Menuki (decorative piece from Japanese sword)

[stewart73]

Found this the other day in the misty hills of Kyoto. It's called a 'menuki' and they were decorative pieces attached to the handle of katana. They came in all sorts of shapes and were usually plated in gold. This example is pretty beat up but you can see that it is two fans joined together...and you can still see tiny traces of gold leaf in the grooves. Pretty hard to date but I'm pretty sure it wasn't made yesterday. Not worth anything in this condition but it's the first one I've found so I'm pretty happy.

Trying to imagine under what circumstances the menuki would come off though...they are attached to the handle and firmly wrapped in fabric. I scanned the area for any more sword bits but to no avail. I have included a stock picture to show you where this piece would have gone. Hoping to get back up in the hills again tomorrow! Until the winter storms take some of the sand off the beaches here my time is probably better spent on land.

 

[Bonesquat]

Nice decoration piece of Japanese sword. Looks like bronze or copper.

 

[bigboar]

thats pretty cool Dave! keep posting them finds from abroad!

 

[stewart73]

Nice decoration piece of Japanese sword. Looks like bronze or copper.

Thanks. Rang up as copper but as you say could be bronze too. Any way of telling for sure?

 

[Bonesquat]

Thanks. Rang up as copper but as you say could be bronze too. Any way of telling for sure?

Bronze would make more sense because of it having a higher durability, especially if your sword was combat ready (which I assume it was, considering the age).

Copper and Tin = Bronze. I guess the Tin mixed with Copper made it stronger somehow. You don't see much bronze being used for anything today. Mostly in antiquity. It's a cool metal.

Bronze should sound just like any other copper signal. I suppose it's possible your sword piece could be brass - but Bronze seems to be the most logical choice.

 

[WildDigger]

Very nice!! Wonder who was the maker of the sword it came off of? That would be very exciting to find out also.

 

[joee5]

Nice find. I'm curious myself how that came off, under what conditions?

 

[woodran]

These are beautiful menuki, and with restoration you might be able to find out which family it belonged to.
For a little precision and technical terms around the katana, here's a little dictionary to help you find out more: https://katanaempire.us/katana-parts/

 

[TheFrood]

Given where you are it's something that could be an amazing find... So many years of uninterrupted habitation, living, fighting, trading... MDing in Asia has to be just as exciting as lots of Europe given your potential finds.