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左衛門三郎左 = Saemon Saburō Sa

In The Japanese tōsō-kinkō Schools, Markus Sesko claims there were several artists who used this mei, and that Japanese sources differ on whether there were three or four different artists (2012: 93-94). According to Fukushi Shigeo, there were four Shigeyoshi: 1. The first Myōshin Shigeyoshi (明真重義), 2. Umetada Shichizaemon Tachibana Shigeyoshi (埋忠七左衛門橘重義), 3. the 2nd gen. with the same name but a different signature, 4. Shigeyoshi who signed with the supplement „Akashi-jū“ (明石住), i.e. „resident of Akashi“ in Harima province. Tōsō-kodōgu-kōza“ states there were three: 1. Hikojirō Shigeyoshi (彦次郎重義) who was active around Kanei in Kyōto 2. a Kanbun-era Shichizaemon Shigeyoshi also from Kyōto 3. and a Shichizaemon Shigeyoshi who worked around Genroku (1688-1704) in Edo.

Hi Matt, I think you have both of them. The Sadatsugu one is a hard read but there’s a papered blade here with a mei that’s similarly done. http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2015/15672paper-1.jpg

Yes Ed, it reads “近藤光保” (Kondō Mitsuyasu)!

Heianjo Fujiwara Kunishige Jumonji Yari Nagasa: 18.8cm x 14.3cm wide

Dear all, The To-Ken Society of GB has now published some guidance which should help members in the U.K. and law enforcement. Please refer to this link: https://to-ken.uk/resources/legal-and-import.html Many thanks to the committee and JJ in particular!

With thanks to the To-Ken committee members and JJ in particular! https://to-ken.uk/resources/legal-and-import.html

Roderick, please don't believe this story! It is just a joke. If a SAMURAI wanted to write his last will in the TSUKA, he would have to destroy it first, as mentioned above. This is no "take-apart" item, so this makes no sense! It is absolutely not rare to have a non-signed NAKAGO, and a blade "in excellent condition" will never have rust spots or blood stains on it.

Looks like two names written on the handle, but its hard to say 1. 伊ト囗囗　Ito-something, but its not one of the normal ways to write "Ito", and the characters after that are illegible to me. 2. 北村囗囗　Kitamura something. Both Itō and Kitamura are very common family names in Japan.

Bizen Osafune ju Yokoyama Sukekane A day in February 1862 debatable o-tanto or ko-wakizashi Nagasa: 33cm Mt Fuji hamon

I am just rewatching the series and the character gets belittled few times, "You know nothing, Jon Snow". That was my original thought when I realized that this MET tanto was discussed in the Gokaden book and I started typing the text and thought it was genuine item. However I am puzzled by it a lot. As I unfortunately can't read difficult phrases like that above I have tried running it through Google translator & DeepL. "Timeless, descent of times, era falling off etc." are translations when I try it in small part. I think this was the "best" (not sure if most correct one) result by DeepL "I had hoped that this would be the standard name for Ko-Irudo, but although the front name was authentic, it was dated to a later period, and the back date was a fake name added later to make it look Ko-Irudo" Ko-Irudo = Konyūdō. Still as the passage of the item is featured in the book, I don't think it is just an average gimei item and there must be more to it.

I think by “timeless” Tanobe sensei meant that originally there was no date inscribed on the tanto. In that sense, it was made “date-less” in its original state. Thereafter someone else chiselled a nengo.

Hi Everyone, I am reducing my tosogu closet to the bare minimum in the next weeks and I found this beautiful Fuchi - which I would suppose to be Ko Mino - with extremely deep and rich carving of blackest shakudo with delicate gold and silver inlays. This piece was bought to use it on a black tanto or aikuchi koshirae, where it will excellently decorate any blade on a simple 16-17th century "field" koshirae, however I sold the blade I bought it for. With Brians permission I want to try something funny and "auction" this piece, with 80% proceeds going to a medical charity project in Botswana and 20% to the NMB. "EDIT: The program pays eye operations and parasite medications for children. Every 7 Euro is a full parasite cure, every 20 a child gaining eyesight again. A pharmacist friend of mine worked there for one year and said its helping the future and development of these children a lot." The starting price is 50 Euro, tracked shipping in envelope will be covered by me worldwide. Please bid until april 30, 8PM GMT here in the thread or contact me via PM. It really is a beauty, feeling very elegant, aged, and "rich but simple" in your hands. Please have a look at the video below, showing especially the deep carving (Sorry for the bad video quality, my good objective was borrowed to a friend). Please contact me with any questions regarding this little auction try. Other items will follow, if you're seriously interested in Ishiguro / Ichinomiya/High quality Ko-Kinko,just write me a PM as I will not list everything. Best, Marco

More than Gassan this looks more like Shitahara, also nakago shape would fit

Dear Marco, Money sent. Thanks for making this very nice donation to an awesome charity and NMB!

Hello Everyone, Join me on another treasure hunt at the heiwajima antique fair tomorrow! We will start from around 10 am Japanese time. (New York - 9 pm, Berlin - 3 am) For all of you in Europe, the event should be rather large so I will be there quite a while and you can still join in later while having your morning coffee. I will take photos of all items related to the Japanese sword, which I am allowed to take pictures of and post it on the telegram channel: https://t.me/+1JKJ01sQGZcyMWI1 For all of you who do not use telegram, I will try to post to the following facebook group as well: https://www.facebook.com/groups/434768394971014 Posts on Facebook might be delayed due to my lack of multitasking skills. I hope we will find some treasures! See you soon Paul

Dale, it's this version from page 1:

The last character looks a bit like "Sa-左".

This person from the Boston museum sounds more like an old pirate than a curator.

Silk seals usually have a hole through them for checking the proper thickness of sample skeins of silk. I am not suggesting that this saya is for measuring spaghetti, but it could be a merchant’s sword with the ability to check the size of some commodity like cotton or something…? A size standard?

Might be a willy jeep spring ! I have seen a few over the years !

Thomas and Kyle, Thank you for your further research and assistance. It seems that the mei at the upper right may be a good match indeed. From further research the tsuba may be one from the Umetada Kyoto artists group, by its kanji "Ume"(埋)and that the Chinese script of kiri/to and hana/ka read together as toka spelling out "Paulownia Blossom" is also something I understand that was sometimes done in Kyoto. The Kano school style of landscape on the ura also supports a Kyoto attribution. Maybe Myoju's younger son (i.e. #2 in Fukushi Shigeo's line up that Kyle contributed) or at least his lineage - early Edo? (Kanbun or Enpo 1661-1681). Anyways, I am enjoying this tsuba even more with a better handle on the maker's possibilities. Best Regards, Mark

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Sorry Brian, I am unable to read the MEI. It is probably not HIRADO, and it does not look like a 'normal' nicely and evenly written MEI, but that may just be the photo. Others with better reading skills will perhaps find out what it is. When you make new photos, try to avoid having you shadow fall on the TSUBA. Have some light from the side.

As promised - a little follow up 😎 Based on your valuable input I confronted seller with all the discrepancies that was inconsistent with the auction information that he had provided in the original listing. Seller “fell flat on his face”, and without any fuss admitted that the sword and Saya was not from the Edo-period. Then he gave me an alternate offer and price reduction if I would have the courtesy to cancel (opt out on my purchase) through the auction house (online auctions have a window for regretting a purchase). In short - when I had my initial payment returned from auctioneer, then I could just pay him the sum that he and I had agreed upon, and we would both save the auction fee. All our communication was performed through the auction houses own communications platform, and therefore visible for their internal customer support 😂 I refused the transaction, and the sale was terminated as the auction house confirmed that my claim was valid. The sword was returned to seller. Sword and Saya was fine, and in good quality - but all in all it was not what I was looking for. Seller will now have to deal with whatever sanctions (exclusion or fine, or maybe nothing) that the auction house finds to be appropriate. @Brian donation to NMB (#349) in appreciation of both your work, the platform, and the invaluable information gathered through the members willingness to share their knowledge. Thank you 😎👍 /Soren

Thank you so much guys for your participation! Fuchi goes to the highest bid and invitation for a beer/whisky to all others who bid when you visit the Rheingau

Before: After: a soak in mild detergent, wash with microfiber cloth, some light scrubbing with very tiny modeling swabs, a little work with wood toothpicks, and rubbing with the 99% alcohol and the tiny swabs, I think it came out ok. I really tried not to overdo and figured any dirt remaining needs to be there.

Just for your interest Jonathan, here is an oshigata of a Shimada blade signed the same as yours (not dated). SUNSHIU SHIMADA JU MIKAWA NO KAMI SADASUKE. This one was in Type 98 Army mounts. I sold it about 1982. Regards...

駿州島田住 = Sunshu Shimada ju 参河守源貞助 = Mikawa no Kami Minamoto Sadasuke

I was not aware of that tantō at MET. I was looking it and then at various signatures of Kunimitsu and I thought it would be gimei. However when looking at all of the Uda Kunimitsu signatures I have in books, it seems to me they are all maybe bit different from each other... Then I thought I had Jon Snow moment when I found out that Tanobe-sensei talked about this tanto in his Gokaden book. I will attach the Japanese text I typed from book and my rough translation. 16 years ago sunnobi tantō came to repair to Japan from a museum in USA, it was signed Uda Kunimitsu and dated to 1333. I expected it to be signature of Konyūdō. Omote signature is genuine but it is timeless? (I can't read it well but I suppose he means it is difficult to date but it is not that old as it pretends to be). Ura date is gimei and added to disguise the blade as Konyūdō. Hopefully I got at least the basic idea correctly, and better translation would be of assistance. So to me it seems that Tanobe thought that tanto is genuine Uda work by some Uda Kunimitsu later in line but the date was added to fool people.

Tea Ceremony theme fuchi-kashira

One more day until auction stops so up again for final consideration

Kurihara Akihide with dragon horimono by Akitada. Tanto Kurihara Akihide saku Keitei Iwakami Kinsaburō kun Shōwa Jyūninen ichigatsu futsuka

Ah yes....black powder is dangerous stuff. And if one thing comes out of this, it is the fact that old matchlocks CAN and often ARE still loaded and can go off after 100+ years. Oil soak for a long time, down the flash hole and the muzzle, and even then act as though it can go off. Thanks Piers

Final (?) note. The barrel was blocked and the Bisen was rusted shut. Couldn’t get to the problem from either end. This is the second Iyo long gun I’ve owned having a blocked barrel. At least we know how they ended their working lives. Although the dealer had told me “Oh, nothing that a little oil won’t fix…” it was not so simple, and needed the attention of specialist equipment, and because there is some zōgan inlay on the breech end of the barrel, heat could not be applied as part of that process. Here is a photo of the contents of the barrel blockage. Washi paper cartridges of gunpowder and small stones. When you don’t have lead for pellets…?

I've been drooling over that one since Jake put it up.

The Torokusho (registration paper) describes that the katana is Mumei (unsigned). However, the katana has an inscribed name Shimizu Tadatsugu. So, (1) the Torokusho is not for the katana, or (2) the Mei on the tang was added by someone after its registration.

"So where do we go from here?" I can hear you asking. Well, you could keep it as is, or find someone who can research and rebuild the missing parts. They were all handmade, so it's unlikely you will find a secondhand pan cover/lid will fit exactly. I would suggest printing out the information so far, on a small label for example, and attaching it to the underneath of the stand, etc. (For future generations, or for yourself when your memory fades!) If your husband is interested, you could start collecting the small accoutrements that a samurai gunner would carry, such as a firestarter kit, a Doran accessories waist pouch/box, matchcord, ballbag, ball mold, etc., even some simple armor bits. Live firing is an option in the US, but you'd need to get the bisen screw seal and overall barrel integrity checked first. Oh, the angle on the tape measure now suggests that the bore is over 2 cm, i.e. an O-zutsu big gun. 2.1 cm is 15 Monme' and 2.2 is 20 Monme'. 15 Monme' would mean the weight of the lead ball is 56.25 g, and 20 Monme' 75 g.

I suppose that katakiriba blades only have a "shinogi" on one side.

Don't forget the tactical Naruto run

Well the results are in ....Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ....38 bids US $910