A short Katana

t_c · 3rd July 2006, 06:37 AM

Thanks for the additional photos and information, it's changed my thinking on the piece.

As for the circle in the habaki, I would say abstract japanese design motiff: think full moon or sun. Interpret as you will. I agree with you, I haven't seen very many pierced habakis. It threw me off. I'd be interested to know if the habaki is folded or cast (it doesn't look to be cast)? If it is folded there should be a soldered seam on the edge side possible with a small wedge in there as well.

You made me realize that someone who doesn't collect wouldn't treat the rust on the tang the way a collector would, they would simply think it needed to be cleaned like everything else. So obvious now, yet sometimes it's so easy to only look at a thing from your own perspective.....

The handle also threw me off as I have not seen that style of wrap done before. I'd be interested if this style was done for the same purpose as other so-called "battle wrap" styles. I was told that "battle wrap" (using a single pass of wrap) was done to conserve on the wrap material in times when it was scarcer (aka wartime) as a single pass around uses less than crossing passes around. Rich: are you familiar with this style? Can you offer any additional info?

I think it was fairly common for tsubas to find their way to a new sword (at least in our times), so it doesn't suprise me that it is too big for the blade even though it wasn't re-fit to it. To be honest, what I was wondering was if the piece had been cast from an original. From your photos, it does not appear to be the case. Here's a site I like with lots of examples of tsuba:
http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/tsuba.htm

I really don't know about age, it just didn't strike me as being 400-300 years old (no offense Rich), but then again I hadn't really taken into acocunt a good "sandpapering" session. I do like what you suggested though: 19th century blade / earlier tsuba.

fernando · 4th July 2006, 12:36 AM

Hi t c
I am still trying to assimilate all the opennings you and Rich have given me in the last posts ... and all the web research in between, including your and his lwebinks.
The copper habaki is folded, with an imperceptible brass welding seam below ... the front half craked ... or made that way, to aproach the blade, what would you say?
The wedge is not there, though is clearly missing one, in this specific case.
I will be back with the tsuba comenting.
fernando

fernando · 9th July 2006, 02:54 PM

Hi, sorry i am late.
I assume this isn't obviously a fine collector's specimen.
However I took this opportunity to start learning about japanese swords, which i find to be a vaste universe, indeed.
So i tryed to reconstitute this piece, compensating the parts that are missing ( fuchi and seppas and nakago ana ? ), with detachable wedging.
I saw in the appointed webpages that tsubas were often forged with a fair large opening, and its adjustment to the blades was done with
bits of soft metal ... kubicheni. Maybe this very one had that condition ... as in fact its total width is rather reduced ( 63 m/m ).
I hadn't noticed before that the grip pommel ( kashira ? ) is still there, as quite rusted and placed underneath the wraping cross.
I've had some polishing done to the blade, to atenuate a part of the ugly scratches. I wonder if the texture appearing in some parts of
this blade can be considered a grain from the forging ( hada ? ).
The shape of the dents pictured shows either misuse or, in my fantasy, real action had by this blade.
I have being searching the web on the tsuka style, in the Satsuma Rebellion period swords, after your observation. I gladily found a note saying
that period tsukas had little or no ornamentaion, and the menuki were often " sun discs", which i conclude to be those of my sample.
As for the blade signature, i have noticed that te famous Hisamichi smiths signed a more complete name, not just Hisamichi 久道. So this could be
a later punction used by other late smiths, to add value to the piece, or just a later one with the same last Name.
I hope that all this i am guessing is not a lot of nonsense.
fernando

9th July 2006, 02:54 PM	#3
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi, sorry i am late. I assume this isn't obviously a fine collector's specimen. However I took this opportunity to start learning about japanese swords, which i find to be a vaste universe, indeed. So i tryed to reconstitute this piece, compensating the parts that are missing ( fuchi and seppas and nakago ana ? ), with detachable wedging. I saw in the appointed webpages that tsubas were often forged with a fair large opening, and its adjustment to the blades was done with bits of soft metal ... kubicheni. Maybe this very one had that condition ... as in fact its total width is rather reduced ( 63 m/m ). I hadn't noticed before that the grip pommel ( kashira ? ) is still there, as quite rusted and placed underneath the wraping cross. I've had some polishing done to the blade, to atenuate a part of the ugly scratches. I wonder if the texture appearing in some parts of this blade can be considered a grain from the forging ( hada ? ). The shape of the dents pictured shows either misuse or, in my fantasy, real action had by this blade. I have being searching the web on the tsuka style, in the Satsuma Rebellion period swords, after your observation. I gladily found a note saying that period tsukas had little or no ornamentaion, and the menuki were often " sun discs", which i conclude to be those of my sample. As for the blade signature, i have noticed that te famous Hisamichi smiths signed a more complete name, not just Hisamichi 久道. So this could be a later punction used by other late smiths, to add value to the piece, or just a later one with the same last Name. I hope that all this i am guessing is not a lot of nonsense. fernando Attached Images

3rd July 2006, 06:37 AM	#1
t_c Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: ca, usa Posts: 92	Thanks for the additional photos and information, it's changed my thinking on the piece. As for the circle in the habaki, I would say abstract japanese design motiff: think full moon or sun. Interpret as you will. I agree with you, I haven't seen very many pierced habakis. It threw me off. I'd be interested to know if the habaki is folded or cast (it doesn't look to be cast)? If it is folded there should be a soldered seam on the edge side possible with a small wedge in there as well. You made me realize that someone who doesn't collect wouldn't treat the rust on the tang the way a collector would, they would simply think it needed to be cleaned like everything else. So obvious now, yet sometimes it's so easy to only look at a thing from your own perspective..... The handle also threw me off as I have not seen that style of wrap done before. I'd be interested if this style was done for the same purpose as other so-called "battle wrap" styles. I was told that "battle wrap" (using a single pass of wrap) was done to conserve on the wrap material in times when it was scarcer (aka wartime) as a single pass around uses less than crossing passes around. Rich: are you familiar with this style? Can you offer any additional info? I think it was fairly common for tsubas to find their way to a new sword (at least in our times), so it doesn't suprise me that it is too big for the blade even though it wasn't re-fit to it. To be honest, what I was wondering was if the piece had been cast from an original. From your photos, it does not appear to be the case. Here's a site I like with lots of examples of tsuba: http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/tsuba.htm I really don't know about age, it just didn't strike me as being 400-300 years old (no offense Rich), but then again I hadn't really taken into acocunt a good "sandpapering" session. I do like what you suggested though: 19th century blade / earlier tsuba.

4th July 2006, 12:36 AM	#2
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi t c I am still trying to assimilate all the opennings you and Rich have given me in the last posts ... and all the web research in between, including your and his lwebinks. The copper habaki is folded, with an imperceptible brass welding seam below ... the front half craked ... or made that way, to aproach the blade, what would you say? The wedge is not there, though is clearly missing one, in this specific case. I will be back with the tsuba comenting. fernando