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Thought these may be of some interest to collectors: New Guinea: regarding distribution of swords to soldiers Dutch Borneo: brief summary of the Japanese sword from RAAF intelligence. Interesting they note "jeepspring sinister" swords in 1945.

Hello all. Please see the pictures of the Same Army that I recently acquired. This is the way I received and even though it came with a Generals tassel that looks like it’s been together it’s whole life, I am not calling this a Generals Sword as I have no documentation. It does have a nice MON AND THE SAYA is in great shape. I am looking for some help on the blade and I will also post it in the translation section if I need to. Thank you in advance and hope you enjoy MikeR

Hello all. Just wanted to post some pictures of a Type 98 Gunto Wakizashi that I acquired recently. It very closely resembles one that I already own that was recently papered at the Orlando Shinsa. Hope you enjoy. Also a translation of the smith would be greatly appreciated. MikeR

After some time, I was finally able to get my hands on a kodachi (yay!) and I'm excited to show it!

For those interested, pictures below of Lt Itagaki's sword. There is a film reel of the sword being surrendered to Lieutenant-General Frank Messervy at Malaya HQ: https://www.iwm.org....em/object/1060034626

Before and after - Ishiguro Masatsune kozuka, purchased in 2010, kept in a standard kozuka box from Namikawa Heibei, in a gun safe that was opened about a dozen times each year. After photo is from last year, repatiantion could be seen after a couple of years, it took another six or seven to look almost complete.

Chris, another nice example, thank you for sharing it. Stephen, I'm afraid the answer is benign neglect. I see from my notes that I purchased the sword in 2009 and did nothing at all to the tsuba. It did not take anything like that time to recolour, perhaps four years? It has been mounted on the koshirae all this time and kept in a sword bag for much of it. The sword is stored in a fairly dry room in what is a pretty damp part of the world. You can see a slightly weaker patination where the seppa have shielded it. I am sorry to be so vague but having heard the same thing as Colin, ( and probably from the same source), I was expecting this result and thought little of it when it happened, just wanted to show it as an example. All the best.

Got my plane tickets and room booked! Excited to see everyone there in a few weeks

関藤井兼音作 – Seki Fujii Kaneoto saku

I agree! The young fella in the second picture was facinated by the armor, and the light saber. Just before packing up everything on the table, I put the armor on for him. I offered to put it on him, but he was worried about the weight of it. Still had a good time, and lots of pics were taken.

Hi Jake, I just found this Heianjo version https://www.jauce.com/auction/u1106343889 The condition is not perfect, the inlay is a little haphazard. It might "re-list" ?

Deer skin tobacco pouch with "tsuba" decoration: https://www.jauce.com/auction/f1145159920

Dear All. Just thought to share this with you. Some years ago I bought a very nice wakizashi in an attractive issaku koshirae, the sword was fitted with what was described as a polished copper tsuba. Now this tsuba is a good fit to the koshirae but I can't help feeling that it has replaced something rather more special at some time in the koshirae's history. However, on inspection the tsuba turned out to be a san mai construction, two thin plates secured to a copper core with a silver fukurin. I assumed that this might mean the two outer plates were shakudo and time has proved this to be the case. Not the best photographs, we are in the middle of a Cornish summer so it's raining, but you can probably make out the construction and the colour of the shakudo after some time of just leaving it alone. In hand the colour is a lovely raven blue black. The tsuba looks better on the sword and I have replaced the missing, rather small kozuka with a shakudo example to match. All the best.

Thanks Geraint (and Chris), believe it or not, but that is actually still very helpful. It is good to know that the re-patination is basically un-aided and relatively speaking, quite fast... When you consider that this also happens in what I would call a "stored" state, it bodes well for other examples in a state of despair.

Yes I agree on this point. I wonder if the signature was removed from an old armor and this is a replica. I did see a helmet very similar to this once that was made by one of the dealers I mentioned… but it was brass! Very strange.

This armor was made late. Gold colour armours such as this with true kozane and orange lace were made from Late Edo onward. I believe this to be maybe Meiji or after. (but incorporating good parts such as the kabuto) One of the most important things to notice is urushi shitaji which uses ash and has that light grey color. This is not a traditional technique and this method tends to fail very quickly because the Ph of the ash, causes acide which can causes the shitaji to fail, and if on iron, to ruste. MIura (Anjin) sensei was perhaps the first to write about the use of ash from the late Edo period onward. Also, the leaf that is on this armor may not be real gold. It may be a kind of leaf made with bronze that looks like gold. Finally, be careful because Mr. Morisaki (deceased) made similar armors that were also mass produced with real scale like this, which were very expensive and well made. However his did not use real urushi and had a grey paint primer such as on the mempo. Something to look our for. There were special dealers in this sort of armor into the 20th century, they were bought by rich families for coming of age ceremonies, and sold at large touriste ports such as yokohama. Thence the word for them “hamamono” (things from yokohama) I have seen several such armors with “Nobuie” signatures. I wonder if there was an artist by that name with a shop there…..

I think you could safely say that its probaly org to the sword. its in such frail shape it would be very difficult to mix and match. out of interest did you buy this out of Japan??

This is a very good introduction video for armour beginners and amateurs because it is something that just about anybody can make. So it is a good entry project. The most important difference is that Ogawa san also known as Atsuta sensei- his artist name, uses a soft steel that has a bit of aluminum, to make it easier to fourm and not tear, also he is not using urushi. He is using paint primer in the video. I dont know if Atsuta sensei ever actually did the art of urushi, but it is a whole different technique than in the video. Atsuta sensei is a very kind man and in recent years has devoted his live to sharing his knowledge at a hobbiest level for average people who wish to try to make samurai armour. He is also very humble about saying that his works should not be compared to the real thing which uses more traditional techniques and materials. He is open to teaching just about anybody.

Here is he: IETSUGU (家次), 1st gen., Ōan (応安, 1368-1375), Bitchū – “Ietsugu” (家次), “Bitchū no Kuni-jū Ietsugu saku” (備中国住家次作), “Bitchū no Kuni-jū Ietsugu” (備中国住家次), “Bitchū no Kuni-jūnin Ietsugu” (備中国住人家次), Aoe school, we know blades from the Jōji (貞治, 1362-1368) to the Ōan era, saka-chōji that tends somewhat to koshi-nohiraita, also a suguha with ashi, compact nioiguchi, ō-wazamono, jō-saku (Sesko) There is a famous ko Aoe guy, but it would be not even close.

Great post Geraint, Can you please shed some light on the storage conditions you had this guard in? Maybe something like: (Almost) exact timeframe. In/out box. If out of box, mounted or display. If out of box (mounted or display), location in house... eg, near living/kitchen/bathroom/laundry rooms (for light/humidity/temps)... cupboard/drawer with approx frequency of opening. It would be good to get an indication of these also for preventative conservations sake.

This is marumune.

Michael, I think it’s Tadamitsu, 忠光, but not 100% sure on first character. Looks like a name on the mon. I’m drooling a bit…. Conway

Wow, I really like that second last one Dale, seems like a decent price. I'm kind of tempted to buy it but will refrain to spare my wallet some pain. That and I have my eyes on a couple more unique expensive items, one of which I hope to buy in another month or 2.

Hi Geraint, I was told by Ford many years ago that good quality older “real” shakudo would re-patinated itself if left alone and your tsuba proves it.

Colin, I can't find a good website page that breaks it all down. Lots of history pages that describe it in wordage, but no kanji. I've picked it up from guys doing translations over the years, like this one: It can be hard to recognize (for me, anyway) the first 2 kanji, depending upon the writing style, but you can always spot the 2 thousand 6, 皇紀二千六百年拾月日 – 2600 Imperial year (1940), 10th month. If it's a year after 1940, you will see a number 1, 2, 3, etc between these two kanji - 皇紀二千六百年拾月日 like this: 皇紀二千六百三年仲冬 (Imperial year 2603, mid winter)

Hi, I am gathering the most possible exhaustive list of main Japanese sellers websites who sell shinsakuto. So far I have : https://www.nipponto.co.jp/sword.htm https://e-nihontou.c.../list?category_id=21 https://www.samuraishokai.jp/index.html (No paypal) https://www.aoijapan.../inro-and-netsuke-2/ If you guys know other reliable sellers (who accept Paypal), please share. Thanks

Are you asking if that is Chinese or Japanese? Chinese characters were used throughout the Far East, including in Korea and Japan. It is hard to say in this case whether the writing style is one of the other, taken out of context like this. The context might help us decide.

Yes, if its a verifiable name. This one is from around 15 years ago. https://www.e-sword....1110_6000syousai.htm

First of all, thanks one and all. I think I must have acquired this piece as part of a trade involving a sword--or who knows, I just have no recollection of it. There was just a little tag with "$175" written on it. At that time, there is no way I could have known anything about tsuba, little alone a Kanayama tsuba. One way or another, I must have thrown that crude little "accessory" into a shoe box and forgotten about it. My jaw really dropped as I flipped to page 240 and saw a photo of my little tsuba. Owari To Mikawa No Tanko was published in 1983. I lived in Singapore from 1997-2005. So a good 15-20 years in between before it ended up with me. It must have belonged in a known collection in Japan, perhaps changing hands into obscurity upon the death of the owner and being sold off or liquidated. Whether it deserves to command a higher price than it would otherwise if not published, I don't know. It's a classic example of a small Kanayama tsuba chock full of tekkotsu of every description and just dripping with wabi tea aesthetic of the Momoyama period. Compared with similar high end Kanayama tsuba in my collection and with the added value of being published, I would put the value at $1,500-$2,000. However, it is invaluable to me and inseparable from my own history as a collector. I have no plans to part with this little treasure--horidashi, as Tim writes. Here is a photo of my small collection of early sukashi tsuba (the little guy is on the far right). Ignore the few iron plates on the left (all mid-late Edo), which I am selling off.

Not to spoil the fun, but I think your tsuba design is plum blossoms. Usually many buds/flowers on spindly, upturned branches represent plum tree blossoms. Kind of a quintessential design (late winter, looking forward to spring which is just around the corner). from https://wakeidou.com/pages/412/

After spending the better part of the last year learning and studying, (and getting a ton of help, advice and insight from members here) I finally figured out what I wanted and acquired my first blade. I had it narrowed down to two schools, with Naoe Shizu being the winner. For my budget, this one stood out in particular for its Soe-hi (I think that's the term) and jigane. It is certainly not flawless, but the polish is decent and what really drew me to it was the period, and sheer physicality of it. TH Naoe Shizu Nagasa 70.3 cm Motohaba 3.1 cm Kasane 6.5-5.6 cm Shinogi .87 cm Weight 785g Despite the typical 70.3 cm and slightly wide 3.1cm motohaba, it feels absolutely massive in hand; like I could split a vehicle in half. That might be a poor thing to judge a blade on, but it sure feels good. I don't have a macro lens so had to do the best I could with a wide angle. Some day I will pick up a Sigma 105 and do this justice. PS: that's not a hagire in the boshi; just struggled with even lighting and didn't notice until I took my setup down Hopefully it is a worthy first acquisition!

Great history, wonderful newsreel. The late Basil Robinson gave a talk to the To Ken many years ago and detailed how he was tasked together with a Japanese Officer to sort through and grade surrendered swords. Mountbatten returned to the UK with a very large number of these and made many presentations. I have some more details somewhere and will try and find my notes.

A tansu i made to keep my tsuba in order, the tsuba-shaped plates roughly depict what's inside each drawer

Item No. 180 Iron tsuba 7.22 cm x 7.05 cm x 0.51 cm Subject of tori and pine trees Tosa Myochin Kuniyoshi ? Mid Edo ? Good even patina , tactile piece. Is this artist referenced anywhere ? Item No. 181 Iron Tsuba 7.52 cm x 7.20 cm x 0.42 cm Subject of - well , what is it ? single horned , cross between tiger/lion and shishi or part kirin ? Signed Choshu Toyomasa Saku ? Late edo ? Another tsuba from a labyrinthine school as previous item. Is there a mention of this artist out there ? In fresh unmounted condition.