Unidentified Possible Kyugunto Sword Knot

[DAHM]

Hi, all.

 

I'm posting images of an as yet unidentified sword knot which was originally sold to me many years ago as a kyugunto model.

As you will see from the images the cord is actually a shade of blue - somewhere between Royal and Navy.

I think the generals' version is supposed to have a black cord.

 

Can anyone help to ascertain its identity?

 

David.

[ChrisW]

It could very well still be black, depending on the dye or material used, black can fade out to a blue or other shades.

[PNSSHOGUN]

My best guess is a civilian, court or territorial variation.

[lonely panet]

this is one of the few knots i never got to own, but i have seen them  in hand. which is tricky because alittle bit of knowlegde can be dangerous.

 

early Generals knots  were bullion knot with a flat tassel, then later moving to a round cord for reasons I can only assume were to the delicate nature and easy to damage related issues.

 

 

so it appears to be IMHO a Generals  grade tassel for a Generals kyu gunto dress sword, due to its shorter length, BUT the base of the knot has me worried abit. some better photos, clearer please.

the high price of these means one thing, there's a market for good repros.  

 

but I would like more advanced input for a member who has had more experience with this type of knot

[DAHM]

I'm grateful to those members who have had a look and made comment.

 

Obscure and/or as yet unidentified items intrigue most collectors - I am still, after many years, surprised at how little authoritative material has been published on items such as sword fittings.  I did send the images (a few more are attached here) to Richard Fuller, who has written extensively on, among other things, Japanese sword accoutrements.  He hasn't seen one with a blue cord before.  

 

ChrisW has pointed out that material colours sometimes fade over the years, and I can confirm that direct sunlight has done this to at least one artefact of mine.  In this particular case, I did move the slider on the cord to see if there was any change in colour where the cord meets the main body.  There was not - it has always been blue.

The length of the doubled-up cord to the main body is 43.6cm, or approximately seventeen and a quarter inches in old money

The full length of the knot to the point where it meets the cord is 9.7cm (approx. 4 inches).

[lonely panet]

personally with the better photos, i have some very serious doubts on this tassel.  if it were my money i wouldnt buy it

[DAHM]

The bottom line is that I don't know that this is a kyu gunto knot.  It was sold to me years ago by a dealer who said it was.

I have posted it on this forum for comment and assistance.  If it is not a kyu gunto knot then it is a knot for something else.

The quality of the artefact speaks for itself - perhaps this particular forum is the wrong one for it.

Best wishes, David.

[lonely panet]

It Could be modern, it could be another nations armed forces tassel perhaps.

[DAHM]

Hi, all.

 

I'm not 100% certain, but I think this knot may turn out to be a French, Inter-War period officer's knot!

The knot's cord was produced in a variety of colours, including blue, black, brown and khaki.

Never trust a dealer!

 

Best wishes,

 

David