inro or what is it

[bdgrange]

Recent purchase on e bay

What could be an inro by arrangement.

A leather embosed bag with mon. 3/5 in and old as it is also somewhat stiff.

A brass tsuba of hawk and sparrows.

A chinese coin.

two copper bands attached so as to keep the back open.

All held together by a black cotton string that has been on this some time as well.

This may for items to be used with perhaps a tanegashima, like shot.

The seller thught it belonged on the end of a saya.

This all cost me $26.00.

Thanks for looking.

Bill delagrange

[watsonmil]

Dear Bill,

Could you post a picture ? ..... Thanks, ... Ron Watson

[bdgrange]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

[watsonmil]

Dear Bill,

I doubt if it is Teppo related. It looks like it might have been used for just about anything. A flint and steel ( strike-a-lite ),

tobacco pouch, ... change purse ?? For what you have invested, ... it is worth the money just as a converstion piece. Interesting none the less. ..... Ron Watson

[Rich S]

Any aroma from the pouch? My guess would be tobacco pouch. If so, it should have a residual aroma.

 

Rich S

[bdgrange]

Dear Richard

No, no aroma. Know what you mean though.

Probably pearls. The laquer applique is well done but aged.

Best

Bill de

[Henry Wilson]

It could well be a flint bag. They were usually made of leather and contained flint stones and metal to light a fire. They initailly were worn around the waist but later on they were apprently attached to scabbards of swords at one point when people traveled.

[sanjuro]

Just a thought........ On a very old sword this would have been called a Huichi Bokoro. Leather Flint bag come travelling purse, fashionable prior to the invention of inro. Usually attached to the kurigata. If it is a Huichi Bokoro, then the tsuba would have been a later addition to act as a netsuke when the bag was worn hanging from the obi rather than attached to the saya.