New menuki going on my bird and cloud koshirae. School?

[jason_mazzy]

These will be added to my koshirae being built, so I will be shipping them off in the morrow.... So I snapped a couple pictures before I do; anyone have any school ideas?

 

[sanjuro]

Jason my friend.

 

Quite apart from your question regarding the school etc, are we perhaps seeing the emergence of a pattern here? First sparrows and bamboo, now sparrows flocking under the moon. Are you perchance developing some sort of an avian nihonto fetish?

 

 

Edit: sparrows substituted for ravens. Just noticed my error.

[jason_mazzy]

Lol, yes I have. I am building and polishing 3-5 swords and I am trying to tiethem all in with a bird/bamboo/moon/cloud theme. Each koshirae must have at least 2 of the features so they all compliment eachother while being different and in different styles.

[Mark Green]

Hey J,

Does your polisher do all the wood work too? And the wrap, and the whole shebang?

[jason_mazzy]

Yes Mark. He is doing a handle rebraid and koshirae repair. Also mounting the tsuba. The whole shebang. Very happy.

 

Sanjuro, I thought this was either ravens or crows, possibly Plovers are sparrows.

[sanjuro]

Jason.

 

I revised my view on the birds being ravens or crows for a few reasons. Crows usually dont flock together. They have broader wings and a definate look about them. they are also not a common theme on tosogu (very negative connotations). Plovers are a finer looking bird with a slightly forked tail and those sorts of details would not be overlooked by a kanagushi. Your birds are chunky little devils with stubbier wings and a seed eaters beak. (They also look like sparrows). Sparrows are also a migratory bird that gathers together in flocks. Sparrows are also a more common theme along with egrets and ibis. I think these guys are most certainly sparrows. The menuki depicts a full moon in the background (commonly known as a harvest moon), and sparrows flock together at harvest time. The clouds are a nice touch.

 

Now hows that for logic? :D

[jason_mazzy]

I like your logic..... but they look a bit more aggresive than sparrows. The overall shape suggests crows.... and was sold to me as crows from Japan LOL. sure my logic isn't as educated sounding, but I'm stubborn. LOL!

 

perhaps the common black bird? Which are known for massive migratory flocks.

[sanjuro]

Black birds are a possibility....... I can live with black birds. Black sparrows are somewhat of a rarity.

[drbvac]

Crows - I have a flock of several hundred that flies over every late afternoon on the way to the area where they all spend the night. They don't flock to fly south but they are fairly communal birds - could be crows as in one they are together but seem to be pecking at each other - which they do as well .