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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

This Ichijo School piece by Norimoto also has my vote

More star news! Only the second MUMEI, no date, star-stamped blade I've seen. First one was posted by @BANGBANGSAN here: This new one is on this ima-usa.com page:

And one we didn't have in the charts, until now, an August 1943 Hisatsugu, on Japanesesword.com

Mal, Got another Matsu stamped Akihisa. January 1943, 松 607 RS star. For sale by St. Croix Blades HERE.

本 may also indicate an order batch, and/or 'belonging to', such as a castle armory.

Hmmm... that is a mystery indeed, Dale. Thanks for the background thoughts so far.

Piers I don't know what plant they depict - Clematis or Lotus? The seven I have come in Maru, five lobed, six lobed, cut down with a fukurin [I can't tell what shape it started as], cut out petals and with flat petals. I have seen an eight lobed and a square one but they all have the same flower based centre. There are a very few with nunome and one of mine has silver liners to the hitsu. Shibuiswords had an article about the two they had, described as Asian export/Nanban. I have records of 25 of these so far, no two are the same and all appear hand made.

二百十一 -> 211 To translate 本 correctly I'll need to know what item this is. Meaning is similiar to "pieces," like 五本 -> 5 books or 筆二本 -> 2 brushes.

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.

Just an FYI, in order to use the postal scanners an employee has to scan in their I.D. when you scan a package, it also records the GPS location where it was scanned and they're pretty darn accurate unless you live out in the sticks. Basically what I'm saying is the postmaster should be able to see where it "disappeared" and who scanned it. If it disappeared at one of the hubs though its a whole other can of worms.

Yeh, get that, it was just a thought. If someone was in two minds and a bit nervous about making a theft, just thought it may put them off. Maybe i overthink stuff. PS, the biggest attraction i think would be the declaration price, so its already attractive.

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.

Ko Shoami, Blüte und Ginger

I would drive to France and pick them up at the same time enjoying the food and wine… Regards, Paul.

2 more to keep this going Iwata Kaneyasu, Masayuki

From my own collection - the nanako is minute and the design wraps around the nanako mimi - not done in shakudo as one would expect, but shibuichi.

Mountain wasabi by the stream.

Pic

Pic2

Nice John! This is a great thread to see what exists out there in the hands of GUNTO collectors. Could we see more posts, as I love seeing what exists hidden away in collections.

What a beautiful blade, John!

This thread needs some more nice Gunto, here's my now complete Field grade Kyu Gunto with correct tassel.

Ok Dave, took your advice, took off TZUKA, (a bit of gentle persuasion needed), and no active corrosion to speak of. A YOSHIMICHI SHOWATO blade. Kinda sorry I did it, but if that's what it takes, so be it.

The Tsuka has been rebound. The ito, is too new to match the fittings.

Hi Hamfish, thanks for the opportunity to see some NICE Gunto. Thought I would pick a couple of mine to post. Old family blades, silver mons and original tassels. Hope you like these as much as I have liked all the ones that have been posted. Neil.

that's a very fine looking gunto, the mounts look very simular to the type 94. who made the blade, is a very pleasing piece to look at. can you post some more? Thibault, im also waiting for your Kyu.

Guess I'll try to keep it going. ive seen better and I've seen worse, but I like it. Blade is older mumei, Nagasa about 24". Has remnants of a surrender tag taped to the spine of the tsuka.

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