Leaderboard

Hi everyone... haven't been on in a loooong time...life gets in the way sometimes Here's my contribution: a whole botanical garden in this kamakura-bori tsuba...

Tempted to add some more… Chrysanthemum flowers and leaves. Water plant from Chōshū Bit of everything, another botanical garden?

And I have always had a soft spot for this Sado island mokume tsuba, with high relief flowers that were shielded from the acid etching.

Late to the party, but here are a couple of pines.

ok... hope to fan the flames a little with this finely acid etched one... but I need to do some work to derust this one and get it looking the way it should

After a short time thinking which tsuba with plants theme I like the best, I resolved to propose some with akikusa - 秋草 - autumn flowers. All are simple, natural sketches from Aizu-Shōami school (just my opinion, none of them has a kanteisho). No masterworks here, but I appreciate the fine work of multicolor inlays. Please have a look at the updated version of Flora Hoplologica Japonica at: https://www.dropbox....0hr&st=n6fo0z5l&dl=0

Yamakichibei (Nidai), Sakura and Ume - late Momoyama/earliest Edo.

So many to choose from!

The Vegas show is on the horizon. Now is the time to make plans to attend Show information https://www.vegasswordshow.com/ Facebook -- https://www.facebook...p?id=100083606551269 Set up times (table holder, helpers, guest passes) WEDNESDAY 1/22/25 Set up 5:00PM - 9:00PM THURSDAY 1/23/25 Set up 9:00AM - 5:00PM Public hours FRIDAY 1/24/25 9:00AM - 5:00PM SATURDAY 1/25/25 9:00AM - 5:00PM I attached the flyer the Antique Arms Show Organizers (Morphy's Auctions) is using to promote the Sword Show Section Please post any questions or comments. You can message me or email me at vegasswordshow@gmail.com

Hi All, I believe the translation is Minamoto Sadashige saku kore. But can’t seem to figure out the upper part and also the date. Is there any other information on this smith? Any help is greatly appreciated.

A great deal of information about the production of machine made blades can be accessed via Nick's WRF thread below. System Kaizen behind the Type 32 Gunto production of the 1930s

濃州関住服部正廣作 - Noshu Seki ju Hattori Masahiro saku

@Bruce Pennington he is IMAI HISATSUGU (今井 久次) Ehime. Example mei: “Hisatsugu” (久次). “Yoshu Seiunshi Hisatsugu saku” (豫洲青雲子久次作). Well covered in this "excellent" paper.............

Ref. Iyo Province - Wikipedia

Yo Shu 豫州 is the old kanji for 予州, Iyo 伊予 in Shikoku.

大阪陸軍造兵廠 源貞重作之 – Osaka army arsenal, Minamoto Sadashige made this. 昭和十九年八月吉日 – Showa 19th year, 8th month, an auspicious day

This looks like a very nice Osaka Gassan katana by the Sadakatsu student Kawano Sadashige. Dated a lucky day in August 1944.

Before we go any further into this, I would still like to see a photograph of the mounting so that we know if we are dealing with a type 3 koshirae.

maybe Yoshimitsu (義光), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – „Yoshimitsu“ (義光), civilian name „Yabushita Fujio“ (藪下不二夫) but just my guess.

Some of mine

Please keep your eyes out on government auction sites as often the stolen swords will end up here. A trick that seems to be employed by criminal postal workers and their contractors is that the delivery label is intentionally destroyed and then the package is placed in a bin ready to go to auction. In reality, a package with a damaged label is supposed to go to a special office where it should be inspected to find information about the shipper and/or the recipient so the package can get back on its way. The USPS has 90-days to do this. After that period of time, the package is considered "lost" and becomes the property of the Post Office and can be auctioned. But what we are finding is that the packages end up in bins that are heading for auction in less than 30 days and are picked up by assumed accomplices for a song. You will find police and agencies like the FBI will not touch these cases because the only U.S. law enforcement agency with jurisdiction is the U.S. Postal Inspectors, and from my experience, I have found them to be absolutely not interested in these cases, especially if there is insurance coverage. The other place to keep an eye out for stolen swords is on the Reddit Katana pages as I have discovered that on several occasions the purchaser of the sword from the USPS auction will post stolen blades here, asking for information about the value of the swords for resale. From what I hear from custom brokers and Japanese dealers, these crimes are on the rise and as I said there is zero interest in combating them. When it comes to very very rare and valuable pieces, I urge you to ask the dealers to ship your swords from Japan by UPS. It is more expensive and will almost always involve extra charges for inspections by CBP and Fish and Wildlife inspectors, but in terms of peace of mind, it is money well spent. Hope this helps.

That is indeed a Type 3 koshirae, and as discussed earlier this is the type where screws are a standard element of the mounting.

Ok. I saw the Sesko listing but was confused because the JSI RJT listing has both Imai and Seiunshi as if they were 2 different people. Now, what do I do with "Iyo" vs "Ihime"?

listing in Sesko: HISATSUGU (久次), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Ehime – “Hisatsugu” (久次), family name Imai (今井), born 1892, rikugun-jumei-tōshō, he studied under Takahashi Yoshimune (高橋義宗), jōko no jōi (Akihide)

One obvious possibility is that, since the war did not end for another month, any remaining undamaged parts and equipment from Toyokawa could have been moved to Tenshozan to continue war production. John C.

Not exactly convincing (but I hate to give bad news)...

That's what i was thinking.

We can say for sure it wasn't a factory paint job. You can see red splotches on the brass parts where the guy that did the job got a tad sloppy. You won't see that on a factory paint job. Now, whether it was wartime bubba or post-war bubba - who knows! I have 3 NCO's that I thought were post-war bubba-jobs, and stripped them. Now, after some further discussions and seeing others pop up, I realize that 2 of them were wartime paint done in the field. I can say I've never seen one that color red before.

2 I brought back from Japan. Nothing too amazing, but I like them.

Agree, labeling incorrectly is the LAST thing I would consider. "Legal and verified antique Japanese sword, exempt from legislation, documents inside" or something similar.

Hello, Here is my homemade koshirae display case. I made it myself and made lots of mistakes (glue stains, scratches, littles damages on wood... I was not used with DIY) but I like it. Glass is very thin UV protective polycarbonate to prevent discoloration by day light (same material as hothouse). there is a sake cup with water inside to maintain humidity. Lighting by led ribbon connected in invisible grooves back of the backboard. That costed me less than 400€ and I could have done cheaper (I took thick plain beech for the backboard). Blades are in shirasaya and cotton bag in the white furniture below. It that is made of paulownia, to maintain dryness (pure luck that I had this paulownia chest of drawers before my interest for nihonto). But the drawers are a bit short, I'm thinking to make a katanahako in paulownia like one I saw on Jauce, maybe adding a locking system. Kakejiku are changed according to the season. The bokken is there for it emotionnal value : cheap, twisted and 20 years old but that's my first one.

Enjoying this thread a lot, some wonderiful pieces on show. Two more from me: Akasaka Musashino sukashi tsuba showing pampas grass with dew drops and another with a Yatsuhashi and Iris design in sukashi.

Kiri depiction signed Choshu Kiyoshige

Mountain wasabi by the stream.

i can only agree with Thomas. a pleasing blade to look at, as well as the hole piece BUT that tsuka is a real downer on the whole . if it was me I would be looking at a correct restoration

Yamato Tegai School in D guard mounts. Last battle for a 800 year old soldier

Dear All, Let me contribute to the archive with the version I have. Best regards and have a great day Erwin

This one is the best i have.

Example on ohmura with similar blackened fittings with very high quality mounts and blade: http://ohmura-study.net/714.html

I like a GUNTO with the uncommon "blackened" fittings. This one is on an equally uncommon shark-skin saya. The black is not a paint, but appears to be an oxidized silver plating. Even the Menuki are blackened. High class? Don't know, rare, YEP.

And honestly, Neil, you haven't "done" anything to it, any more than the original owner would have done regularly himself. But I understand. It is "preserve as is" collector practice, which is cool.

OK, this one probably doesn't fit the HIGH CLASS category, but it is one of my prized specimens. It is an original leather combat covered '98 GUNTO. The leather is in poor condition, the tassel is frayed, the leather TZUKA cover marked, the surrender tag on its last legs and the blade is an ordinary SHOWA TO. BUT, the leather has never been removed to expose what is below, the TZUKA has never been removed as the blade is NO treasure..... So why? I just wanted to own (and respect) a sword that was used in war, brought back by a Vet, and kept the way it was in 1945. It has been there, and LOOKS like it. I have been tempted to knock out the MEKUGI, but resisted, I want at least one WW2 sword to pass to the next generation as is, untouched. Hope you can relate to this. Neil.

The cavalry sword has arrived, here is a first batch of pictures of the "kyu-gunto family". All three bear family mon: - 1886 Army company grade officer kyu-gunto: Hachisuka [swastika] (with unidentified arsenal blade) - 1883 Navy kyu-gunto: Matsunaga [floral five-leaves pattern] (with Naohiro Taisho stamp arsenal blade) - 1886 Type 19 cavalry officer company grade sword: Kobayakawa [triskell-like pattern] (with mumei Meiji era traditional blade)

@Ray: great piece, I concur on the fact that the mounting was a special high-end order (same-covered saya is a good clue). As previously said, almost certainly pre-war. Upon examining the saya, do you notice faint traces of a second ashi, that would make it a Type 94? @Reeder: nice kyu-gunto, quite similar to mine, but with a better blade. @Hamish: I will receive the cavalry sword in a few days, as it was sent today from Japan. When I receive it, I will make and post pictures of my three Meiji era officer swords: Type 19 Army kyu-gunto, Type 1883 Navy kyu-gunto, Type 19 Cavalry officer sword. The main three variants of the "kyu-gunto family".

Hi as requested a little more info on my sword, This Shin-Gunto was taken from a w w 2 sword surrender in Singapore by a British Army Officer , who related the storey to the chap I acquired it from, and said he looked through a whole load of swords on the day and picked up what he thought was the best he could find . I cant remember the whole signature from memory but it is something like made in Tokyo at the Hachi-Man Shrine by Naostugu ( Gendai-to smith ) I have seen this smith mentioned a couple times in the past, but there is very little info that I have found out about him ! The mounts are IMHO high grade, maybe special order shin-gunto mounts with silver mon with a same covered lacquered saya and comes with its original sword bag and original sword belt hanger and colonel's or high ranking field officers tassel . and if I remember correctly purchased from the Officer in a about 1970. for £11.00 - not by me unfortunately .

????

Ed, have you taken a look at Crimson Mist Militaria? They've got some hangers for sale. You might email him if you know some specific measurements to give him. http://www.cmmilitaryantiques.com/search.php?pcat=10

Wowwww you all have really beautiful gunto ,really impressive .... i know my blade its not a high class but i want to share it to you ..sign Munenaga stamp #23 same date as my birthday with SEKI stamp ... if someone are able to give me the date that it right on the tang it will be very appreciated thks Have a great day all...sorry for the pictures ..i think i need a traning for that hihihi