Following the iron brush

I found this on ebay. The design and construction is quite interesting. I have done this kind of fittings myself and they are very interesting in looking and not so hard to create.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1712-FUCHI-KASHIRA- ... 335e837f45

most probably a later addition.

You think so? Why? It looks to me as an oryginal elements.

For what it's worth, I think that it is a later addition as well because the tenjo-gane on the base is filed away more while the addition is still healthy and looking nice.

If it were original construction there would not be two tenjo gane plates on the fuchi. The indentation for the kozuka would flow from the piece to the rim smoothly without a step. The rims would not partially cover the carvings.
These are all evidence that the rims were a later addition. Very carefully done too. It looks like the integrity of the originals are intact.

These types of retrofits pop up now and again. I have made half a dozen sets this way. Its a pain in the butt, but the crisp clean contrast between the fitting and the rim can be quite nice.
patrick

You think all this kinds of rims are later adition? Could it be some kind of rule? I saw few that could be done this way from the begining. And if this is later adition what is the puropse of this kind of this aditional ornament? Owner wanted his fittings to be more pretty?

My opinion is that most skilled kinko would have applied the rims directly to the pieces rather than installing sleeves, but there is no rule. I am only speaking in general. People do all kinds of things for all kinds of reasons.
I have made several new sets using this technique. It works and its very clean. There is no reason why you can't use it from the start. It is just a pain in the butt to get those sleeves to fit perfectly and they need to be fit perfectly to keep the mount firm. It is not ideal for training weapon IMO.

As to why they would do that... absolutely they wanted it to be "more pretty". Styles and owners change. Just like today people are always messing with stuff and trying to customize.
patrick

Over the years many swords were past down from generation to generation. Both the blade and the koshira. Sometimes the blade was really valuable to the new owner and the older fittings were tossed and new ones were made for the blade. Other times the fittings were more valuable than the blade. So the fittings were kept and adjusted to a new blade. This is most likely what happened to these set of fittings. Sometimes both the blade and the fittings were good to keep but a newer fashion resulted in blades being shortened. These required the koshira to be fitted to the "new" nakago.That's another possibility here. These were common practices. I agree with Patrick and for these set, it is doubtful that the fittings were made this way to begin with. To me, it shows that whoever had these "adjustments" made intended to keep the original set of fittings untouched and found a good artisan to do it properly.

This brings another topic to mind. It is sad to see that this day and age the number of owners that appreciate to have a good blade or a good set of koshira made belong to a minority. A sword that is valued and worth passing on to a new generation. This is a society of consumables and it appears that the preference is to buy very inexpensive mass-produced blades and koshira to use for a while and then discard.

In addition many want to get toys to go hack and slash with. The fittings are meaningless to them. There are a handful of people out there that are looking to create heirlooms. I have run into a few of them. They are almost as rare as Bigfoot sightings
patrick

Jesus, I'm not sure it is 'preference' to buy cheap, simply that it is what can be afforded. I would very much like to have an heirloom quality nihonto or a good blade made by a reputable modern smith, but it is hard to justify that to the little missus. An heirloom to me, a toy to her.

Fittings are no different.

I understand that perspective, Troy. I was a collector before I became a maker. But as a collector I also understood "retained value" and "appreciation." That's what I was trying to point out. The inexpensive stuff just gets even more inexpensive over time.

Regards,

Yup. I gotcha. And you are absolutely right. I do know how frustrating it can be to create something that your potential customers can't appreciate. "You want how much for that holster?! Why would I pay that when I can get a Triple K for a quarter of that?!"

On the flip side of the coin, the cheap availability of things in the modern sword market seems to have expanded the market. Even if the majority of that market are backyard samurai, there will be some portion of them that will mature into wanting something better. Into wanting a decent set of fittings. Into wanting something worthy of passing on as an heirloom.

Two years ago, I didn't even know you could buy a cheap functional sword like a Musashi, much less a Howard Clark, or a Jesus Hernandez. And now here I am, mixing with and hoping to learn things from people whose names are spoken with much respect and some others whose names should be spoken with respect.

As the market grows and changes, hopefully it will benefit those with the skill and creativity to make something beautiful.

I guess it boils down to the sad but true moniker of 'starving artist'.

Well said.