Leaderboard

Relief!!!! All is ok, I have confirmation it is a case of severe technical issues!! @Spartancrest will be back in due course!! My mind is at ease, really been missing Dale!!

I'd like to announce and thank our members who are going to be assisting us with moderating certain sections. I think it will benefit us all to have more eyes on the forum, and these people have graciously offered to assist with this task. I'll still be looking for one or 2 people to assist with the Izakaya, but finding impartial and fair people who won't take a side is understandably difficult. It's also not something I wish on anyone, but we do need one or 2 people there. Jean will continue to moderate over all sections as before, being the main moderator. The following sections will be assisted with moderation by the following members: General Nihonto Related Discussion: @Scogg (Sam) Translation Assistance: @Ray Singer and @Bugyotsuji (Piers) Auctions and Online Sales: @Scogg Nihonto: @Scogg Tosogu: @Curran Katchu: @uwe Military Swords: @Bruce Pennington and @Scogg Tanegashima: @Bugyotsuji Other Japanese Arts: @Bugyotsuji Sword Shows and Community News: @Mark For Sale/WTB: @Scogg Izakaya: TBA Thanks to these members, please grant them respect, thanks and best wishes.

Dear All. Very pleased to have received this one in the post today, much better in hand than the rather sketchy photographs would indicate. The patina appeared washed out in the photographs but is a lovely deep brown, there are scattered silver and shakudo inlays of shells on the carved wave background and the obligatory dragons and sacred gems. I have long fancied to add one like this to my collection but assumed they would be forever out of reach. Somehow this one slipped through the auction net and is now mine, just wanted to share it with you as I know some here are interested in this school. Enjoy! All the best.

Swords from the Kasama Shigetsugu Mon: 於相武台下歓喜入道昭秀作之 "Made by Kangi nyūdō Akihide, in Sōbudai 1943" 酒井一貫斎繁正彫同作 "Sakai Ikkansai Shigemasa, at the request of Iwate Takeshi 1943" 塚越繼延 三代川英雄所持"Tsukagoshi Tsugunobu for Hideo Sanyogawa/Miyokawa 1944"

Well here it is. 14 3/8 inches long. Of joy. It was polished by the great Woody Hall. I had some people give there opinion. And after some research. I think it maybe an Nakayama Ikkansai Yoshihiro. Well thats what I hope.

It is also possible that the gaku-mei was false (it had a gimei inscription) and the mei was removed while the plate was left inlaid into the nakago.

Paul was incredibly generous, and would often invite friends to examine his treasures in hand. He was also generous about loaning pieces for sword study events. With a collection like his, it was a considerable effort to pull out all his amazing pieces to share. I was fortunate to be invited to his home, and to bring a Japanese American engineer friend. On that occasion also present was the late Professor Arnold F, among the kindest and most sophisticated men in this field, who with Paul's permission brought another friend. Paul had prepared for this visit by having all his best pieces laid out, including his impressive matchlock collection. He and his wife hosted us all for dinner. They went to a great deal of effort to create this opportunity for us. Paul spent a lifetime carefully studying nihonto, honestly and generously sharing what he knew and what he found. Hearing Paul describe the process of purchasing the Norishige tanto, with other interested parties trying to convince him it was a gimei piece he was crazy to throw his money at, was by itself a fascinating treat. He trusted his own judgment, while at the same time realizing his judgment was fallible. Also memorable was how Paul would happily admit to being much impressed with some swords that Tanobe Michihiro would dismiss as completely unworthy of a man with Paul's exceptional collection. Paul never lost his enthusiasm for nihonto, or his generous spirit towards others who shared his interest. Paul's loss is a great loss for all who were fortunate to know him, and to our field of interest. He was an amazing and modest man, who patiently built a truly incredible collection. We can only hope that some of his treasures are acquired by people who possess Paul's generous spirit of sharing this art.

Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Katana Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Bizen (no) Kuni Junin Ichiryushi Nagamitsu Kore O Kinzo (備前国住人一龍子長光謹造之), Showa Mizunoto Hitsuji Sai Go Gatsu Hi(昭和癸未歳五月日) Papered or not and by whom? : not necessary Era/Age : Showa May 1943 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Koshirae Nagasa/Blade Length : 66,5 cm Sori : 12,5 mm Hamon Type : Choji-Midare mit Ashi in Nioi Deki Jihada : Itame Other Hataraki Visible : - Flaws : nothing Sword Location : Germany Will ship to : Europe and US Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal Price and Currency : 4500€ Other Info and Full Description : Hello Gendaito lovers, since a new door has been opened for me and I am taking the chance, I have to sell this rare Gendaito by Ichirhara Nagamitsu with date. I don't need to write much about the smith here. More infos here: https://japaneseswordindex.com/naga.htm This is a great blade and I hope someone takes the opportunity. The price is very fair. A Nagamitsu with BoHi, long Mei and date is hard to find.

Ok, enough of this. For the record, I asked no-one for any information about anyone. The idea that I "prompted" anyone to ask for info is just a flat out lie. This forum requires people to use a real first name, and we accept that people are who they say they are. Of course there are many posting under pseudonyms. Many with second accounts for various reasons, some of them valid, some for deception. The software tells me most of these duplicate accounts, and most I leave unless there is an issue. No...using a VPN won't fool the software, there are 4 methods it checks. Anyways, people are entitled to their opinions. But those that cause disruption here usually don't last long. Some we tolerate, some reach my limit and are removed. I've been more than tolerant with some insults I've been sent. This thread is a train wreck, and not worth continuing. So another one for the lock. If anyone does care...do I think "Dee" is who she says she is? Not a chance. Do I think "she's a she?" Nope. But I can live with that. Do I think "she" is in the USA? The software says no. Are there other accounts linked to this one...yip. In fact, the software says "she's" in Japan. Go figure. Take that as you wish.

Remember that If Tanobe-sensei didn't agree with the mei, he would not have made the Sayagaki. The mei varies, has distinct phases through the smith's career, and Tanobe wrote extensively on the smith in the past. In fact, he's singlehandedly push the the frontiers of knowledge on Ko-Osafune substantially. So you are good. That said, it's absolutely the good approach to analyze it for yourself. That's how one learns. You are dealing here with one of the unicorns of Nihonto. There is a grand total of 29 zaimei Mitsutada tachi. Out of these, 13 can be legally exported out of Japan. Out of the 13 that can be exported, half are going to be locked up permanently in museums or whale collectors that intend on creating museums. So that leaves about 7 Mitsutada Tachi. Out of these 7 that are not in quasi-permanent lock-up, probably 2 are closer to the early style of Nagamitsu and hence late work or even Daimei, and 2 other are likely in Ko-bizen den. They are all wonderful and important, across all style. That said, If you're looking for the archetype Osafune Mitsutada, you can count them on the fingers of your hand, at best. This one is close to the zaimei archetype, which is on the quiet side, with less of a Ko-Kyomono kitae. The mumei archetypes are the super flamboyant ones with Kawazuko choji and Ko-Kyomono jihada that is at the level of Awataguchi, plus prominent midare utsuri to top it all. It feels midway into his transition from Ko-Bizen to his prime style, with still some Ko-Bizen vibes and executed of ko-nie, with lots of gunome and activities such as Kinsuji and tobiyaki. Of course, it was more flamboyant out of the forge, and lost some width, the shape of its kissaki went on the chu-side of things, and overall it's fair to say that part of its shape, due to polishing and repairs, was diminished somewhat. Remember that it's 750 years old so, it's a miracle that it is the way it is, still. The jihada has taken a hit as a result and it's not representative of his skill, but it must have been lustrous back in its glory days. Is it the amongst the best? No. but is it a legitimate Mitsutada? yes. Is still a good sword and important sword, including as a historical reference? No doubt. It's also better in hand than in the photos. At 20M yen it's the lowest priced legitimate Mitsutada tachi. The gravitational pull of Ladder theory is exerting its influence on the price. Pass Juyo? Absolutely, one day, no question. Maybe this year, maybe in five years, maybe ten, but it will pass. I think there are worst Mitsutada at Juyo than this one. Now, there is an oscillation at the NBHTK between "all mastermiths go juyo automatically" and "let's have some differentiation and make TH meaningful for mastersmiths also" - it just ebbs and flows, and patience is certainly required. Good sayagaki don't have a 'causal' impact on Juyo. In fact, according to some, it irks the judges. There are people that deliberately submit without Sayagaki. Now, it could also be a superstition and the effect is neutral, or even positive. But it's not strong. Does it correlate highly with Juyo? Yes, for obvious reason. But then again Tanobe-sensei focuses on the best aspects of the sword in his Sayagaki, it's not easy to ascertain what a truly positive sayagaki is or isn't, there are clear cases sure, but there is also a grey-zone. That's just the way of things and It's normal. He must have been very happy to see this piece, as he's been assiduously collecting all known signatures in his studies. He wrote a long sayagaki, because its a topic that interest him deeply. Very rare, very precious.

Nothing unusual, the nakago has been completely re-shaped/filed down during the suriage/machi-okuri process. The line you see on the nakago is where the re-filing stops to preserve the mei, you’ll see this every now and then. Actually unusual is the migaki, or lack of migaki in the shinogi-ji… bizarre. https://eirakudo.shop/999434

Hi Bruce, It occurred to me that I could perhaps save a bit of time in future by knocking up a crib sheet for the alternative forms for numbers and I thought I may as well share. I got the information from Jisho, the on-line Japanese dictionary so it's as good as the information available there and may not be comprehensive: 1. - 壱 2. 弐 or 貮 or 貳 3. 参 or 弎 4. 肆 or 亖 5. 伍 6. 陸 7. 漆 or 柒 8. 捌 9. 玖 10. 拾 100. 陌 or 佰 1000. 阡 or 仟 10,000. 萬

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

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.

Yes, I'm aware there was a themes hiccup, and some may have been set back to the default theme. If you used another theme, just select it again in your settings or below the forum. Was doing some maintenance, and had an issue. In the next few months, we will likely update to a brand new software version, which will be exciting and offer many new features, but there will be some changes (shudder, you guys don't handle change well) but there will be plenty of advantages. In the meantime, one thing that will definitely change is that you will need to login with your registration email address as username, not your current display name. But this is a while away, so you don't need to do anything now. But prepare by checking in your profile what email address you use, so that you are prepared. This is a standard thing where all forums are going, due to the fact that publicly displayed usernames make hacking much easier, as they are readily visible. By using emails (which are not visible to anyone) you add a layer of security. I'll be updating the news over the next few months, but no need to panic now. All remains the same.

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

Gassaku work by Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu and Kato Masayoshi in March 1944. Masayoshi forged the blade and Shigetsugu tempered the blade, which is the hardest part of sword making. Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu was a leading swordsmith, so it must have been a great honor for Kato Masayoshi to have received this lesson from a smith outside his "own group". Itame and Masame Hada with Nie, wild Choji-Midare Hamon. Kantei-sho origami. Shirasaya and Type 98 Koshirae in hight quality.

After a long and patient wait, I have just acquired my first tsuba in the composition of the Jesuit IHS Slanting Rays of Light (Shakoh) or Sacrifice for the Christian Faith (Kirishitan Ikenie). This is not a tokei tsuba (why would samurai and bushi adorn their swords with fittings depicting clock gears?). Here is my summary of this tsuba.

Generally, the ashes are put in an urn. There is a space to store the urn under the tomb. The constructions of tombs are varied. The attached image shows some examples. You might need a mason to open/close the tomb and to waterproof.

I don't think the kissaki was reshaped. I think its the original kanmuri-otoshi style. The origami doesn't mention any reshaping of the kissaki. In the section under the heading "nakago", it notes that the butt-end of the tang was cut off and is now "kuri-jiri" style. I don't think this sword would be designated Juyo if the kissaki were altered. It is still called "ubu" because the machi have not been significantly altered. I'd just note to Nathaniel not to expect consistency in sword or tosogu terminology, especially with these earlier papers. It's maddening, but one learns to live these oddities.

Just saw this...sorry to Brian...I know how he feels. About filling the needs of NMB, I agree, the proposed moderators and the dividing up of the sections and tasks seems the best solution. I my case, thank you for the confidence shown to me . I am here to help contribute to gendaito/gunto matters if needed but must say that I am afraid I am about past my 'use-by' date as a moderator . I am definitely no longer on top of any technological needs for being useful on this board, I think I am really just here for giving advice and assisting as I always have as a contributing member. Thanks guys, but I can't moderate.......I'm sure you will fill the gaps as necessary as there is plenty of talent among you all.

For sale Ko-wakizashi from Hasebe school Blade passed Juyo 50 Details of the blade from setsumei Measurements nagasa 31.4 cm, sori 0.6 cm, motohaba 2.9 cm, nakago-nagasa 9.0 cm, only very little nakago-sori Description Keijo: hira-zukuri, mitsu-mune, wide mihaba sunnobi, thin kasane, shallow sori Kitae: rather standing-out itame that is mixed with mokume and nagare-masame and that features plenty of ji-nie and chikei Hamon: nie-laden and wide notare with a wide and overall rather subdued nioiguchi that is mixed with gunome, ashi, yō, kinsuji, sunagashi, and along the fukura with tobiyaki, yubashiri, and muneyaki, making this area tend to hitatsura Bōshi: on the omote side notare with a ko-maru-kaeri and hakikake at the very tip and on the ura side midare-komi with a ko-maru-kaeri which runs back in a long fashion and connects with the muneyaki Nakago: ubu, shallow kurijiri, katte-sagari yasurime, two mekugi-ana, mumei Explanation Together with the Nobukuni (信国) School, the Hasebe (長谷部) School is regarded as the most representative lineage of Yamashiro smiths of the Nanbokuchō period. Outstanding masters from this school were Kunishige (国重) and Kuninobu (国信) who focused on a hitatsura, an interpretation that emerged at that time, but also worked like here in a midareba that bases on a notare that is mixed with gunome. This wakizashi is ubu and mumei and was handed down as work of the Hasebe School. Only the area along the fukura tends to hitatsura, but is still not a full hitatsura, the composition of the ha however with prominent notare, the jigane showing a tendency towards masame, and the very thin kasane do represent the characteristic features of the Hasebe School. Supplied with shirasaya Shipped from Slovakia Price: 24k EUR (includes shipping within continental EU) + PP fee

Hi everyone, I enjoyed watching this video as it's well researched and puts the Shin Gunto into a clear historical context. I thought others here might also like it. Dee Reclaiming the Sword - The Story of the Shin Gunto - YouTube

@george trotter 陸軍主計中尉 Army Paymaster/Accounting First Lieutenant 势(Ikioi)IJA Unit Designation=2nd Army(第2軍） 第八移動xxx（ 8th Mobile xxxUnit），it's possible 第8野戦憲兵隊 8th Field Military Police Unit.

鐔縁頭小柄 – Tsuba, Fuchi-Kashira, Kozuka 銘□　知昆 – Mei: Tomoyasu 素銅地　枝葉毛彫 – Suaka-ji, Leaves and branches, Kebori 鐔　長丸形　竪弐寸弐分　横壱寸九分 – Tsuba: Oval shape, Long axis 2-sun 2-bu, Short axis 1-sun 9-bu 縁　刃宗　壱寸弐分五厘 – Fuchi: Long axis 1-sun 2-bu 5-rin 頭　刃宗　壱寸壱分五厘 – Kashira: Long axis 1-sun 1-bu 5-rin 小柄　長サ　参寸弐分五厘 – Kozuka: Length 3-zun 2-bu 5-rin 右正作也 – These items are genuine. 昭和丗年七月七日 – Showa 30th year, 7th month, 7th day 草堂 – Sodo

As a reminder, I had received a blade that was pretty badly bent (pic 1 with reference lines). There was also a noticeable gap visible between the guard and the saya (pic 2) due to the guard being bent and twisted. I decided to go ahead and try to straighten the blade and guard. The result was that it was far easier than I thought it would be (see pics 3 and 4 with reference lines). After disassembly, I clamped the blade into a vise with blocks of wood for support (sorry, no pics of the naked bent blade and guard). I used very gentle pressure and was able to straighten the blade fairly well. Seems like the metal is rather malleable. I then put the guard in the vise and, using duct tape covered pliers, straightened the twisted and bent guard. Note the gap is no longer there (see pic 5). All in all, a successful attempt. John C.

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.

Dear members, as I regularly hold seminars on forging knives and tools, I thought it might possibly interest some of the esteemed members to try their hands on forging their own TSUBA from historic bloomery iron (ca. 300 years old, quite similar with TAMAHAGANE). I have prepared a leaflet (funny enough, it is called "flyer" in colloquial German ) with basic information which you will find in the attachment. I would appreciate any feedback, interest and suggestions. TSUBA forging workshop 2025.doc

Yesterday, the Japanese Consul General officially opened our display of samurai art here in Melbourne, at the Box Hill RSL. It was a special event, having it attended by a Japanese Government representative was great. The RSL really have done a fantastic job hosting our display.

Maybe you need to tell people you are a beginner and ask for gentleness before you pose your question.(?) e.g. “Genuine question here, but…” etc. For example your question above, after a sale has gone through, might seem to be a subtle criticism, throwing doubt at the seller as if you know more than them. When people are confused by your motivation in asking the question, they might chose a confused face.

I’ve “built” a set of sengu armour (that fits me 😁) from scratch and learned loads along the way. Photos at attached

Good post, Glen. Thanks for this. Yes, the Low-Crossbar smith was undoubtedly part of the early group of Yamakichibei smiths, well predating the Sakura Yamakichibei smith by as much as half a century. The daisaku/daimei phenomenon associated with the Low-Crossbar smith, though, clearly (to me) locates him later in the Momoyama Period to earliest-Edo period. These daisaku/daimei guards carry a definite Low-Crossbar mei, which differs sharply in many ways from that of Yamasaka Kichibei or of the Meijin-Shodai. This daisaiku/daimei phenomenon is culturally and temporally consistent with social evolutions in craft "factories" that emerged and grew after the dawn of the 17th century. The huge quantity and relatively low(er) quality of these Low-Crossbar-signed daisaku/daimei works is in keeping with the kind of production we would expect to see out of a higher-volume/output "factory" context. Since there are FAR more of these Low-Crossbar daisaku/daimei tsuba extant than all other Yamakichibei sword guards combined, we cannot logically locate their production time to the beginning of the Yamakichibei atelier. The actual Low-Crossbar master's workmanship is much superior to what we see in even the best daisaku/daimei tsuba, but the Low-Crossbar smith's guards are notably distinct from either the Meijin-Shodai's or Yamasaka Kichibei's. The difference between Low-Crossbar work and that of the Meijin-Shodai, in particular, is rather stark. Low-Crossbar work is often more overtly dramatic and bold, featuring plate work (tsuchime and finishing) that is significantly more pronounced than the Meijin-Shodai's, whose plates are usually relatively quiet and reserved (for a Yamakichibei work, that is). See images below. The large mokko tsuba is a Low-Crossbar piece; the other two (with the long-eared rabbits or dragonflies motif, and then with the suhama motif, respectively) feature plates whose expression is more subdued, but still resonant with strength, of course. As for the actual Shodai, this would undoubtedly be Yamasaka Kichibei. There can be no logical dissent here. It simply would not be done -- and would not even be conceivable, culturally, really -- for a later Yamakichibei smith to be audacious enough to ADD another character to the already-established Yamakichibei art name, when that art name had been decided by a different (would-be founding) smith. Moreover, the workmanship and design choices seen in Yamasaka works and then in works by the Meijin-Shodai show a clear and strong relationship between them, much more so than in any would-be relationship between Yamasaka and the Low-Crossbar master. The frequent use of kuruma-sukashi designs, additionally, locates them as contemporaneous with the Nobuiye smiths and with Kawaguchi Hoan, as all four of these smiths -- working in Kiyosu in Owari Province -- would have been in "design dialogue" with one another, as, in keeping with Japanese traditions, craftsmen in the same field often lived in the same neighborhood. Meanwhile, of the many Low-Crossbar pieces I've seen, there have been no kuruma-sukashi works, even by the daisaku/daimei workers. Evidently, that vogue had passed by the time of the Low-Crossbar smith. Even the Nidai Yamakichibei was scarcely making such kuruma-sukashi pieces: I have seen only one such piece by him in all the time I've been focused on this group. While none of the above may amount to "hard factual evidence," and may indeed be "only" a theory, I honestly do not see any other theory that does have merit. The Low-Crossbar-smith-as-Shodai theory does not have any merit, in my view. The evidence for it is so weak that it does not stand up to even the most casual scrutiny. This said, it is clear, as I stated to begin with (and echoing you, Glen), that the Low-Crossbar smith is indeed a part of the early Yamakichibei atelier, and that works by him are not "gimei" as the Shinsa results would have it. I am amused, actually, by the dynamic that explains why Low-Crossbar works may be papered (implicitly) as Shodai: the work is so good that it simply cannot be fake, yet the signature differs radically from that of the Meijin-Shodai. Rather than recognizing the obvious (the original understanding of the Yamakichibei group is wrong), they instead contrive the notion that the Meijin-Shodai changed his signature in all these different ways. Such "understandings" do a great disservice to tsuba scholarship. Low-Crossbar Yamakichibei. Mokkogata. Bird-and-kama motif. Meijin-Shodai Yamakichibei. Nagamarugata. Long-eared rabbit or dragonfly motif. Meijin-Shodai Yamakichibei. Mutsu Mokkogata. Suhama motif.

Should be working, deadline approaching, but just a small update. Not too long ago I had a chance to purchase a tanto in nice koshirae. A now-you-see-it-now-you-don't kind of auction setting. (I was saving to buy a second car, but when I boldly told her, the wife exploded, ...so I had a secret little down-payment stashed away.) Whenever this happens my friends usually laugh and warn me not to spend any further cash on it, such as a polish, and/or a tsunagi and shirasaya. Still, I like to add something positive to a blade if possible, but I usually end up letting the fish go on its merry way, taking a loss into the bargain. I always learn a little something, and with burnt fingers I take another long break. This time too I was reminded firmly that there is no point sending good money after bad. "And whatever you do, do NOT show it to your Sensei or the people at the local NBTHK meetings." Well, on Sunday I went to the monthly meeting and asked quietly about the possibility of getting a shirasaya made. To me it is a quiet, unpretentious blade, with little to see. This time, however, the reaction was quite strong. "Definitely spend money on this one!" my Sensei said. The Togishi had a look and he too was impressed. "A rare blade!" he commented. It's a mumei So-Shu Masahiro wakizashi (or sun-nobi tanto) of just over 30 cm. Second half of Namboku Cho. Tokubetsu hozon, NBTHK. They didn't even write 'den' before Masahiro. No photos as it's away at the Shirasaya-Shi. Just debating whether a gentle polish might bring up the hataraki, or more shingane. This time will it be a keeper? And the moral of the story is... well, wodja reckon?

My all time favorite

The blade and hilt is from a Type 95 Military Sword while the scabbard is from a mass produced Type 100 Sword. Sometime in fiscal year 1943, Nagoya Arsenal started mass producing the Type 100. They were made in large numbers and production even exceeded that of the Type 95. The veteran removed the scabbard retaining assembly from the handle so that the scabbard would slide all the way to the crossguard. The Type 95 locking latch protrudes beyond the crossguard and would prevent the scabbard from closing all the way. This sword is the earliest known Type 95 from Nagoya Arsenal with an unfullered blade. 関202446 Fullered blade. 関203348 Unfullered blade. Thanks for sharing Dev and good luck with the sale.

Very nice find, Geraint, very good condition as well.. Here is my tsuka:

Ura side....

Gimei is gimei and that's that. "nihonto-museum" is no valuable reference at all. And yes: Guido is a real character, always was. Sadly enough he is not able to participate anymore. As for you , "Dee", I have my doubts who you really are. Playing the "Lady-bonus" here for somebody else ? reinhard

Hi Alex, Try Tobiguchi.

A simple "OH! Haven't seen that thread" would sufice. Nothing I like better than hoping to read about swords, then spend the rest of the morning reading people arguing.

In fact, Piers, with your profound knowledge of armour, teppo, language, the Japanese culture and elegant, polite manner, I think you will be one of the best moderators ever…. In fact, you will elevate the role and discourse, if I may say so. And after all, keeping control of us all will not be dissimilar to your teaching career and managing unruly hotheaded youngsters.

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.

Excited to share my first ever kozuka in my collection as up until now I've only ever collected tsuba or fuchigashira... Also my first Yanagawa piece. This kozuka features a tanuki staring at the moon and whilst it is not papered, it appears to be signed Yanagawa Naomitsu (kao). Picture and mei comparison image for reference below. Any experts on Yanagawa school? Thoughts?

忠綱 – Tadatsuna 昭和十八年十二月 – Showa 18th year (1943), 12th month

As with all antiques, you should buy what you like as you well may end up being the proud owner for a while. If something really sings and resonates with you chances are it will with others and should still be salable down the road. Buying purely with the idea you’ll be able to sell for same price or “worse” profit can lead to disappointment, can’t go wrong getting things you love. Doug

Sorry Stephen, but I am going to chip in here, because I think it is important other voices are heard on this topic. I agree with @Hokke and @Natichu. The internet (and wider world) is a rather different place than it was 20 years ago - does it even matter if someone uses a different name, gender, or profile picture? Suppose for a brief moment that Dee is indeed Dee, what on earth does this make us all look like? This thread seems to have strayed from the normally friendly and educational environment I really like about this forum (Not to say that fraudulent selling isn't a big problem - it is, but such scrutiny shouldn't apply to people just being regular members of this forum IMHO)

Yahoo!オークション - 珍品希少 自在/絡繰金具の象...

That greenish-blue ito wrap was popular for civilian swords. See my comment below about these swords, many of which got drafted during the war. Inherited Sword, looking for help Identifying maker.

As noted above looks to be (in Sesko) .... KANENAO (兼直) , real name Ishihara Kanenao (石原金直), born May 25th 1908, he studied under Amachi Suzuichi (天地鈴市) and worked as a guntō smith. He was from Gifu, Kamo-gun, Tomioka-mura (Mia-ji). Looks to have made both Showato and gendaito. Has blades with Seki and Sho-sakura stamps. Oshigata show mei of: Ishihara Kanenao saku (Seki); Seki Ju Ishihara Kanenao saku (Sho); Noshu Osugi Ju Ishihara Kanenao saku (Seki) [Osugi 大杉 maybe a village]. But looks like your blade was remounted is older fittings. There is also another Kanenao (in 1940 record: KANENAO Yasu Kyoichi (兼直　那須　京一) also in Kamo-gun, Tomioka, but probably another village. But no other record of him.

Not sure if I have posted this before. John C.