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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

There are over 350 types of clematis flowers globally. There are dozens of types of flowers that are possible, and adding in "artistic license" the design may just be generic - also were these made in Japan, China, Vietnam or somewhere else? I think we are getting dangerously close to

I did all of this when I had a sword shipped via EMS/DHL to Germany from Japan 2 weeks ago. No issues taking delivery but the German Zoll (Customs & Excise) changed the HS Code from 9706.10 to 9307.00, which does not take into account the antique status of the blade. All the supporting documentation and declarations from the NBTHK, Nihonto dealer, with translations were ignored. So instead of being charged the correct 7% tax rate they slapped on 19%. I have 30 days to contest the change and am currently doing that. The difference is only about 650 Euros but there is a principle involved. Hopefully your shipment is handled correctly and without these headaches.

I would guess lotus if those are the only choices. They don't look like Clematis to me. ??

Thank you for the insight. Just to be completely transparent I did not purchase this blade. It was offered to me and I accepted the kind gesture as an opportunity to learn more about the blade and some of its history, be it good or bad. The Gimei inscription is not a great start but I want to study the blade on its merits and if it turns out to be Chinese copy aimed to deceive or an older sword that was embellished with the inscription, its all good. The registration card dated back to the early 70's, so unless that was also fraudulent, then we can at least assume its more likely to be the latter.

Photos before drilling the bolt out

The areas where the paint is chipped away seems to be corroded. I wonder if this is another example of someone painting it in the hope it would stop rust? This happened to mine, which was painted brown and black, seemingly covering up damage to the original green paint: If the red really has just been painted on top of the other fittings (which it does look like), I recon you might find the original paint colour when taking off the koiguchi.

Yes I think so too - but I like to show some other examples so people can work it out themselves

If it's anything like Fedex, the employees have to walk through metal detectors entering and exiting the facility. Bit difficult absconding with a sword if there are checks at the Hub.

Alex , the usual BS write up from the Lanes and of course with the usual fantastic prices

比総蘓海里長 – (I cannot understand.) 小河原維徳應需造之 – Responding to the order from Ogawara/Ogahara Korenori (reading?), made this. 文政十丁亥年二月日 – Bunsei 10th Hinoto-I year (1827), 2nd month 上杉臣加藤綱俊 – A retainer of Uesugi (clan), Kato Tsunatoshi

Yoshimitsu?

Hello! Tsuba - bamboo tree. 1000 euros. Material is iron Mei/signature: 東都住貞恒 Toto Ju Sadatsune, Period/era: Edo, Certificate: None, Measures: 7.8 cm x 7.3 cm x 0.40 cm. Location: Germany, Berlin. Payment via PayPal or in person in Berlin. Alexander

Here's one of my favorite tsuba. I love the irregular shape and the texture of the iron.

Might be a bit expensive but you can use this as an inspiration https://en.katana-case-shi.com/ https://www.instagra...atana_case_shi_shop/

Not sure if you mean flowers & plants or flowers or plants (or both ) but let's start with these 2 pieces from Suzuki Yoshihiko & Kano Natsuo

It looks like it has cleaned up pretty well from its previous condition. Sometimes a gamble pays off.

Sold at Pottle Auctions Sydney Aust. last week. I didnt follow auction as the condition report described it as a very average condition 95 (but with canvas cover ✔). Bidding was well over 2k aud. a couple of days before the auction. I tuned in late that night, post auction, to see sale price of Aud. 10k. but there just be something amiss there me thinks. In any case, it has a canvas cover.

So, what is there not to like about a Kai Gunto? And what is there not to like if it has a MINATAGOWA JINJA blade? Here is a January, 1943, MASANAO. A colleague recently commented that war time blades normally have a badly cut nakago, this one proves that some are cut pretty nicely.

This is one thread that should be kept alive! Some one mentioned minutia. I really love the finer touches on GUNTO mounts. Attached some photos of TSUBA/SEPPA that are totally original to the outfits, assembled in the correct order, are beautifully detailed, and have only been disturbed a few times in their life. These blades are great too, but it is the original detail that I love. These were made relatively early in WW2, when I guess they had the time and materials to create good workmanship.

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.

Some pics of my YASUKUNI TO, YASUNORI (Kotani). Aluminium SAYA, twin feathers MON, Lt Colonel. Neil.

Greetings, I would like to share with you my humble gunto (not high-class, but very presentable) by Akihisa. Warmest Regards, Hoanh

Dear All. Just one to share, mumei blade, Meiji I think but Kogarasumaru sugata, rather slim and elegant. Enjoy!

This has been posted before , but worth another go.

Julien, very gorgeous Kai-gunto! The picture of the date is a little too dark to make it all out, but what I can see says 1942 (Showa 10 7). Can't quite see the month fully, and don't see a day at all. I can't decipher swordsmith names, but there are other guys here who can very well! The stamps on your seppa are the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal (http://ohmura-study.net/212.html) and the private contractor stamp of Suya Shoten Co, Ltd (http://ohmura-study.net/794.html). Quite unusual to see both of those on the seppa! The number is simply an assembly number stamped on parts to keep them together, since each sword is usually slightly different than the next in size, shape and thickness.

I can't say where the ashi are now or then whenever they were removed. It is possible the saya had a cover of some sort. I can't see removing the ashi for any other reason. And who could make a set for this sword? Ed