Tree bark Saya

[DoTanuki yokai]

I have seen this on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Katanas/comments/tl77zc/my_earlier_post_was_missing_some_photos_looking/ (more pictures in better quality)

I cant remember seeing a Saya like this and i like the laqcuer work and the "inlays".

I just want to share and read what others think about this.

 

[Michaelr]

Never seen anything like it. Not sure if I love it or hate it. I guess it is one of those that I would just have to see in person and hold it in my hand. As a overall rig though I love it. Thank you for sharing

  MikeR 

[Novak77]

Pretty sure I've seen a similar "tree bark" finish on a saya somewhere, but I do not remember it being this intricate, or having the inlays.

 

Pretty nifty, and thanks for sharing.

 

Cheers

[Bazza]

I once saw a wakizashi koshirae that looked as if was plucked from a forest grove.  Unbelievable.  The entire koshirae portrayed Nature in a way I've seen before or since.  Sadly it was at the time unattainable for me and I have no idea where it is now.  It 'sort of' reminded me of The Green Man of English folk lore.

 

BaZZa.

[tokashikibob]

I had this one,  it was a gnarly sword.  Not sure really why the hell it was made.  Maybe for a forest dwelling samurai.

[Matsunoki]

This aikuchi koshirae is a typical example of the opulent and high quality work probably done in the Meiji period. It is possibly for a rich merchant, unlikely for a Samurai but most likely for sale to the “important” Westerners that were helping Japan to “modernise”. They can contain blades of varying age and quality and sometimes re-use older similar fittings that do not always match perfectly. However they  often come with en-suite silver mounts and some that use the finest Meiji Kinko mixed metal mounts can take your breath away for sheer quality of workmanship. This example shows the skills and quirky taste of the lacquer artisan beautifully.  It is super quality……and very desirable if your taste is for eye-catching koshirae. It would have appealed greatly to the “gaijin” present in Japan following the Meiji restoration.

[FZ1]

On 4/1/2022 at 4:53 PM, Michaelr said:

Never seen anything like it. Not sure if I love it or hate it. I guess it is one of those that I would just have to see in person and hold it in my hand. As a overall rig though I love it. Thank you for sharing

 

I agree Mike.  The workmanship is superb, but would I want it on display at home?

 

Jon