Japanese sword mounting (koshirae) with iron dragon openwork tsuba
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
period item
This Japanese sword mounting, or koshirae, features a high-quality, intricately carved iron tsuba (handguard) adorned with a dragon openwork design. The hilt, or tsuka, is wrapped in ray skin, providing a traditional texture and grip.
The ensemble is completed with a sleek, black lacquered scabbard, offering a refined and subdued appearance. It is important to note that the set includes a wooden substitute blade, serving as a placeholder for a functional steel blade. The wooden blade measures approximately 72.5 centimeters in length, with a width of 3 centimeters at the base tapering to 2 centimeters at the tip. The handle measures approximately 24 centimeters in length.
The koshirae represents the decorative and protective components of a traditional Japanese sword, highlighting the craftsmanship involved in metalwork and textile wrapping typical of historical Japanese arms. The design integrates both structural utility and artistic expression through the detailed metal tsuba and the careful application of lacquered finishes on the scabbard.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Hilt length
- 24 cm
- Blade length
- 72.5 cm
- Hilt material
- ray skin
- Tsuba material
- iron
- Blade width tip
- 2 cm
- Scabbard finish
- black lacquer
- Blade substitute
- wood
- Blade width base
- 3 cm
Technical characteristics
- Tsuba design
- dragon openwork
Design
- Motif
- dragon
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.