Cat-scratch Habaki

[Lewis B]

4 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

That is elaborate and unique, Matt!  Wonder what kind of trees or plants those are.

I'm going to guess they're stylised pines. 

[Bruce Pennington]

A boar's eye habaki worth posting.  On a sword for sale by @matthewbrice, posted HERE.  It's larger that most I've seen, and I like the coloration design:

 

[saemonjonosuke]

Another Mt. Fuji habaki on a gunto.

[Bruce Pennington]

19 hours ago, saemonjonosuke said:

Mt. Fuji habaki on a gunto.

Good one, Johnny!

 

Hey, is that a chromed zohieto or muratato?

[saemonjonosuke]

No, it's an Aoe blade. Late nanbokucho period. 

 

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Ah, just the lighting then.

[Spartancrest]

 

This has to go in! https://www.jauce.com/auction/c1200944659   ¥26,000 seems a little bit expensive but I really know nothing about the value of habaki.

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Any idea what the images are?  Dragons? Clouds?

[kaze ryu]

A fish

[Bruce Pennington]

On 9/13/2025 at 7:39 AM, Lewis B said:

I'm going to guess they're stylised pines. 

Just saw these on a screensaver. They are dragon blood trees, but they are found in Yemen. Wonder if Japan has anything similar?

 

[Tcat]

The no-seppa look can produce a nice contrast.

 

[Lewis B]

6 minutes ago, Tcat said:

The no-seppa look can produce a nice contrast.

 

Looks good on a tanto. Less is more. 

[Tcat]

30 minutes ago, Lewis B said:

Looks good on a tanto. Less is more. 

Indeed. This one is a chonk with 1.3 inch at motohaba, kasane up over 1/3 of an inch.

Edited Thursday at 06:53 PM by Tcat

[Lewis B]

On 9/12/2025 at 8:16 PM, Tensho said:

@Bruce PenningtonSame species as this example on an Ayakoji tsuba

 

Nice cat scratch work on the fukurin. This piece has it all

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Dang!

[Bruce Pennington]

Let’s see if we can get a Japanese resident to ID these trees- @Bugyotsuji Piers, what do you think?

[Bugyotsuji]

If you look at a Noh stage you see pine trees and a passage or landing leading off left to where the gods resided. Golden eyes on a Noh mask indicate a godly, not human figure.

When you see pine trees with clouds, we are in the realm of gods and dragons, begorrah!

 

(In Japanese art we find several species of Japanese pines, each depicted rather conventionally, i.e. not strictly accurately.)

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Piers!  Guess HB had it right from the start.