Edo period koshirae ID

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Hi,

I recently just purchased a nihonto from Japan and was wondering if I could learn more about the koshirae. The fuchi kashira has a rice bag mouse motif and the menuki is a chicken. The tsuba looks like a nice plain simple design and also there is a silver habaki. Saya also has a gold Mon on top. The smith the wakizashi is attributed to is from Bungo. Did any samurai clans in that area use this mon or is there other clans through out Japan who also used it? Any background on possibly where this style of koshirae was popular would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Chansen

[SteveM]

Hello Chansen,

 

It is difficult to draw conclusions about the owner of a sword by looking at the koshirae. The crest is used by many families (the site below lists no less than 10 families associated with crest, and it isn't an exhaustive list). The site also says the crest is known in several prefectures, but none of them are in Kyushu, where Bungo was located.

 

https://irohakamon.com/kamon/kashiwa/marunichuukashiwa.html

 

Another reason it is difficult to draw conclusions is because the parts on a koshirae are meant to be replaced as they are worn out, so its possible that some of the fittings on your koshirae have been replaced in the last 150 years or so by its various owners. Shopkeepers are also known to switch out the components, as some items are easier to sell individually. So a shop owner may break up the components of the koshirae and swap them out for other components. Sad, but true. 

 

Anyway, the family crest is nice to have on a saya. The habaki also looks like it was something of a "special order" habaki due to the patterning on it. 

[CNS_44]

1 hour ago, SteveM said:

Hello Chansen,

 

It is difficult to draw conclusions about the owner of a sword by looking at the koshirae. The crest is used by many families (the site below lists no less than 10 families associated with crest, and it isn't an exhaustive list). The site also says the crest is known in several prefectures, but none of them are in Kyushu, where Bungo was located.

 

https://irohakamon.com/kamon/kashiwa/marunichuukashiwa.html

 

Another reason it is difficult to draw conclusions is because the parts on a koshirae are meant to be replaced as they are worn out, so its possible that some of the fittings on your koshirae have been replaced in the last 150 years or so by its various owners. Shopkeepers are also known to switch out the components, as some items are easier to sell individually. So a shop owner may break up the components of the koshirae and swap them out for other components. Sad, but true. 

 

Anyway, the family crest is nice to have on a saya. The habaki also looks like it was something of a "special order" habaki due to the patterning on it. 

Thanks for sharing some insight into this. Yes you are right it is probably difficult to draw conclusions on an original owner based off of this. The Mon was probably one of the big reasons why I liked this koshirae and I always wanted to have one that had a family crest on it. Apart from the tsuka Ito wrap which probably has been rewrapped in more recent times does the rest of the koshirae look age appropriate for a mid to late edo wakizashi?

[SteveM]

My guess: very late Edo.

 

It's just hard to preserve lacquer for 100+ years unless its stored in pristine conditions, or if you can afford staff who can look after lacquered goods. The metal bits can survive for centuries, even without them being kept in a nice, stable environment, but lacquer is more difficult. I'm slightly suspicious of the blank tsuba. It has no signs of being modified to fit the sword tang, and and it strikes me as being a later addition.