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Hello everyone, i made a bid on a shakudo tsuba at an auction in Vienna today: https://www.zacke.at/auction/lot/1648-a-soten-school-gempei-wars-shakudo-tsuba/?lot=95268&sd=1# I thought it looked quite nice, but did not actually expect to win it. Before I make a payment however, I want to make sure the discription is accurate and it is not a cheaply made copy/ cast. The condition looks suspiciously good and The price estimate is also a bit low. any help is greatly appreciated

昭和二十年二 – Showa 20th year (1945), 2 The last “2” must be folloed by month and day which are not taken in the picture.

Posting this as I think there are guys who will appreciate the info. From the Sacramento Newsletter: "Hello members and friends, Happy New Year all, we hope your 2026 has started off well!! Stay healthy and safe this year!!! Leon Kapp has completed the latest chapter update on the Albert Yamanaka Nihonto Newsletter Series Volume 4 Newsletter 06. Here is the link to this update: Link to Article attached below Leon says this issue has a lot about important Shinto smiths and a year of the Tokugawa Jikki with lots of swords being exchanged. Please enjoy the read!! YAMANAKA V4 NL06.docx.pdf

Unsigned Soten - very unusual - I think I agree with Piers. Hikone-bori.

To confuse the matter, even when the tagane-ato have been punched and spread the metal into the nakago-ana in order to fit a particular blade, it is also possible that the metal could be filed back in order to fit a THICKER blade. This will result in heavy tagane-ato marks but little to no metal spread into the hole. Fitting a tsuba to a new blade therefore works both ways.

The third work I have by Kobayashi Taigen is his version of Yamaoka Tesshu's Mount Fuji, which is his account of his own enlightenment experience. Comparing the images in all three, his brush style becomes quite evident. Here his calligraphy style is looser, perhaps gently influenced by Yamaoka's highly idiosyncratic cursive script. Fuji is written here as "not two," a play on words that is intended to indicate the absence of dichotomy that characterizes the state of enlightenment. The Tao/Universal Principle/Regenerative Tissue from which all phenomena of the world arise and return--is eternal and unchanging. Perfect when clear, Perfect when cloudy, Mount Fuji's, Original form, Never changes

I would think both of the blades are by the same smith, 高橋長信 Takahashi Naganobu. The tachi blade is signed and dated 長信造 / 弘化三年八月吉日, Naganobu tsukuru, 1846 Wakizashi is signed 於東都雲州住長信造, Tōto ni oite Unshū jū Naganobu tsukuru I haven't used Hawley in very long time so I am not sure what is written there. However I would think never signed same way twice is just an absurd exaggeration. There are plenty of his known signature variants. Nihontō Meikan seems to have 17 various signatures listed, so he did a lot of variations but it is obvious that he did use the same signature variation multiple times. Here you can see the same signature variation on a katana that is on your wakizashi: https://iidakoendo.com/1572/ Unfortunately Shinshintō swords are not really on my scope of interest so I can't offer much help, other than saying that both of your blades look nice based on the last picture.

Man, they made a mess of that stamp, but it's this one, the top one. Not a kokuin at all, but a registration number and statement about using the kobuse method: I haven't made an effort to track how many smiths used the stamp, but there are more than a couple with it. Can't tell you if the Kaneyoshi is who you are speaking of. Though, after checking the 4 of his I have on file, there seem to be a variety of mei - 3 and 5 kanji.

Hello! I honestly do not share the opinion that many people have about the Soten school. Since I once purchased a shakudo Soten tsuba myself, I spent a considerable amount of time researching the subject and made a huge number of comparisons (1000+) in order to understand it properly. I am always surprised when I see statements of this kind… What exactly do you expect to see in these papers? Practically all tsuba signed “Soten” are identified in the papers as belonging to the Soten school. And what does “copy” even mean here? This is unquestionably an original 19-century piece. The fact that it was not made by Soten himself does not make it a copy. There were many craftsmen working within this school, and there was a tradition of signing tsuba with the same signature, and almost all of them receive NBTHK papers. Only a small number of Soten school tsuba have distinctive signatures like these: https://nihonto.com/1-01-23/ https://nihonto.com/juyo-tsuba-by-nomura-kanenori-野村包教/ I can also say that this is normal not only for the Soten school, but generally for other schools as well, especially when it comes to gilding. In almost any work you can find inaccuracies, and with gilding this happens much more often. Many people, I’m sure, know these Ishiguro Masaaki menuki - there’s a nuance there too, yet everyone is perfectly calm about it) As for this tsuba, I believe it was made in the Soten style. Geraint provided a good example.

It looks legit to me. I have no idea what you paid for it. The auction was a bit of a stretch to equate it with the Bonhams one. Nearly 30 years in, I still make a mistake from time to time. I made one last year when I got a tsuba a bit too cheap. Not a travesty, but the condition was not as expected. Curran

Good morning NMB! Available today is a stunning sake bottle by a Bizen potter that beautifully combines the thousand year history of the style with modern aesthetic. Kenji Takenaka’s works are hard to come by, and this is one of the most fabulous pieces of sake ware I’ve seen come out of his kiln. A powerful, classic Bizen form from the Momoyama period is masterfully executed in black Bizen clay, which creates a stunning contrast against the natural ash glaze that graced the pot during firing. This piece is in perfect condition and measures 15.5cm tall by 14 cm wide. Its generous size adds versatility, functioning perfectly as either a sake bottle or flower vase. Comes with its original signed box. $180 shipped to the USA, international buyers please contact me for a quote. Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional pics. Thanks for looking!

Dear Max. I don't see a problem with your tsuba. The auction house were optimistic likening it to lot 81 in the Goodman sale as that one is larger, signed and of better execution than yours, they would have been more truthful to compare it to this one, https://www.bonhams.com/auction/22472/lot/79/a-soten-style-tsuba-edo-period-19th-century/ Yours seems to have been mounted with consequent wear on the seppa dai but I can't see any red flags. Enjoy. All the best.

@CarstairsCowboy Please see no malice in my previous comments. I only shared references to help you evaluate your blade. As others have already mentioned, I think there are two important points to keep in mind: - A gimei sword can still be a piece of very fine craftsmanship. - More importantly, this is your family treasure, and it was likely the treasured possession of a Japanese family decades ago as well. Depending on the time, energy, and money you are willing to invest, you could certainly have the sword polished and have a new habaki and shirasaya made. Personally, I would not worry too much about the fittings, but again, this is entirely a personal decision. In the end, it is completely up to you.

Shozui, founder of the Hamano school. FK signed Otsuryuken Shozui , Mandarin duck and reed . Hakogaki by Torigoye Sensei , published "Toso Soran"

Can anyone say if this is Yoshida Kaneyoshi please? I can see no evidence he had a kokuin Any input gratefully received

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,-

Also it’s worth knowing that nowadays one of the more commonly used methods to restore gilding on Japanese metalwork (including tsuba) is not done by amalgam nor by zogan (of any type) nor by foiling or leading, ….it is done using modern masking fluids and electrolysis whereby immersion in the gold plating fluid deposits gold on the exposed areas ie it is electroplating. Modern masking fluids can facilitate very precise plating and different colours of gold are available. The skill lies in the base preparation and the precision of the masking. This is where these overflows and “bleeds” can occur. In the past I have had tired shakudo tsuba both repatinated and then re gilded in worn areas by someone who knew what he was doing. When done well it is virtually impossible to tell it from gold butter gilding. When done badly or carelessly the results can look like the tsuba in question. But anyway, it may be totally original but simply not the best quality.

Thank you to all, really; it is much more than I had hoped for.

Bruce, wow, my absolute pleasure to post something that creates such interest in tangents.

@Julien All good! No malice assumed from me! I actually ended up going into a bit of a deep dive since I was last on here to see if I could find out more! Between that and getting super busy at work, I kinda ended up putting my nose straight to the grindstone and everything else fell off my radar! -Connor

OK, I can go along with that. I will add Kaneyoshi 兼吉 to my list.

Mark, my apologies for running all over the place on your thread! But thanks for this opportunity! @Kiipu After saying that I also thought this stamp was possibly destroyed, I found one almost as bad. So maybe it's a case of using too much force?

That is actually a different Kaneyoshi 包義.

Mark, Another Kaneyoshi, same mei, posted here (also has the registration stamp, faintly seen at bottom) Kaigunto mounts.

Yes, that Masafusa has the "Shingane Iri" or Genuine Core Steel stamp on the other side. A bit unusual to see them on opposite side, but I think I've seen it done that way before. I'm starting a file for these to get the variations and smiths using them. I think you are right about someone destroying that stamp.

Is this sword currently in Japan or did it recently come from Japan? Bruce is correct that this is a patent marking and I think it was removed for some reason.

I do not dispute that the works differ in quality. However, there is also some inaccuracy in the application of the gilding here. And I will repeat myself: this is quite common even in works of the very highest level - it is simply a characteristic of the technique. It is genuinely difficult to apply exactly the right amount of gold amalgam so that, after heating, it does not flow beyond the intended contour, especially at such a small scale. If we are talking about “inlay,” then it is indeed precise even at the smallest sizes. However, inlay is a more labor-intensive process, which is why amalgam gilding is more commonly used, as in the author’s example. You, on the other hand, have shown examples where most of the gold elements are inlay (nunome zogan), and therefore the margin for error is smaller, however, where amalgam gilding is used, inaccuracies are present. Below is an example of my tsuba with different types of gilding. I have outlined the amalgam gilding in red, the other elements are inlay, whereas the author’s tsuba uses only amalgam gilding.

正真甲伏鍛兼吉作 = shōshin kōbuse kitae Kaneyoshi saku Jean, you are correct. I was asking about the big stamp. Bruce, take a look at this sword. Similar beginning in the mei but note the additional stamps. Translation Needed

The large book is Tosogu Gokecho Meihin Shusei by Shigeo Fukuchi.

Viktor, I have not compared 1.000 SOTEN TSUBA, but I have seen images of really good ones and less good ones. I think there is no doubt that many TSUBA were made in the SOTEN (or HIKONE BORI) style when they were in fashion, that had nothing to do with SOTEN or their school directly. I posted my comment mainly because the auction house Zacke compared this TSUBA to one that was sold 10 years ago at Bonham's for an equivalent of € 5.800.--, and I don't think the above TSUBA is in that range.

@Sami I have relocated your thread to the for sale section for edged weapons. As Mark has said above, an asking price is required by rule here. We do not allow fishing for high bids on this forum. Because you have no forum history, it may benefit you to include some images of the item next to a paper with your name and date - otherwise it might be hard to confirm the listing is legitimate for potential buyers. More photos of the item and measurements would also help. Best of luck, Regards, -Sam

Actually as it's unsigned I think the 'Soten-style' wording is better than outright 'Soten school'. Strictly speaking these were made within the *Hikone Han, the Soten being a line of smiths within that area, the earliest ones signing their work. Becoming popular, later they were apparently emulated elsewhere in Japan. I have a similar one, papered by the NBTHK as 'Hikone'. *Think of Hikone Castle, home of the Ii Daimyo family.

SOLD

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.

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。

Closeup of very faint file marks

I may be going out on a limb here, but it appears plausible that this is a custom or semi-custom piece originating from the Kokura plant, combining features seen in both the page 68 variant and the page 244 variant. Thank you all for the insights and for pointing me back to Dawson’s book. I went back and flipped through the pages and must have missed the specific backstrap reference earlier, so I appreciate it being highlighted. The nakago appears to run nearly the full length of the handle at roughly six inches. The blade’s cutting length measures approximately thirty to thirty one and one third inches overall. I have a couple of additional photos that may offer further clarity as well. It also appears that the upper scabbard throat bears a Kokura First Arsenal stamp, matching the stamp on the blade’s ricasso. It is difficult to capture clearly in photos, but there are indications that an arched or circular symbol once existed on the ricasso and was later ground away, based on the remaining indentations and grinding marks. Notably, both the ground-away symbol and the arsenal stamp are on the opposite side of the ricasso from the serialized area, which suggests a deliberate alteration rather than incidental wear. Additionally, the scabbard throat seems to incorporate a European-style foil pressure locking system. This mechanism holds the blade securely in place, with no wiggle, rattle, or play, though it is admittedly hard to photograph in detail. For now, these are the best photos I can offer. I can share additional images later if requested.

About to fly out to Vegas for the sword show, but before I leave I flipped through my copy of Swords of imperial Japan 1868-1945 Cyclopedia Edition by Jim Dawson. The back strap of your sword is reminiscent but not identical to the “Sea plant and waves custom sword” on page 244 and 245.

Really interesting. I believe Conway is onto something. The blade appears to be the precise length of the Type 32 Otsu (rather than the Koh). Both serial numbers align with the with Type 32 Otsu range as well. Maybe some close measurements would confirm or deny. Stamp on the drag may be: ホ = HO = 小倉陸軍造兵廠第一製造所 = 1st Factory of Kokura Army Arsenal Nick Komiya’s thread and photo on warrelics: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/how-type-32-sword-born-791000/

Some like this one are a lot less of the sandy variety. TH to Yagyu. Theme is the 4 Classes of Japanese (Edo) Society This one might have been a special commission. Very unusual theme, and not evident it is Yagyu at first glance. The mimi and other evidence points to Yagyu. Tsuba really need an angled view for kantei traits.

In case this helps

Hi Connor @CarstairsCowboy, I will relocate your thread to the Nihonto section for more input on the signature. More photos never hurts, preferably on a dark non reflective background. Close ups of the tip, full blade profile centered from above, both sides of the tang. It’s best if pictures are oriented so tip is north and tang south. Welcome to the forum, and thanks for sharing your sword and family story with us. My journey into Nihonto started similarly; with a small nugget of a story and an inherited sword. Best of luck, -Sam

Reduced to $180usd. Reasonable offers welcome.

Could use some help on this one, another cursive (sorry don't have that down yet!). Has the patented "Genuine Core Steel" steel stamp. Posted by 1osten at this Wehrmacht-awards thread. Tried enhancing in the 2nd photo.