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He was a professor of chemistry whom I always found fascinating, aside from his early website on Japanese swords. My passion for biology and chemistry has grown so much that I am now a tutor in these subjects.

丸形鉄地地透 – Round shape, iron base, open work 無銘尾張 – Mumei, Owari 昭和丁未年夏 – Showa Hinoto-Hitsuji year (1967), summer 寒山 - Kanzan

Date is Tenshō 4 = 1576 The "double-two" is intended to be a replacement for the character for "four" (四), because the word for four is a homonym for the word for death (shi), and is therefore considered bad luck and is often avoided in inscriptions.

It was made by 月山貞一 SADAKAZU (貞一), Genji (元治, 1864-1865), Settsu – “Gassan Unryūshi Sadakazu” (月山雲龍子貞一), “Naniwa ni oite Kinpō-jōhen Gassan Sadakazu kore o tsukuru” (於浪花金宝城辺月山貞一造之), “Gassan Sadakazu” (月山貞一), “Gassan Hayato Minamoto Sadakazu tsukuru”(月山隼人源貞一造), “Naniwa-jū Gassan Unryūshi Minamoto Sadakazu” (浪華住月山雲龍子源貞一), “Naniwa-jū Gassan Yagorō Sadakazu seitan hori-dōsaku” (浪華住月山弥五 郎貞一精鍛彫同作, “carefully forged and carvings engraved by Gassan Yagorō Sadakazu from Naniwa”), “Dainippon Gassan Sadakazu horimono-dōsaku” (大日本月山貞一彫物同作), real name Gassan Yagorō (月山弥五郎), he was born in the second month of Tenpō seven (天保, 1836) in the village of Sugoshi (須越) in Ōmi´s Inugami district (犬上), he was adopted by Gassan Sadayoshi (貞吉) at the age of seven and was appointed teishitsu-gigei´in (帝室技芸員) in Meiji 39 (明治, 1906), this rank was about the predecessor of the modern ningen-kokuhō and Sadakazu was besides of Miyamoto Kanenori (宮本包則) the only swordsmith who held this important rank, his gō were Kōkensai (光顕斎), Unryūshi (雲龍子), and Suiyūshi (水勇子), he died on July 11th 1918 at the age of 84, we know dated blades from the third year of Kaei (嘉永, 1850) – he was 15 years old at that time – until his year of death in 1918, that means he was about 70 years active as a swordsmith, he mastered all traditions and is considered together with Honjō Yoshitane (本荘義胤) and Kurihara Nobuhide (栗原信秀) as the greatest horimono artists of the bakumatsu and early gendaitō era, he also played an important role in the transmission of the craft of sword forging to the later gendaitō smiths, so some count Suishinshi Masahide as founder, and Gassan Sadakazu als last great master of the shinshintō, his blades have a rather long nagasa, a shallow sori, a wide mihaba, and a chū or an ō-kissaki, that means altogether a magnificent shape, but also some sugata in the style of the early Muromachi period are known, blades made during the Keiō era (慶応, 1865-1868) are especially large, he made many copies of kotō works and worked after the ban on wearing swords also for the military where more narrow and shorter blades were in demand, he forged the ayasugu-hada of the Gassan school, a masame of the Yamato tradition, or also a mokume, ko-mokume, or itame, the hamon is a beautiful chōji-midare in nioi-deki with a narrow yakihaba and long ashi in the style of the Ōei-Bizen school (応永備前), a ko-chōji-midare in ko-nie-deki, a chū-suguha-hotsure in the style of the Yamashiro tradition, or a gunome-midare with thick nie and nioi and plentiful hataraki in the style of the Sōshū tradition, the bōshi is maru, midare-komi or yakitsume, various horimono are known, for example dragons, dragon and a plum tree, ken-maki-ryū, waterfall, Fudō-Myōō, bonji and many more, all done very elaborate and skilful, some remind of horimono of Ikkanshi Tadatsuna (一竿子忠綱), his tangs are long and carefully finished, they have a kurijiri and sujikaiyasurime with keshō, during the Keiō and Meiji eras he signed with a characteristical koku´in, in Taishō five (1916) he forged a tachi on the occasion of the enthronement of emperor Yoshihito (嘉仁, 1879-1926), jōjō-saku。

One thing to bear in mind….. usually it is better to leave something unrestored than to restore it badly (that applies both aesthetically and financially) Bad restoration can leap at your eyes far more harshly than the consequences of the passing of time. Also be careful when using modern materials especially glues that do not allow a second chance.

That last one is a much better picture. It could indeed have been Heianjō - Masatoshi. The sword would validate the signature, but the inscription could plausibly be Masatoshi...a bit too degraded to say with confidence.

The mounts themselves appear to be original and of good quality, as you would expect with the Suya stamp. Suya Shoten was known to have supplied Koshirae for a number of Imperial clients, and Gassan Sadakazu was a Teishitsu Gigei-in. The blade itself is somewhat uninspiring for a Gassan work, but that could be the photos.

Sesson Shūkei (雪村周継 1504-1589) was a Muromachi Period Soto Zen monk and self-taught artist who is considered the most distinguished and individualistic talent among the numerous painters who worked in the style of Sesshū, the 15th-century artist considered the greatest of the Japanese suiboku-ga (“water-ink”) painters. The two are referred to as "Sesshū of the west, Sesson of the east". He studied the paintings of Shūbun (a suiboku-ga artist active in the first half of the 15th century) and later, from 1533, those of Sesshū and called himself Sesson Shūkei in tribute to the two masters. He worked in a dramatic style that generally accentuated idiosyncrasy, humor, and exaggeration in his approach to subjects, whether figural or landscape. This sansuiga (ink landscape painting) work is an excellent example of his almost calligraphic brushwork style. The boatmen are depicted in a sunset scene, but the foreground is indistinct, abstract, a bit ominous, and filled with yugen (mystery). He juxtaposes heavy black ink and different shades of grey wash. Although unsigned, the seal in this work is similar to one that appears in his self-portrait, which is a Japanese national treasure. Similar example Seal comparison

So blade was made pre great flood 1590-1591. Great help and blade. https://markussesko.com/2013/03/12/the-great-flood-of-the-yoshii-river/

Had my eye on this healthy Tametsugu. Then bidding exploded in the final 30 mins jumping from the starting bid of 1.6milJPY to 3.5milJPY. Tsuruta says it would benefit from a polish. Based on the photos the fine scratches are quite obvious. It appears to be a Mino period Tametsugu from what I can see. https://sword-auction.com/en/product/29871/as25689-katana-mumei-attributed-to-tametsugunbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-token/

i will say this, im bloody jelious of your photographic skills. i have been taking pics of swords for years and i wish mine was as good as yours.

Looks like your smith is Sugawara Kanenori. Made at age 84. May have to leave the rest to others…

Maedate is correct. The motif was simplified and adapted to the Tsuba shape, but if it is actually a kamon is in the eye of the beholder. After all those years I’m still fascinated by the way how tsubako used all sorts of motives to create an appealing composition in a small space.

For comparison:

G'day Guys, The mei looks pretty good. There are a couple of unusual things, but it is close enough that I can't immediately call it gimei without further study and better photos. During this period, there is quite a bit of variation in Gassan Sadakazu mei. Cheers, Bryce

This gives the impression of being a Sue-Seki blade (late Muromachi period, 16th century, Mino province). While I do think this is worthwhile to consider for restoration, the condition is not abhorrent and it appears that everything can be seen and appreciated for the most part. So, you may want to consider keeping it in its current condition.

Hi guys this was on katana I brought couple years ago. No signature though.

Not much in British museum in terms of Nihonto. There were one smaller size katana by Sukesada. Nice Mokumegane vase. Description was that it is inlay... hmmm. Wallace was nice but did not find any Nihonto. Nice museum thought. BM was chaotic.

Good morning NMB and Happy Friday! On offer today are two stunning sake bottles that perfectly capture the mystique of intense, long-duration wood firing. The first is a piece by Furutani Kazuya. The son of Furutani Michio, a legend whose untimely passing left a massive void in the world of wood firing, one which his son has since filled and then some. This bottle displays an almost unbelievable range of firing effects, a trademark of the family who literally wrote the book on modern anagama firing. As his late father said, if the kiln doesn’t fire the way you want it to, tear it down and start over - a collection of bricks, as it were. Kazuya is based in Shigaraki and categorizes his wares as such, however this work is what comes to mind when we think of Iga. The dark, scorched body due to the immense heat and long firing duration, thick ash glaze deposits ranging from moss green, to emerald and even some blue tones mixed in. Several large “dragonfly eyes” have formed where the glaze pools after running down the body, a highly sought after characteristic. This bottle measures 13cm tall by 10cm wide and holds a generous portion due to the bulbous form. In perfect condition and comes with its original box, cloth and paperwork as shown. Next up, a rare work by one of Japan's most groundbreaking potters. Kiyoko Koyama paved the way for women, who were traditionally not deemed worthy to participate in wood firing due to its physical demands. Her work is strong and dynamic, a reflection of her own personality that required the utmost resolve to achieve success. There are pages upon pages of information about her, and I recommend anyone interested in this piece, or Japanese pottery in general to do some reading on this once in a lifetime individual. This bottle is classic Shigaraki throughout, beautiful clay flavor is draped in a stunning array of natural ash glaze from the intense firing process, accented by areas of scorching - black, gray and purple tones where the heat became nearly unbearable. This piece features a wonderful kiln effect on the inner lip, a crack that formed during the firing process (pic 3) was subsequently filled in by molten ash glaze - a natural kintsugi, if you will. A perfect size for it's application, this bottle measures 14.5cm tall by 9.5cm wide and includes its original signed box and paperwork. Asking $220 each including shipping to the USA, or $400 for both. International buyers please contact me for a quote. Payment via PayPal friends and family is strongly preferred, but will accept Venmo if necessary. Thanks for looking!

Just came across this rather ornate hybrid of a gunto koshirae. It looks to be a kyu gunto-parade sabre mix. Has anyone seen something like this before? It has a supposed Gassan Sadakazu blade.

I wrote my opinion on that particular Tametsugu on another platform recently, my opinion might be bit controversial. Personally I am seeing obvious signs of mei removal and nakago seems to be repatinated, I would think this was originally a later katana. Of course for my data I will accept this as Tametsugu as NBTHK says so (I'll add note to myself though) but I would personally steer clear on a sword like this that I see as altered and problematic.

Tametsugu can get awfully nice in and of itself. If the below one ever shows up in public for 3.5 I will be the owner

I'd be quite surprised if that blade got Kaneuji or Yamato Shizu. His style appears to show more control of the hamon than is evident here. I could see it getting Naoe Shizu perhaps. But would that be an upgrade from Tametsugu?

Ah Miyamoto Kanenori. The date and age (84) are consistent. Should be fairly easy to compare other examples. I would guess it was shoshin.

I am hereby offering this nice Sukesada Katana with stunning hataraki, with NBTHK hozon papers. This blade is being reoffered because the blade was traded in for a different sword. Specifications: Nagasa (Blade Length): 67.0 cm Sori (Curvature): 1.8 cm Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.05 cm Width at Tip (Sakihaba): 2.25 cm Thickness at Base (Motokasane): 0.73 cm Thickness at Tip (Sakikasane): 0.51 cm Number of Peg Holes: 2 (ubu) Blade Description: A very nice Katana signed Bishū Osafune Sukesada, dated Tensho 4 (1576) – 8th month, accompanied by an NBTHK Hozon Certificate and fitted with a silver-covered copper habaki. The blade is constructed in shinogi-zukuri, with a high shinogi and low iori-mune, and a large kissaki. The steel surface is a tightly forged ko-itame, with flowing areas where the grain stands out. The blade is covered with good ji-nie, and the jigane is described as healthy. The hamon is a nioi-based complex gunome-midare, incorporating small gunome, notare, and small midare, with kinsuji working through the interior of the hamon. The hataraki is stunning, as can be seen in my images. Very nice blade to study hamon activity. The nakago is ubu. Condition Some scratches on the blade overall, as can be seen in the images. Some foraging imperfections on the blade, but it does not distract from the stunning hamon. Shirsaya has some slight splitting at the end, this can easily be solved with some rice glue. Price: €2250 Free shipping inside EU Shipping outside EU available for a small additional cost (€20–40) Shipped with UPS Express (or a different service at request), fully insured to full value. Located in the Netherlands – pickup possible Any questions are always welcome! There will be a donation made to NMB if the blade is sold through NMB.

Hello Steve, Thank you so much for the correction. I will now update the listing. Mistake on my end with the translation. Yes!

The upper part of the omote side is not taken in the pictures. I guessed the untaken characters in blue font. 能登守 – Noto no kami 帝室技藝員菅原包則八十四歳作 – Made by an Imperial Household Artist Sugawara Kanenori, 84 years old. 飯野吉三郎君 – Mr. Iino Kichisaburo 君万歳 – Long live you. 大正二年十二月吉日 – Taisho 2nd year (1913), a day in 12th month FYI: 飯野吉三郎 - Wikipedia

Hmm... so taking into account the cost of a polish and shinsa, someone's already pricing that as Juyo-grade Tametsugu. I do see some masame-like bands of sunagashi/yubashiri in the ha area and nagare in the shinogi-ji, and combined with the overall Mino look and the wildly active hamon, I'm guessing the buyer's punting on an upgrade to Shizu (or better) at Juyo shinsa. 75cm+ Juyo Shizu would definitely be a good investment for 3.5mil JPY + light polish to get the scratches out (and of course, if it goes to a higher smith than Shizu you're rolling in cash).

Some ones got a rare item. Imperial house hold army kyu. Possibly 1 of a kind

One category Tim missed, * Weird. I have changed my collection preference to Kawari-gata - this can of course involve most if not all of the other categories that Tim has listed.

Great piece . Have a look at Fuller and Gregory's write up on Imperial household swords

Kyu Gunto, signed Gassan Sadakazu.

Just added this great Japanese Cabinet to our collection. It is almost 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide. As with almost all shibayama items found it is missing some inlay. Does anyone know if anyone sells carved inlay items that maybe used to restore this? It is missing flowers, birds and a childs head. Howard Dennis

No, it dries like hard plastic. Not sticky or anything. The only risk would be getting some under a loose piece

Mick, whoever did those legs was seriously good. That is excellent restoration work of the highest quality (imo). They look original to me.

Kabuto/Maedate kamon? Kuwagata Kamon?

This scam site has been around for a long time. You click on a site (in this case skay.com.ua) and are redirected to their site then see an expensive blade at 50% off. A great deal! The problem is I already own it....wait....let me check my tanto kake......yep, still own it. https://whatdiscount.ru/product/286767908504 John C.

I first was thinking the bling was hurting your eyes, as it does many...but still I enjoy Inside is a very sturdy nambokucho blade with a length just a hair short of katana. The nakago is a keisho style o-suriage.

My Tomita Sukehiro is a sword with a flamboyant hamon. It has some scratches and would benefit from a polish. However there is a lot to be enjoyed without. Date: koki ni sen roppyaku ni nen gatsu (1942) Nagasa: 68,58 cm Sori: 1,27 cm Sukehiro was trained by his grandfather Kato Sanekuni and worked as a Rikugun Jumei Tosho during WW2. He was rated 1 million yen. This sword is in need of a New home. It is priced at €2100,-

Here is for sale something you don’t encounter every day, Nanbokuchō period naginata. As many might know ōdachi and naginata are my main thing in collecting and research. I am not too happy to sell this one as finding Nanbokuchō naginata is very difficult. However, I will try to save up towards something better so I need to let this one go. This is in no means a perfect piece and it has been shortened but it still remains as a naginata. It has few flaws which can be seen in pictures but also parts of this have quite nice workmanship and interesting activity in hamon. NBTHK has attributed this to Ko-Uda, and I would think this would be Nanbokuchō work. I believe this naginata has been shortened around 25 cm from its original blade length that would have been around 75 cm. As can be seen in the pictures the original naginata-hi is only on the nakago with soe-bi continuing small portion into current blade. I have really enjoyed owning a shortened naginata like this that is not a naoshi, these are quite rare to come by at this length of shortening. It is far more common to find slightly shortened ones. The NBTHK Hozon papers show the item as naginata and attribution to Ko-Uda. I am not that good in kantei as I don't focus on the smaller details that much, I prefer the bigger picture. However, I can understand how NBTHK went with this attribution. There is lots of interesting activity in the blade but I think the Ko-Uda attribution is fitting as this item might be lower quality in overall. There is also a piece of the item missing on the mune. It is about 2cm in size. I tend to think it could be battle damage but it is impossible to tell for sure. It could be someone dropped it to stone by accident in 1980's Japan etc. I know many dealers would tout battle damage view and I understand it in business field. I feel the picture with flaw shows also some blade details quite nicely, I am not really good photographer and only have my phone to take pictures. I would believe this one has lost the original shaft it has had and someone made this shirasaya style shaft for this. The saya is what I believe is called Raden, it has some pieces that have flaked off and it is in worn condition with small split near the tip area. Unfortunately, I don't think in this price range professional restoration would be feasible. It has two piece copper habaki, it is plated to make it golden color. Nagasa: 49,4 cm Sori: 2,2 cm Motohaba: 3,1 cm Motokasane: 5mm Nakago: 42,5 cm Weight: 865 grams (blade) Tsuka: 87 cm Total: 127,5 cm In saya: 130 cm In overall I think this is interesting item. Definitely this is not the best item out there but I think it is a cool very old naginata, and they are hard to find. I've been tracking them down when they appear for 10+ years now. I tried to put some interesting images in the sales ad. I do have lots of more on my computer and I can take any pictures that are wanted. I needed to reduce the size of pictures a lot to forum, here is a link to a dropbox with full sized pictures. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/uoojaq9z0u2sukoingnky/AFdEMoQUVW2_45g-rHbXdws?rlkey=1fmzk5iuusccggb3rb2w1h2ha&dl=0 I would prefer bank transfer as the method but can also accept PayPal. Message me and I will check the postage costs to you. One thing that is needed that I can send 150 cm package to your country by Finnish Post. Price: 3000€

Sorry to hear of Dr. Stein’s passing. I definitely enjoy his work. I’ve been reading JSI and NMB for years.

Here is one of Ford’s early works from my collection. I cannot recall when I bought this from him. It’s one of the most tactile tsuba I own and has beautiful and playful subject. Its made of iron but carved as finely as it it were soft metal as was his rare talent. best regards Michael

Still terribly missed, except to see him committing in the cat thread

What news... Indeed a monumental loss, he's contributed so much over the decades. Thank you Rich and RIP.

Sad news. His Japanese Sword Index website is what got me started down the road of Nihonto. I also purchased a few items from him; what a great guy! RIP Rich.

Very sad to hear, we all have learned so much from him over the years. His site was the first stop for many of us back in the early 2000's. It will continue to educate many others for decades to come.

That's a terrible news. The JSI is probably the website I've used the most during my searches. He contributed a lot to this community. RIP Rich

Aye, he brought a lot to the forum, going to miss that a lot. A real gent, always friendly.

Its previous owner did so! because of his ignorance! and I have suggested repurchasing it in this condition! It is on its way to me now! The above photos were taken from previous owners