Menuki opinions sought

[shan]

Hi all,

 

What can you tell me about this menuki?

Poor construction ?

average made?

any feedback on school or period would be useful.

thanks

shan

 

[Bungo]

an awkward question ............. but how long is it ?

Reason I asked ; I noticed two spots where , may be, there were two pins ? Like it was converted to those tobasco pouch clasp ?

 

I always wonder about the red " ink " marks too.

 

Nice set but details could have been better.

 

 

milt

[shan]

Ah,I always wondered what those two pins were for.

Tobacco pouches it is then.

The red ink is a collection number i was told.

3.9 cm length.

I have a Kashira with those two pins as well.

shan

[Brian]

The signs of a peg show that this was likely a set of menuki before they were converted with the 2 pins. Quite nice menuki, I wouldn't bother too much with schools in menuki unless they are Goto or something that stands out particularly.

Pity about the damage, it looks like good work to me. However if it is only one and not a set..then it really doesn't matter too much anyways?

 

Brian

[shan]

Thankyou very much For your opinions.

Indeed there are a few oddments that have this pin attachment.

This and the Kashira are the only ones i have though,I never considered it damage before as i thought it would be invisible once mounted.

I am going to mount it with another odd menuki i have that is of a samurai`s Bow and quiver with arrows.

Regards

shan

[Jean]

Here is a good one

 

http://tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/f00033.html

[Henry Wilson]

I don't think they are much worth writing home about. The walls are very thick which is an indication of low quality. As the Bungo says the detail is not that good. The link that Jean posted shows kodogu heads and shoulders above the items in question.

 

I can't see the cost of getting them mounted on a koshirae justifying them in any way. Would love to see bits and pieces koshirae thought. :x

[Jean]

I can't see the cost of getting them mounted on a koshirae justifying them in any way

 

Agreed Henry

[shan]

I can't see the cost of getting them mounted on a koshirae justifying them in any way. Would love to see bits and pieces koshirae thought. :x

Hi Henry,

I think that the Majority of what i get to see and buy are "bits and pieces Koshirae" anyway.

I have nothing that has not had the Tsuba swapped out, or the menuki removed and replaced with something modern or just "nasty", or the fuchi kashira replaced, or indeed all of these things done.

I am merely trying to get a sword back to similar themed fittings for my own gratification really.

I can remount my own menuki and fuchi-kashira and can wrap the basic common ito styles including packing wedges,so the cost is not much at all.

As usual there are varying degrees of collecting levels in Koshirae (as in everything else) and i sit firmly at the bottom of the barrel in all areas.

Will i ever spend £2000+ on some mounts or Koshirae alone? I doubt it, as thats not where ,intrinsically,i see the beauty of the Japanese sword.For me,a good blade in poorer mounts will always be more appealing than a poor blade in a good set of mounts.

regards

shan

[Ford Hallam]

Henry,

 

Your statement

"The walls are very thick which is an indication of low quality"

seems a bit absolute ...I'd suggest rather the opposite is more often true. It would seem to me that the use of thicker material would mean the manufacturing process would take longer and that the material cost would be greater.

 

I agree with the opinion that these are not particularly remarkable but I wouldn't call them poor quality. I think they are perfectly honest work.

 

regards,

 

Ford

[Bungo]

Quote:

"The walls are very thick which is an indication of low quality"

 

seems a bit absolute ...I'd suggest rather the opposite is more often true. It would seem to me that the use of thicker material would mean the manufacturing process would take longer and that the material cost would be greater.

................................................................................

 

that's what i thought , granted some really old ones ( as in Ezo )are thin ( and so'd some newer ones too) .

 

 

milt

[Bungo]

question............ there are 2 menuki here, ja ?

Both have residual of " pin marks " ?

 

When I mentioned " lack of detail ", it doesn't mean they are bad. As Ford said, they are honest works.With Japanese fittings, there are always something with more details............

 

milt

[shan]

Thanks for all your opinions and help.

I think these are somewhat unremarkable pieces as sugested.

Say no more.

shan

[Brian]

Shan,

For some reason I had thought these were a single menuki. I see now they are a pair. As such, I really don't think they are bad at all. I would happily mount them myself. The damage is slight if using them on a sword.

I do see some nice detail, and far better than the usual thin late Edo "pressed" ones we see. Not masterpieces, but better than a lot of stuff I see.

 

Brian