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SOLD! With donation made to the board. Will archive in a day or two. Thanks to the buyer, and to those who showed interest, All the best, -Sam

From the markings found on Type 95 swords and other gunto, it can be observed that many sword shops holding military contracts used marks consisting of a cherry blossom outer border combined with their own symbol or abbreviation. The Nakano Shoten mark appearing here, along with the anchor mark within a cherry blossom, indicate that this was an order connected to the 水交社 (Naval Officers’ Club).

I had this issue once with the Feds. The rayskin was not mentioned on the import paperwork and Wildlife officers in the CBP office threatened to destroy the whole package. I actually told them to keep the koshirae and send me just the shirasaya and the blade. They said they couldn't. The matter was resolved one the dealer supplied paperwork about the same wrap. But it was nerve-racking. Another potential area for big trouble are the little ivory adornments to the shirasaya. Those can end up getting the package impounded and ultimately destroyed. I have them removed by dealers in Japan before shipping and I have them replaced with black horn or fake ivory when they arrive. That said I have stopped ordering from Japan because of so many shipping headaches and the tariffs, which might be behind us soon. At least, I hope so!

1 old Japanese tachi available. This fine tachi would make an important addition to any collection. This 17th Century tachi is adorned with extraordinary kinzogan (gold inlay) fittings. The tsuka has a fine leather wrap instead of silk. The large iron tsuba has stamped designs. The blade is papered by the NBTHK. This suriage tachi is attributed to Echizen Kanenori. The paper was issued Oct. 14, 2022. There are 4 mekugi-ana in the nakago. The blade nagasa is 26.7 inches (67.8 cm). Additional photos available. CONDITION: This old Japanese tachi sword is in perfect polish. Included in this package is the original tachi koshirae with wood tsunagi, and shirasaya. $7500 obo (plus shipping). shipping available to anywhere in the world --Matthew Brice https://stcroixblades.com/product/old-Japanese-tachi-sword-antique-samurai-nihonto-nbthk-paper/

As stated in my first post, I am not the owner of the sword. I'm trying to help the owner get a little more info, on what I think, is an interesting sword. If it matters, I saw a thread, not on WAF, but on WMF, he didn't get much response or knowledge. I asked to see some more photos, said I thought he had a good 14th cent, blade and offered to post it here to help him out. The owner is a militaria collector as I was, I was accustomed to sharing knowledge with others and helping when I could. I feel like that is being "active " in the learning process of a hobby. Which is the case here. Jeff

Hi Yonie, welcome to the forum. There is a useful instructional video on how to remove the Tsuka, make sure the small peg is removed and go slow without using excessive force.

Hi, I phoned Czerny’s, and they explained that shipping antique items abroad from Italy requires permission from the Ministry of Culture, regardless of whether the destination is inside or outside the European Community. So don’t worry, it’s just the Italian bureaucracy...

Hi Dan, I think you mean 'mitsu'

Thank you for those insights, Alex. In the very little research I have conducted on this particular item, I came across the notion that there is a subtle connection between the poem's use of "mist" imagery and the smoke rising from the pipe. Fits with the artistic sensibilities your were noting. A lot going on here, to say the least. John C.

Great pipe. Plainly Japanese by virtue of execution. A very Chinese subject, yes, but as others have noted, in East Asia, all roads lead to China. I think the piece provides a nice opportunity to talk about the intriguing artistic trend it falls into, because it is an excellent example of a distinctly East Asian material aesthetic. A great deal of its beauty comes not merely from its form, but from its surface finish and “maturation” (aging, like a fine wine) through time, care, handling, and use. The coloration seen here, warm copper-browns, amber-black transitions, tea-toned lacquer hues, is part of a palette long prized in East Asian decorative arts. One sees the same shades in smoked bamboo tea utensils, rubbed walnut bracelets, old lacquerware, tiger-eye beads, darkened bronze, polished deer antler, and centuries-old furniture. They seem to evoke an aroma of autumn, smoke, earth, tea, resin, and slow oxidation - they are organic, “living” colors that speak to an artistic philosophy where time becomes a collaborator. This sensibility is deeply rooted in Chinese academic and literati culture, especially the traditions surrounding 文玩 (wenwan), the appreciation of scholar’s objects whose surfaces evolve through repetitive touch and care. In this worldview, objects are not considered complete at the moment of manufacture, rather, they gradually mature and are “nourished” by human contact. Oils from the skin, exposure to smoke, incense, tea vapors, friction from cloth, humidity etc all contribute to the development of 包浆 (baojiang): the mellow, lustrous patina prized by collectors. This concept certainly crossed over into Japan from China together with the wider genre of art, I propose as a sort of “way of seeing” or way of “appreciating” these objects to a greater degree. You get more bang for your buck from the thing if you’re encouraged to fixate, fiddle and baby it. The idea that the object becomes richer, darker, softer, and more spiritually intimate over time, as one invests one’s care and attention into it, is admittedly an alluring albeit romantic idea for me. There are even certain strict handling customs and beliefs associated with this “genre”, if you will, from the perspective of a purist. Discussing the topic with Chinese aficionados, it was noted several times to me that these sorts of objects are exclusively male oriented and should under no circumstances be handled by women, nor enter a bathroom or wash area. Although many of these artistic sensibilities originated in China, Japan absorbed and transformed them through centuries of cultural exchange. Chinese influence, especially during the Tang dynasty, profoundly shaped early Japanese court culture, artistic imagery, decorative vocabulary, Buddhism, and material arts. Over time, Japan cultivated its own parallel sensibilities, especially through concepts such as shibui, sabi, and wabi, which favor subdued richness over brilliance and quiet depth over overt display. This pipe reflects this genre wonderfully. Its artistry lies in tactility, atmosphere, and accumulated human presence. One undeniably romantic truth is this: following the notion that handling improves such an object, it is accurate to say that through years of touch and companionship, the connoisseur owner does in fact become part of the object’s final finish.

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that a shingunto enroute to me from Japan has been stolen from the USPS Chicago Distribution Center on April 20, 2026. The package left US Customs on April 20 at 9.16am, and into the USPS Chicago Distribution Center. Progress with the delivery stopped after that, and the USPS isn't able to find my package after over a week. What's ironic is that this sword was ordered before the Trump tariffs of April 2025, and was stuck in Japan due to EMS being down for the last year. So I've been waiting for it since then, and my first sword delivery since EMS resumption gets stolen at USPS. So, I ask if you could all keep an eye out for a long 28.5" mumei shingunto with papers to Dotanuki. The sword description and photos are as follow: Nagasa = 72.42cm or 28.51" Base width: approx. 2.9 cm Base thickness: approx. 0.6 cm Tip width: approx. 1.9 cm Tip thickness: approx. 0.4 cm Blade weight: 703.4 g Curvature: 1.21 cm The hamon is a subtle wavy gunome, and the tang has 2 mekugi ana. Most importantly, the seppa and tsuba all have a kanji eleven "十一" numbering on them. It also comes with a gold foil 2 piece habaki. Please inform the police that this is stolen property if you encounter this sword on an online listing on being sold in a store or trade show.

HGK3 伝 太刀帥 ＊ den tachishi 立田川図 鐔 ＊ Tatsutagawa zu tsuba 竪丸形 赤銅波地 ＊ tatemaru-gata shakudō-nami-ji 金色絵 無銘 ＊ kin-iroe mumei 太刀金具師作か ＊ tachi-kanagushi saku ka 出来見事也 ＊ dekī migoto nari 昭和己酉夏 ＊ Shōwa tsuchinoto-tori natsu [1969, summer] 寒山誌 ＊ Kanzan shirusu (kaō) Here I would simply like confirmation of the kana sign か. As far as I understand, this particle turns the statement into an interrogative or dubitative one, which would accord with the tentative nature of the “den” attribution. Thank you.

Can someone help me identify the value of my sword,i can't take off the handle its too tuck in. Thank you.

Hi Yonie! John's video should help you get the handle (tsuka) off. If you've removed the mekugi (bamboo peg) already and it's still stuck, you can get a rubber mallet or a block of wood and tap on the handguard (tsuba). They can get stuck from rust and debris. You won't harm anything by this. Be sure to tightly wrap the blade with tough cloth for gripping! General info: WWII Japanese officer sword (Type 98) with Company grade tassel (Lieutenants and Captains). You are asking for value and the market price can vary greatly depending upon what we see on the tang (nakago). A standard gunto runs around $900 - $1,400, but yours is missing the scabbard (saya) so look at the low end of the range. If the blade is something old, and/or signed by a popular smith, the value will double and even go higher, depending.

OMG - from the Stevie Wonder school of tsuba decoration. I love the lopsided seppa-dai [Not] Well it is a lot cheaper than the estimates, but still way over the odds, on Mercari https://jp.mercari.com/item/m52104238755 identical images.

Mark I will take the hard bound one that you have for $250. Please contact me when you get back home. Thank you. MikeR

Mods ok to close this, as a board member was kind enough to send me the required info. Thanks again to them for being so helpful!

Ed, that is probably a question for the military members, not so much for the translation section. Generally, a dark background is providing a better contrast.

All Very interesting Tassels I have seen before. Attached are photos of a recently acquired Shin-Gunto with a different tassel. I am hoping someone will recognize and give me some information about it. See attached and also see my posting with the sword on the board topic # 55676 posted by me. Any thoughts would be appreciated..As an amatuer collector of these swords over the years this is a new one for me that I have not seen at any of the US Japanese Sword Shows. The bottom sword with leather scabbard shows the leather tassel identical to an officers tassel not like any NCO I have ever seen. Edward G.

Nothing unnormal there. Just the nakago with some welding flaws or some of the nickelplating. Its paper under the samegawa.

I’m thinking it was retrofit. I’m pretty sure it didn’t leave the workshop like this.

the vast majority of Japanese art and imagery... is closer to describe the reality.

As another complete novice, I second that recommendation.

@Markus has a later version: Koshirae Taikan. I have the ebook version, and it is an extensive resource that I recommend as a complete koshirae novice.

Hello to all. Just joined the site and am looking forward to learning more about Japanese military edged weapons.

If he was wearing it at the time, my guess would be dead as a doornail. But also the calibre seems very large, a musket ball perhaps?

Just a short follow up, I agreed with Samurai Museum Berlin to display the blade for two more years (until June 2028) in there so that you all have the chance to see it .

To go along the lines of my post in the General Tassels thread, I have done the same for the other tassels, hopefully this will help when determine real vs fake.

This mess is up for auction with an estimate of $1500- $3000. It already has three bids. You can see the whole listing here: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/231078630_sword-fittings-tsuba-sword-guard-inscribed-with-made-by-omi-kami-goyo-with-a-copper-base-osaka-osaka

Good luck