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I’m flattered to be considered. I have always respected the way Brian runs things here, and if chosen I would do my best to moderate the way he does. I am sorry to hear about your health Brian, and I’ve always been impressed that you’ve been doing much of the moderating on your own for so long. Whoever you choose to help out, I trust in your judgement. -Sam

Hi Brian, genuinely honoured that you would even consider me for such a role having only been on here a short time. Trouble is I would not describe myself as being very moderate, I’d probably end up recommending myself to be banned. I would prefer to stick to participation and leave moderation to impartial level headed folk. Always happy to help in any informal way. Best. Colin…and of course good luck on the health front.

Late to the conversation, sorry, busy day yesterday. Seems like a moderator for each forum would be ideal. But that's coming from my world where I only study 1 thing - military gunto. Tough topic to discuss openly, I'd hate to hurt anyone's feelings by not naming someone, but hey - we're all big boys (and girls!), right? I'm online everyday, quite often only once per day, but could do it if only the Military section. Life puts too many demands on me to consider more than that. Some names I would consider: Experienced guys I've never seen say a cross word: @george trotter @mecox @Grey Doffin @b.hennick @Bugyotsuji @uwe @Nobody @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN (and I'm missing somebody that I can't remember their name!!!) Newer guys, but same deal: @John C @Scogg @Conway S Heck, more names are coming to mind, but this would be a good start. It would be an honor to help, yes.

Sam, you're one of my top picks. I'll be in touch in a day or 2 to work it out. Will be great to have you as one of the admin team. Sorry to put people on the spot, and I understand if people don't want the task, but I'd love to have @Bruce Pennington to help moderate the Military section, and @SteveM to help with the Translation section if they are willing. Maybe doing just one section would be less work and more acceptable for some, while some may be ok with multiple sections. @Matsunoki would be great in one or 2 sections if he's willing. Few others I'll mention soon.

No secret that with my health see-sawing the past few months, and also the amount of new members and off topic stuff going on...it is putting a lot of strain on myself and the maintenance of the forum. I haven't heard from @Jean in a while too. Has anyone heard from him over there in France? We need to check on him and see if all is ok. That said, it is definitely time to consider another moderator or 2. Preferably one in USA and one in UK/Europe area, maybe one in Australia timezone. Need to carefully consider who will be impartial, well liked but strict, and who will get on with most members. I have a few names in mind, but before I mention any, I would need to check if they are willing. Not a lot of work. Mainly editing the occasional post for mistakes, moving threads around, and deleting any spam etc. But that person would need to be online fairly regularly, preferably have been a member for a few years, and most of all, be willing to do it. I may even consider moderators just for certain sections. So here's your chance to maybe nominate or discuss any choices. Thanks all.

I did pm two others waiting for them to answer the one I did get answer from is Sam and he said he would be honored I think he's very level-headed and knows what's going on and would make a good moderator

Here at a couple more genuine general grade tassels not previously pictured. Note the fineness of the thread used, and how subtle the zig zag effect is relative to reproductions. The knotting of the “berries” differs on these two. They are both significantly more lean, tight and flexible in form overall than reproductions, which tend to be stiff.

there are also tsuba for yari

Paris, about like this one below, but otherwise not much different from other "normal" TSUBA. I found that they are often very simple with little or no decoration. The NAKAGO-ANA can be quite large with some.

Here’s a picture of my set up at the SOS. It’s always a great show to see new things and catch up with friends. I look forward to this event every year not just for swords but for military collectibles of every genre. It’s amazing the “stuff” you see there! Tom

Always had good interactions with both @Scogg and @Bruce Pennington - two of the very few people I've actually directly messaged for help, and never seen a bad word from either - great recommendations

Hi Chris, The "Cross and Grass" is actually representative of a Japanese Iris and known as Shobu 菖蒲, its sound is the same as Shobu 尚武 which means martial/Samurai spirit. The cross represents the flower, which is said to resemble a Kabuto and the grass represents its leaves, which in turn are said to represent a sword's blade. Hence its use on the various equipment bags related to Budo and Bujutsu and also what used to be called the Tango no Sekku Boy's Day celebration in May, which is now known as Kodomo no Hi. The woodblock Artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi used the Shobu pattern on his famous "Nabe Buta" depiction of Miyamoto Musashi's Hakama during his encounter with Tsukahara Bokuden. (Bokuden actually lived 80 years prior to Musashi, but we should never let truth get in the way of a good story...........) You also have shown Kozakura repeat pattern Cherry Blossom which has a similar useage in equipment bags etc.

In my experience, no, this looks like a legit fukuro yari made for the Korean invasions by Shimosaka who moved to 'Nagoya' (a different one) in northern Kyushu to help supply the armies gathering there. There are many kinds of kagi or tsuba in that part of the haft. I like yours for several reasons. Nice. Inoshishi yari tend to be grosser and more simply made, but I am willing to be shown a beautiful example!

John Plimpton's book illustrates about ten variations of leather sword knots in the first appendix, some of which do not have a collar at the top.

This is a pair of round Menuki with high quality carving and true inlay, of 2.1 cm diameter. They do not have poles so are just glued on the handle I guess. The signature are of Hamano school 浜野 but only the last two characters 寿隨 are carved. There were three craftsman used signature 浜野寿隨 based on my research but I can not tell which one made this. Has anyone here seen other stuff with same signature in same style? I know the chance is remote but maybe I am lucky.thanks

I went to the very small market at the Hanazono Shrine this morning. There were quite few pieces of tosogu ranging from the fake to the old, from the reasonable quality to the really rough, and from cheap to expensive. I picked this one up for a reasonable price, it seemed to be the best balance of the lot. It’s iron, with brass inlay, slightly proud of the surface. It’s small, about 4.5cm x 4cm (guesstimate, I don’t have a ruler on me). Any thoughts on the theme or origins?

I think all of Bruce's suggestions are great ones. My biggest reservation is my relative experience and knowledge compared to those on that list! @nulldevice has learned a lot really fast, and is savvy. @Jussi Ekholm has collected invaluable data for us, and is clearly working altruistically for the betterment of the hobby. Both seem very level headed, with good eyes and intentions. I'd add them for consideration. I have no idea if either would be willing or interested. Colin would have been my #1 choice! But I totally understand his reasons. I would be open to helping cover any section assigned, or even generally all sections if asked. I spend a lot of time on the forum and could expand the topics I look into. I agree wholeheartedly with @Stephen, that a group effort in reporting suspicious activity will benefit both Brian, mods and everyone. And always, when in doubt I'd defer to Brian. Cheers, -Sam

On a serious note any member can help moderate to a certain extent see something going out the rail or spam just report it like big brother see something say something. I think we all can do are part

I do have quite a few naginata tsuba from Muromachi period and some even possibly Nanbokuchō period in my books. As said before they are mostly very plain in design. However I do not think the purpose of tsuba in general is to stop the hand from sliding to the blade. I am not sure where this narrative comes from originally.

You are correct that the tradition extends back centuries Florian, however I think the preponderance of visual art (as opposed to the literary works that inspired Edo Period works) depicting the tradition emerged in substantial volumes in the latter half of the Edo Period. Personally I am quite doubtful the tsuba is from the Genroku Period (which is a very specific period to specify and I question the basis for such a specific dating). Hanami viewing was also only popularised in the Edo Period amongst common folk under the reign of Tokugawa Yoshimune who planted trees for the public in 1720 16 years after the end of Genroku, so the idea that the tsuba would have been made before (or even during) the Kyoho era seems unlikely to me. More likely it was made around or after the ukiyo-e explosion led by artists such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige who began to feature Hanami in their woodblock works beginning in the late 18th century and moving into the 19th. To me any date prior to the 1780's or 1790's would be quite improbable whilst anything prior to 1720 should probably be disregarded entirely. I'm definitely open to the idea that this tsuba is a mid-late Edo Period work but I'm doubtful we're looking at an object from the first half of the Edo Period. The shape of the Hitsu-Ana alone may not be a fool-proof means of dating either as artists did sometimes mimic older styles / designs using old-school Hitsu-Ana shapes, Mokko-Gata, etc to make their works look older than they actually are. EDIT: Upon doing some digging, there are some suspiciously similar tsuba floating about so I wouldn't be surprised if they're being made to look old and being marketed to tourists as souvenirs... Hanazono Shrine being a cherry blossom viewing spot, it would be the perfect place to market such an item. Although, the one I found is not an EXACT match, so they may just be two similar tsuba of similar origins... https://www.ebay.com...r=artemis&media=COPY

I know, but this tsuba has been modified to be mounted on a yari, so it's now a yari tsuba...

Your tsuba appears to depict a Sakura design (cherry/sakura blossom) based on the flowers. The theme is the tradition of Hanami (cherry blossom viewing). Here is an ukiyo-e that I think matches the theme of the tsuba and shows clearly what the part at the bottom is meant to be... This ukiyo-e depicts cherry blossom viewing at Edo Castle and was produced in the Meiji Period as depictions of the inside of Edo Castle were banned throughout the Edo Period. This means it is likely that your tsuba is also from the Meiji period or later, perhaps inspired by Meiji Period works. The particular ukiyo-e artist who created the woodblock piece shown above (Yoshu Chikanobu) was born in 1838 and died in 1912. Of course, my response is based primarily on the theme of the tsuba as opposed to a close inspection of the condition of the tsuba itself... There are more knowledgeable people on the forum who are better suited to that sort of thing than me. Perhaps one of them could give us an indication about the style/school or add some further remarks about the likely age of the tsuba as I cannot rule out the possibility that this is a late Edo Period piece depicting cherry blossom viewing somewhere else in Japan... (Ueno or Kyoto?) Hope this helps...

Thank you, Piers. The ishizuki is fairly plain and riveted on. The whole shaft is lacquered with red lacquered stripes. It all looks like it has honest wear to me. John C.

And that would explain why my brain has been carrying around both numbers, 1940 & 1942! I think I will default back to '42 after reviewing Nick's post and chart page, which I'll post below: "Further on details of interest to collectors, I understood from Stu W's article that there were unknown markings. Production statistics information often help in clarifying such points, so I show you an excerpt of production capacity projections for March and September 1942. You will see a supplier called Mizuno , who is not included in Stu W's thread. They only produced for a few months in 1942 before getting sacked. They had a logo consisting of the character 水 in a hexagon. Also of note is the switching in arsenal jurisdictions that occurred in Sept. 1942, which would have changed markings, too."

The information that Trystan has provided above is about the history of the arsenal. As for the change that occurred in Type 95 arsenal jurisdictions, see Komiya sensei's post below. Short Development History of Type 95 Gunto

At 500 euros, I wouldn't. Looks like a katana blade reworked as a tanto to me. But even if it were made in that shape, the condition is too rough to go higher than that - in my opinion. John C.

I have also seen these square ana on kabutowari. John C.

From these images it looks like a plastic/resin fake. The quality is nowhere near Japanese workmanship. Sorry! I doubt better images will improve its chances.

These stories keep themselves alive and whoever read it somewhere continues spreading it. It is the same thing as in other fields, e.g. TEKKOTSU.

SOLD

Dan, That would depend upon the market it is being sold in. It also depends upon whether that blade is a zoheito (factory blade) or something old. As a zoheito, with all the corrosion, it would go toward the low end of the market, say $600-900 USD. If the blade is older, it would be worth more.

Yes, I saw the post, Rob, but Kyushu is a world of its own, I’ve not been there for fifteen years, and I have never been to any shops or antiques fairs there. Actually it is a good question and I would be interested in the answers!

Up for sale is a very good Ko-Shoami or Shoami Tsuba. Prominent Tekkotsu in the rim (very difficult to take a good picture but the are thick an big), very fine silky iron. Dark chocolate-brown Patina. 76,65mm x 73,69mm x 6,16mm thick at seppa-dai. I bought this Tsuba 2018 from Eric Molinier ("ericowazamono") . I'm changing the Focus of my collection to late-Edo kinko Tsuba, so this one must go. Buyer won't be disappointed by this piece. Price is 950,-Euro OBO plus Shipping.

Brian will always be the head of the helm moderators basically for putting out fires removing spam if there's a big dust up name calling you can lock it until Brian reviews it. basically think babysitting

Enhancing the “trims” on my Haidate as the printed pattern is quite faded. See photos. Any thoughts? Question. Part names of Haidate. The leather reinforcement strips I think are called chikara gawa. But are the additional edge trims (as added on some examples) called Kawa Fukurin? Also, is there a name for the “cross and grass” motif? And what’s the origin of this pattern? Thanks 😁👍🏼 Chris

Hi Daniel, yes it's an original sword. The image of the Kissaki isn't promising from a condition perspective.

I think the theme is correctly named. However, both the tradition of cherry blossom viewing and the use of cloth curtains are very old. So the conclusion the tsuba is of the same age as the depicted woodblock print is not correct. I suppose it was made during the Genroku/ middle Edo period based on the hitsu-ana both in suahama shape. Some blossoms show abrasions at the corners, so it seem like overlay in some parts?

I pm'd one of my suggestions waiting to hear what he thinks

Is he not confused with Toppei Koshira because of the shape of the Saya - The Kojiri looks to be shaped to slide into a frog? Barrie

Here is my Tensho koshirae being made in the workshop of the Okayama Museum. https://www.facebook...pcb.5810403085743944

I'm not sure how many of You know this, but the Tatara is broken up and metal sorted. The pieces with low carbon can be reused to add more carbon in a reducing environment. The pieces with too much carbon (aka cast iron) can be reused in an oxidizing environment to reduce its carbon content. The pieces that are good from the intial run are used as is.

Ah, now that's clever. I have bottles of water inside my suneate.

Very nice, very well done ! Kind regards, Eric

Much appreciated Trystan, that really helps me wrap my head around this. Amazing that so many swords were made prior to March 1940. A good chunk of the 95's I encounter bear the Kokura Cannonballs I cannot express how much I appreciate your and Thomas's help (Kiipu). I've learned a lot really fast, and I am still digesting it all. I owe you guys one! -Sam

The Tokyo Artillery Arsenal 東京砲兵工廠 (Koishikawa Army factory 小石川陸軍工廠) used the same cannonball mark as the Kokura Army Arsenal(小倉陸軍造兵廠）. The Koishikawa Army factory began operations in 1871, and on October 10, 1879, it was officially established as the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal by Army Ministry Order No. 74. On April 1, 1923, the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal merged with the Osaka Artillery Arsenal(大阪砲兵工廠)and was renamed the Army Ordnance Arsenal Tokyo Factory（陸軍造兵廠東京工廠）.The Osaka Artillery Arsenal was renamed the Army Ordnance Arsenal Munitions Factory(陸軍造兵廠火工廠). On September 1, 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake(関東大震災) caused severe damage to the factory. Since the full-scale restoration of the Koishikawa facility required enormous costs, a decision was made to consolidate its functions and gradually transfer them to the Kokura Ordnance Manufacturing Plant(小倉兵器製造所 ), which was directly managed by the Chief of the Army Ordnance Arsenal. The relocation process began in 1931. In October 1933, the Kokura Ordnance Manufacturing Plant was upgraded to Kokura Army Arsenal( 小倉陸軍造兵廠), with additional facilities for weapons manufacturing(兵器製造所) artillery equipment production(砲具製造所) and shell manufacturing(砲弾製造所). During this period, the Kokura Arsenal also used its cannonball mark. By October 1935, the relocation of the Tokyo Arsenal to the Kokura Arsenal was fully completed, marking the end of the Tokyo Artillery Arsenal’s 66-year history. Although the Type 95 NCO sword was finalized in 1935, it remained under refinement and was not mass-produced until 1937. As a result, the Type 95 swords bearing the Kokura cannonball mark were produced between 1937 and 1940.

I had a table at the OVMS “Show of Shows” this past weekend. Had a table right by Matt Brice of St. Croix blades, and also near Matt Jerrel of Sohei Swords. Had a great show and sold 5 swords. One customer asked about flying with swords and guns. I told him to use an Apple AirTag or something like it. <~~cursed myself. When flying home, I had a direct flight with no layover. I used the tag on the fight there since I had a layover. All was fine. I did not use it on the return flight since it was direct. Sure enough, some freaking how, they never put the case on the plane. I get to my home airport and wait for it to come out with the other bags…it never showed! I went straight to the ticket counter and raised holy hell! They interviewed the ground crew here in Charleston and they never saw the case on the plane. The next call was to Kentucky. The airline talked to the ground crew there and they quickly found it…still there! Lucky for me, the case is airtight and waterproof. They arranged for it to be returned to today, and all is finally well. LESSON TO ALL! If I had the AirTag I would have seen the case was not on the plane, and could have saved myself a near heart attack! It is a cheap insurance policy to protect our valuable items. I had two matchlocks, 12 swords and two 50 year old shotguns my father gave to me that morning. This could easily have gone very bad. I trusted the airline to get it right and it went very wrong. US D.O.T. law limits an airlines liability to $4200 for lost luggage. I had more than that in the case! D.O.T. Law also orders airlines to refund your luggage fees if your luggage arrives more than 24 hours late. Additionally the airline must reimburse you for replacement clothes, toiletries, etc., that you have to purchase while waiting for your bags to arrive. Hope this never happens to anyone else. Let my close call be a lesson for you as we go into sword show season. Dan

Kawaguchi Saburoemon Noriyasu (Noriyasu can also be read "Hoan") was the Shodai of the Hoan group. He died in 1614, as Jean notes. He worked therefore in the Momoyama Period, not the Muromachi. It is believed he was originally of the Buke, but due to political misfortune (the assassination of Oda Nobunaga in 1582), his status shifted, and he became an armorer, and then, a tsubako. It is, of course, difficult to know the truth of this narrative, but this is what is generally accepted about this smith. Shodai Hoan tsuba are rarely encountered. HIs best works are masterpieces in iron, combining a powerful yakite-kusarashi effect on the surface of the plate, a beautiful "rippling" of the metal in the forging process known as "uwabamigane" (I believe this translates to something like "python skin"), and sensitively-rendered sukidashi-bori to express motif elements. His sword guards often carry that peculiar Momoyama vitality that infuses so many of the arts of that specific time. I believe the reason the NBTHK assigned a "Hoan" ascription to your tsuba, Lex, is that on the lower left quadrant of the omote, something akin to an uwabamigane effect may be seen. In cases where a mumei guard presents with this detail, especially in combination with well-done sukidashi-bori and the yakite-kusarashi surface treatment (sort of a "melty" effect), the NBTHK will often default to a "Hoan" ascription. Personally, I am not convinced, however. I believe that there was another group of tsubako, likely working in Kyoto, that worked in this style (perhaps along with other styles), where acids were applied to the sukidashi-bori elements to achieve the appearance of a slightly melted surface. Such tsuba are predictable in their details: in addition to the above-mentioned use of acids, sukidashi-bori, and sometimes a "rippled iron" (uwabamigane) presentation in the metal, they always have a round sugata, the same or similar sort of "hourglass" tegane around the nakago-ana, and the same shape to the hitsu-ana we see in your tsuba here. They will also often (if not always?) have a very small mark on the right side of the seppa-dai, sometimes on the omote, sometimes on the ura -- not a mei, but a sort of "shop mark" or some such -- that is very easy to miss, owing to its being rather tiny and subtle. These tsuba are never signed, in my experience. I think I may see such a shop mark on the upper right seppa-dai of the omote of your tsuba, Lex. I do not believe these are Hoan tsuba. Hoan had become a pretty big name by the late-Momoyama and into the early-Edo Periods. Signing one's works had become a tradition of sorts for many tsuba-making groups by the early-Edo years, and this is certainly true of the Hoan group. While not circulating in abundance, post-Shodai Hoan guards are found with enough frequency to confirm that they are signed as a matter of course. But the tsuba I describe above -- with their specific and predictable characteristics, and which I am confident your tsuba is one of -- are not signed. Because of this anonymity, and because they bear a superficial resemblance to key features found in Shodai Hoan tsuba (they also are missing important details), the NBTHK default to a "Hoan" reading on these. This is not to disparage this group's work or your tsuba, though, Lex. These are really well-made pieces with a great deal of aesthetic merit, in my opinion. Their combination of acid-etching and sukidashi-bori achieves a beautiful effect. But the peculiar personality of Shodai Hoan is not present in these pieces. If you'd like to see a good example of one of these sword guards, let me know, and I can provide a link.

Before ploughing through this thread I too thought Ezo was a school or at least a place of production, however as suggested I went looking for references and so far find little mention of Ezo among the few kodogu references I have. There is however an entry in Fukunaga Suiken Senseis' Nihonto Daihyakka Jiten if I understand correctly he says; Ezo Koshirae - From the 14th century there was a thriving trade with the north, one in which all that was old or no longer in fashion was traded to the Ainu. Once into the Tokugawa period there were a number of rebellions and whichever Daimyo was successful in putting down the unrest won the rights to this trade. There was a caveat however imposed by the Bakufu and that was that no "Swords" or other weapons were to be traded. So there developed the practice of selling old koshirae with cracked, chipped, rusted or otherwise useless blades as tsunagi. At the time of the Haitorei many swords were sent north - there was a fad for swords in "silver" koshirae so enterprising sword shops in Edo took old blades and made them up in koshirae wrapped completely in copper sheet which was then "silvered". ( I am sure Ford will know what he means) In the Taisho period many of these were brought back by tourists enjoying tours of the exotic north. Naturally among these travellers were sword enthusiasts and they were shocked to find 1000 year old koshirae hanging untouched on the walls of the Ainu lodges! So there began a re-imporation of sorts with collectors buying old swords and fittings from "Ezo". There were early Mino and Early Goto items found, so much so people even theorized about an "Ezo Goto" school or that Yujo or some of his kin had been exiles. (He implies of course that we now know none of this to be true.) He describes two kinds of koshirae; one with no tsukaito and no tsuba often with a kodachi similarly outfitted but all looking very much like Kamakura era katana koshirae. The other wrapped all in silver with copper bands but make no mistake he says these were all made on Honshu. He also has an entry on Ezo menuki which is relevant; 磨り剝がした目貫 Surihagashita menuki also known as Shima-menuki. A style of menuki created by the Kyoto Umetada group around Kyoho (1716) - a base of shibuichi is "gilded" (Kinmekki) and then the high-points are sanded down revealing the base metal. As an example a gold mountain rubbed down would reveal a "snow capped" peak. In the Bakumatsu period the Edo Umetada group revived this type of menuki. (He says nothing here about Hokkaido or the Ainu) I also found in Haynes Catalog #3 pgs 13-15 and #9 pgs 168 and 169 several examples and he seems very careful to call these "Ezo" style. One description reads; "The base plate is a form of yamagane with a gun metal color. The gold is the usual heavy sheet both rubbed and carved from the surface. This type is classic for the school..." This describes a pair of menuki which he gives a very early date to, otherwise sounds a lot like what Fukunaga Sensei describes. I wonder if we havent misunderstood the appelation and these are more of a style than of a school or specific region? -t