen knife handle :?

 

see this thread http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1767

[william m]

Haha, a kitchen knife handle! I would never had guessed..

Even though the fittings may be of poor quality, I still like them. I suppose im a sucker for flashy junk! hehe.

Anyways thank you both for your advise, it is greatly appreciated.

 

Regards,

William