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Having a particular fondness for brass-inlaid tsuba, I eventually added several pieces from the Washida school of fittings makers to my collection. This sparked my interest in learning more about the school and its production. Over time I gathered a fair amount of information and eventually decided to compile it into a single document, which you can find in the download section of the board: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/files/file/210-the-shōnai-washida-school/ I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. As I mentioned, given my particular weakness for brass inlay, the document is somewhat biased toward the work of Washida Mitsunaka! Just as an example of the Washida production here are the pieces from this school (or supposed to be from this school) in my collection: NBTHK Hozon to Washida. Dimensions 85.4 mm x 85.3 mm, thickness 3.9 at seppa dai, 4.2 at mimi. NBTHK Hozon to Washida. Dimensions 85.3mm x 79.2 mm, thickness 3.6 at seppa dai, 4.0 at mimi. Identical to tsuba attributed by NBTHK to Washida. Dimensions 87.2 mm x 82.2 mm, thickness 3.7 at seppa dai, 4.0 at mimi. Signed in kinzogan mei Kyozan Mitsunaka with Kao. Dimensions 87.2 mm x 77.6 mm, thickness 2.6 at seppa dai, 4.2 at mimi. Dimensions 83.5 mm x 78.6 mm, thickness 3.0 at seppa dai, 4.1 at mimi. Dimensions: 96.9 mm x 13.9 mm, thickness 4.7 mm. REgards Luca

Hi all, I would like to share three tsuba that recently joined my collection: an Umetada tsuba with karakusa design (perhaps Momoyama?), a Kaga piece, and a Momoyama Heianjo. Each has a different taste and gives a slightly different feeling. Any thoughts or observations are very welcome.

Before we start, I am not sure if this belongs here or to the Online Sellers or Dealer Showcase subs, so mods, please move if necessary. Just wanted to let you all know that whilst Volume 4 of the Tosogu Classroom is being prepared for being published later this week (yes, its done, just final layout and indexing), I have put together a humble read about Honma 'Kunzan' Junji talking about the Japanese sword world of the early 20th century and right after WWII. It is not so much about blades, but gives an interesting insight into what happened "behind the scenes" at that time, often not mentioned in other publications. Please enjoy, and reach out to me via email or DM if you have any question. https://www.lulu.com/shop/markus-sesko/honma-talks/paperback/product-dy85nwq.html?q=honma&page=1&pageSize=4

VERY GOOD POST BY COLIN> This is my favorite _half gimei_ Purchased in 2007. Now Tokubetsu Hozon NBTHK. Signed on the front by shodai Norisuke. Signed on the back by nidai Norisuke with his early signature "Norishige". It bounced around Europe for many years as a gimei. I bought it and studied it. Over time and with Tanobe-san help, I came to feel that the 'gimei' mistakes on the front were consistent with the nidai's handwriting. This design was known to be one of the last ones done by the shodai. There is a dated one on record. As the shodai lay ill and dying one winter, it seems the nidai finished the work and partially forged his adoptive dad's signature. Thus, it passed shinsa as a daisaku finished by the nidai. If we didn't have extensive records of the shodai and nidai, this one would have been declared "GIMEI' by the public at large. Judges things by the workmanship. Some people collect signatures, but sometimes you just have to appreciate a finely made piece and ignore the signature. I too like the kozuka of Kansan sweeping. Some of the gold inlay, [on his leggings] is the work of someone very skilled. Nice kozuka. Workmanship is good. --You get sick of it, I will trade you something for it.

Hello, everyone! I'm Liang. I currently live in Spain, although I am originally Chinese. Because I grew up using Chinese characters, it is somewhat easier for me to recognize and understand certain aspects of Japanese writing and culture. Since childhood I have always been drawn to finely made objects. Over the years I have enjoyed collecting different things, including amber, Leica cameras, silverware from Britain, the United States, and Denmark, as well as various forms of metalwork, sculpture, and some pieces of militaria. And of course, like many boys growing up, I have always had an interest in knives and firearms. Through this interest in craftsmanship I eventually discovered Japanese sword fittings. I find tosogu truly fascinating — the level of craftsmanship can be extraordinary, and the variety of subjects, schools, and techniques seems almost endless. It feels like a field that one could study and appreciate for a lifetime. While trying to learn more, I came across this forum. I have been reading many discussions here and I really appreciate the atmosphere and the knowledge generously shared by the members. I hope to learn from everyone here.

Just picked up a first edition, first print of the Sword and Samé by Henri L Joly and Inada Hogitaro published in 1913 as a private print of 200 books. This is the OG in terms of books published on the subject of Japanese Swords in any European Language. It all starts with this book... An incredibly scarce book I have been hoping to get one for some time and was fortunate to find it in a little English Bookshop near Cambridge. This is copy 146. I must admit I am rather excited.

The yoroi-doshi arrived exactly as described. Alex was an absolute pleasure to deal with. Marius thought it was 3rd or 4th gen Fuyuhiro, with the possibility of it being gimei. After doing much research I am leaning towards shoshin. The jitetsu and deki is a good match for late work by the 3rd gen swordsmith in Wakasa, (only he and 2nd gen signed sanmei), so Marius' hunch was spot on. The muneyaki to hitatsura with connected tobiyaki Yaki-ire is a sign the sword was made by an experienced and competent smith. Very proud to be the new owner of this honest, workhorse of a blade. I think this blade will look amazing under a macro lens.

海軍燃料廠 – Navy fuel factory 製油員 – Refinery operator 里村清吉 – Satomura Seikichi 第三蒸溜工場 – The 3rd distillery

Recently after my last post on the @Wah sent me a fantastic article on many of Emperor Meiji's swords from a special exhibition celebrating a century of the Meiji Restoration at the Matsuzakaya Department Store (Japan's first department store) from January 4-14, 1968, promoted by the Mainichi Shinsha Shrine & Kyoto Shimotsuke Shrine. I enjoyed it so much that decided I translated it and am sharing it here so that everyone else may enjoy it too. From Sword and History Issue 445 (September 1968) Emperor Meiji and Swords (Part 2) Author: Taiko Sasano The Emperor's Military Sword Earlier this year, at the start of the New Year, the "Modern Imperial Family Special Exhibition" opened at Matsuzakaya in Ginza. The number of exhibits was large, and the content was excellent. With such a fulfilling exhibition commemorating the Meiji era opening first, I couldn't help but worry about how difficult it would be for subsequent exhibitions—a concern for others, so to speak. Emperor Meiji's Military Sword, Bizen Province, by Nagayoshi (Chogi) (Tokyo National Museum Collection) In "Modern Imperial Family," two emperors, Komei and Meiji, were avid sword enthusiasts, so several swords belonging to them were on display. Among them were two military swords belonging to Emperor Meiji, exhibited from the Tokyo National Museum. During the sorting of the imperial sword collection immediately after the end of the war, it was initially decided to limit it to fifty swords (according to Mr. Tsunetsujiro Yoshikawa). Since many of the imperial swords have long and distinguished histories, relatively newer swords like Emperor Meiji's military sword were included in the sorting section. It was acquired and is currently housed in the Tokyo National Museum. The first of these gunto swords is a well-maintained large sword bearing the signature "Nagayoshi, Nagafune-ju, Bizen Province." It measures 2 shaku 3 sun and 4 bu in blade length, 8 bu and 8 rin for the curvature and a base width of 1 sun (see photo in black). The jigane (ground steel) has a distinct itame grain pattern and a pronounced shining effect. The hamon (hame) is a mixture of komabure (small swaths) and gonome (five-pointed patterns), with beautiful ashi (astitch) and sunagashi (sand-nagashi) patterns. Small spattered charcoal marks can be seen here and there. The ko (fine lines) have become irregular and have turned into komaru (small rounded patterns). The exterior is saber-style, with the area painted black lacquer in the usual style. As one of the Ten Great Masters of Masamune, this sword has a dignified Eastern appearance and is quite heavy. Therefore, while he favoured it in his prime, he apparently avoided it in his later years. The next sword is a work by Bizen Ichimonji Sukemune. It measures 2 shaku 3 sun 3 bu in length, 7 bu and 5 rin in curvature, and 8 bu in the base, making it appear gentler than the previous Nagagi. The jigane (ground steel) has a finely honed ko-itame (small grain) pattern a fine nie (crystal-like pattern). The hamon (blade pattern) begins with a small, irregular pattern, gradually becoming sparser toward the tip, becoming a straight sword with a slight ashi-iri (foot-like) pattern, but featuring abundant ha-mo (leaf) patterns. The tsuba (guard) is a small katsu (small buckle). The two characters "Sukemune" are vividly inscribed on the blade. The hilt of the saber-shaped sword is made of tortoiseshell, with striking black spots on a yellow background. Count Tanaka Mitsunori According to "Count Tanaka Aoyama" (edited by Sawamoto), this Sukemune was presented by Count Tanaka Mitsunori. The Sino-Japanese War, contrary to world expectations, saw Japan win battle after battle, ushering in the spring of 1928. A high-ranking official from the Imperial Household Ministry was sent congratulations on the victory which in turn resulted in an invite for a representative to visit the Imperial Headquarters in Hiroshima. The representative chosen for the mission was Tanaka Mitsunori, then president of Gakushuin University. A sword lover since his youth, he had a vast collection of famous swords. Among them was a sword by Ichimonji Sukemune, and he decided to use this opportunity to present it. Upon hearing of this, the wealthy Iwasaki Yanosuke requested, "I would also like to present an old Bizen Sukehira. Could you please take it for me?" The two were old friends from the same Tosa domain, and Tanaka readily agreed. Bearing the two swords, he reported to the Imperial Headquarters in Hiroshima on January 14th. Minister of the Imperial Household, Hijikata Hisamoto stood before and abruptly ordered him to bow to the Emperor. There, Tanaka offered his congratulations on the victory and then announced his intention to present the famous sword. Regarding the sword from the Iwasaki family, he said, "This is an old Bizen sword, 800 years old, but it is in excellent condition, as if it had just been made. It is like Minister of the Imperial Household Hijikata, sitting here, he may be old, but he has no grey hair, no hunched back, and is serving His Majesty well. This sword is just like that." He spoke with a touch of humour, and the Emperor burst out laughing, immediately approving the sword. The Emperor seemed to be very pleased with the sword given to him, and he soon used it as a backup. Because, as Tanaka Mitsugao had said, it was in such good condition and therefore it would stay on his waist. The weight was quite a burden though. So, in his later years, he used the Sukemune presented by Tanaka as his military sword instead. It was only 80% of the original habaki size, so it wasn't particularly heavy. Kuroda Kiyotaka Another military sword favoured by the Emperor, due to its lightness, was the Awataguchi Hisakuni presented by Kuroda Kiyotaka. Its blade was 2 shaku 2 sun long, had a 5 bu curvature, and a 8 bu base, making it about the same weight as his previous Sukemune. The jigane (ground steel) has the well-honed Ko-Itame-Hada (small grain) characteristic of the Awataguchi tradition, with a good amount of ji-nie (small crystals in the steel). The straight blade is interspersed with small irregularities, with beautiful foot and leaf markings, and gold lines can be seen here and there. The inscription is powerfully inscribed in the two characters "Hisakuni" at the centre. A typical Awataguchi sword, it truly deserves to be called a famous sword. This is no surprise, as it was originally handed down through the Yanagisawa family and bears a certificate of 3,000 kan from Bunsei 14 (1817). This was a gift from the Kuroda family to the Emperor during his visit to Kuroda when he visited the Capital in Meiji 18, November 1885. Incidentally, Emperor Meiji was well-built. The officer assigned to me during my middle school years graduated from the military academy at the end of the Meiji era. So the Emperor attended his graduation ceremony and said, "I bowed to the graduates, and I bowed to them with the same respect as General Oyama, who was standing behind them." Oyama Gen, a descendant of Saigo Nanshu, was also quite large, but the Emperor was about the same size. The Emperor was also very strong, and in his youth he enjoyed sumo wrestling and horseback riding. He even boasted about it. Consequently, until middle age, he preferred swords with a masculine appearance. For example, the "Kotegiri Masamune" presented by Maeda Sei (Lord of the Kaga Domain) was 2 shaku 2 sun 6 bu in length, which could be considered a standard size, but the blade was 1 sun at the base and 9 bu at the tip, making it quite heavy. There were 12 or 13 military swords, many of which were from the Soshu school, including: Aizu Masamune Aizu Masamune presented by Prince Arisugawa, Honjo Masamune presented by Tokugawa Iesato, (Translator's note: Unsure if there are two swords named Honjo Masamune? The author here is suggesting that a sword by this name was given to the Emperor Meiji by Tokugawa Iesato (1863-1940) and a sword by this name appeared in this special exhibition of Imperial Swords in 1968? Could it be a Hojo Masamune? The special exhibition's catalogue would confirm.) Soshu Masamune purchased from Ogawa Ikko, Samonji presented by Matsudaira Yoshisui, Noshu Kinyuki (unclear) presented by Adachi Masashige. Bizen swords included the aforementioned Ichimonji Sukemune and Nagafune Nagayoshi, Old Bizen Nobutomo presented from Takashima Shinnosuke Meiji 44 (Lieutenant General), Ichimonji Sukeshige presented by Matsudaira Yoshio, Kagemitsu and Kagemasa collaboration presented by Kawamura Sumiyoshi (Marshal). For more information on this sword, please refer to issue 423 of this magazine. The sword used by His Majesty when he supervised the large-scale exercises in Kyushu in the autumn of Meiji 44, 1911 was crafted by Ayanokōji Sadatoshi. It was a large sword with a blade length of over 2 feet and 6 inches, but because His Majesty was tall, it did not seem too long. In addition to the above swords, a naval dagger will also be on display at the "Modern Imperial Family Special Exhibition." It was on display. The exterior is standard, with a white handle and a black front, but the metal fittings feature a 16-petal chrysanthemum crest that shines brilliantly in gold. The blade is a 7 to 8 sun long tanto with an inward curve, and features a typical hamon (temper pattern) with large, irregular five-patterned lines. A favourite sword at his side Each of the Emperor's living rooms had a designated attendant sword. First, in the sleeping room (mikoshi) is the so-called Omakura sword. Its blade is Nagafune Nagamitsu, a 2-shaku 3-sun (approx. 1.5 m) long sword, with a thin golden plate covering the handle. All the other metal fittings were also made of gold, making it a luxurious piece that even the gods shone with golden light. Inner Throne Room Next, in the inner throne room is the so-called Hino-Omashi (sacred seat) sword. This sword was crafted by Kishin-no-taifu Yukihira, and also features a traditional tachi (long sword) design. The metal fittings are made of a quarter-grain alloy, said to have been formed by a mountain that erupted from the ground long ago. Several other swords were also present, but this Yukihira and the previous Nagamitsu were occasionally maintained by the Emperor himself. The Chrysanthemum Thone in the Main Throne room Next, in the main throne room, numerous famous swords were displayed on shelves in the nine-foot alcove and thr next room. Some of the more famous ones include: The one presented by Kuroda which was 2 shaku 3 sun long, and another from Motoda Nagazane, measuring 2 shaku 2 sun 5 bu. The Emperor seemed particularly fond of the latter, and had it fitted with a gold-plated tachi mounting. In the spring of 1893, the master craftsmen of the time, Kano Natsuo and Kagawa Hiroshi, were commissioned to create the koshirae. The gold base used for the sword was excavated from the Sado Gold Mine, with as much gold as possible refined at the Osaka Mint, making it literally pure gold. The mounting was first done by Natsuo, who presented a rough sketch to the Emperor, and the fittings were then approved after it was deemed suitable. Phoenixes are carved into the fittings while other parts are decorated with five-seven and grass motifs. The paulownia wood, in particular, is small, measuring just 2 shaku and 5 sun, so its construction was extremely challenging. Workers reported to the Imperial Household Ministry every day to work on it, but it is said that it took an astonishing 13 years to complete. Sanjo Munechika Odachi: The sword bears the inscription "Munechika," with a blade length of 2 shaku, 5 sun and 9 bu and a curvature of 9 bu and 2 rin. It was presented to the Crown Prince (later Emperor Taisho) by Sakai Tadamichi of the Obama Domain in Wakasa Province during a tour of the Hokuriku region in September 1909, and was subsequently presented by the Crown Prince to the Emperor. For more on this, see issue 429 of this magazine. Tsurumaru Kuninanga Gojo Kuninanga (Tsurumaru): Presented by the Date family during the Emperor's visit to Sendai. For more on this, see issue 429 of this magazine. . Ichigo Hitofuri Yoshimitsu Awataguchi Yoshimitsu (Ichigo Hitofuri) This sword is famous since ancient times and is included in the "Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō", so I will omit its description. Kogarasumaru Yasutsuna Amakuni Yasutsuna Tengu (Kogarasumaru) was presented by Count Sou Shigemasa in 1882. For more information on this, see issues 426 and 441 of this magazine. The Tehata-hosui (SP?) sword was a gift from the former emperor and it comes with a tachi mounting. It is said to have been a favourite of the former emperor, and he was particularly attached to it. The other sword was presented by Marquis Saigo Tsunemichi and has a blade length 2 shaku (approximately 60 cm). It has a high crest, features a grained jigane, and is straight-edged, demonstrating the characteristics of a Yamato sword. It originally belonged to the Honjo family, lords of Miyazu Castle in Tango, but was presented by Tsunemichi, a sword lover. Sōzui Masamune Soshu Masamune (Sōzui Masamune) presented by Duke Tokugawa Iesatu. According to the "Kyoho Meibutsu Cho," this sword earned its nickname from being a favorite of Mōri Terumoto Nyudo Munezui. While in the possession of the Toyotomi family, it was appraised as Sagami Yukimitsu. It was later passed on to the Owari Tokugawa family, and presented to Shogun Tsunayoshi when he visited them in Genroku 11, 1698. It was presented to the Emperor by Tokugawa Iesatu in Meiji 28, 1895, and after the completion of the mounting for the sword presented by Baron Motoda, he commissioned Shakawa Katsuhiro to create a magnificent mounting. Kintano-Gō Gō Yoshihiro (Kitano-go): This famous sword is also listed in the "Kyōhō Meibutsu-chō" Book. It had been passed down through the Kaga Maeda family until it was presented at the Maeda residence by the family in July 1910 during the Emperor's visit. Originally unsigned, it features a gold inlay of Hon'ami Kōetsu in the centre. Uguisumaru Tomonari Ko-Bizen Tomonari (Uguisumaru): This was presented by Count Tanaka Mitsunori. Tanaka Mitsunori, who had previously presented Ichimonji Sukemune, was awarded the title of Count in September 1907 and received 20,000 yen in royal gold. This sword, the famous Uguisumaru, was likely a token of gratitude from Tanaka Mitsunori for this elevation in status, as it was presented in November of the same year to the Emperor, during a large-scale military exercise near Yūki Town, Ibaraki Prefecture. Uguisumaru was originally a long-held sword of the Ashikaga family. In March of the spring of 1489, Yuki Ujitomo of Shimo-no-Kami raised an army, enlisting the surviving son of Ashikaga Mochiuji. By order of Shogun Yoshihisa, Ogasawara Dai Katsutafu Masahan joined the army to fight in the Yūki campaign and fought bravely. He then issued a proclamation to have Mochiuji's surviving son executed. For his service, the Shogun bestowed upon him a letter of commendation and the famous sword Uguisumaru. As the sword has a deep connection to Yūki, where the great battles took place, Mitsumi presented it there at the imperial residence, accompanied by the following poem: "At every battle, I offer the sword that was destroyed at Katsuyama. Not even for a fleeting moment, as I offer the sword before the great master, I will never forget your mercy." After all the battles, the sword is enshrined at Katsuyama Castle. Katsuyama was a castle town in Ono County, Echizen Province, and the castle ruins are now called Nagayama. In Genroku 4, 1691, Ogasawara Tosa-no-kami Sadanobu was buried here, and the ruins lasted until the Meiji period. It was a magnificent sword with a blade length of 2 shaku 6 sun 1 bu and a curvature of 9 bu 5 rin, featuring powerful carvings of the taihi on both sides. For more information on this sword, please refer to issue 43 of this magazine. Bizen Tadamitsu: This swas originally a important sword of the Aizu Matsudaira family, but was given to the Yokami family as a gift from the family. Bizen Mitsutada: There was a 2 shaku 2 sun sword presented by the Hachisuka family as a gift from the family's successor, and another sword with a long inscription "Bizen Province Osafune Mitsutada" presented by Iwasaki Yanosuke. The latter, Osafune, is particularly valuable as a research resource. In addition to the Uguisumaru, another Tomonari was also presented by the Sakai family of Himeji. Keeping a Water Dragon (Suiryuken) (Tokyo National Museum) The Water Dragon ken (Suiryuken) was originally a part of the Shosoin Repository, but was apparently kept at the Imperial Palace during maintenance in the early Meiji period. It is a straight sword with a sharp edge, but the surface is smooth and has been tempered. The exterior was painstakingly crafted by Kano Natsuo, with a golden dragon on the hi-ai and kashira blades and a silver wave pattern on the edge. For this reason, it was named the Water Dragon Sword. While the blade's artistic merit is naturally inferior to the famous swords mentioned above, the Emperor likely treasured it because of its academic value as the birthplace of the Japanese sword. The Golden Dragon the scabbard Contemporary swords—perhaps more for the encouragement of swordsmiths than for appreciation—were also kept in his possession by swords made by Gassan Sadakazu and Miyamoto Kanenori. Sadakazu was particularly highly regarded and highly trusted by the Emperor. While I won't be listing just one Myochin ornament, I'll add a final note about the story of how the Emperor took a liking to an ornament made by Myochin, a renowned armor maker. In 1883, an art exhibition sponsored by the Japan Art Association was held at the office of Hibiya Daijingu Shrine. The Emperor, who loved not only swords but also paintings, sculptures, and other fine arts, attended the exhibition. At the time, most of the treasures handed down through the generations were still kept secret in the homes of former daimyo and nobles. Among the exhibits were some of the finest examples, making for a truly magnificent exhibition. Among the exhibits was an iron dragon exhibited by the Matsudaira family, lords of Mezuyama Domain. It was about seven lengths long, hammered out of iron, and each of the dragon's scales was movable, even down to the tips of its claws. After the Meiji Restoration, when armour orders suddenly dried up, Myochin, who found himself bogged down, created this "stretchy dragon," inspired by armour-making techniques. The Emperor seemed to be very pleased with this, and even after he had retired to the resting place, he ordered Tokudaiji, the Grand Chamberlain, to "call for the dragon." When it arrived, he was playing with it with great interest and desire. This incident was reported to be one of the greatest in Japan. Iron Dragon by Myochin When Sano Tsunetami, president of the Art Association, informed Matsudaira-do, the owner of the work, he was so honoured that he immediately offered to present it to the Emperor. Then, in the following year, another event was held at Tsukiji Honganji Temple. The Emperor also made a visit to that event. After the morning viewing, lunch was finally served in the great hall. There, in a large water basin, five feet in diameter, was a large loquat tree in bloom, with a crab attached to it. After lunch, as he was browsing the room with a toothpick, the crab suddenly caught his eye. He stood up, approached the wooden basin, and picked up the crab. His limbs then began to flap rapidly. With a smile on his face, "Wow, this is well made," he exclaimed in a magical voice. In fact, this was also Myochin's work. An antique dealer named Wakai had purchased it from somewhere for the princely sum of 200 yen (in those days), boasting that he could sell it for 600 yen to a foreigner. The Emperor brought it back to the table and repeatedly praised its quality, prompting Sano, chairman of the association, who was standing nearby, to consult with Minister of the Imperial Household, Hijikata Hisamoto, and propose presenting an offer to Wakai. "It would be a great honour if Your Majesty were pleased," he said. The Emperor immediately agreed. Upon hearing the offer, the Emperor seemed delighted; he put it in his pocket without wrapping it in paper, and took it home. His demeanour was like that of a child buying a favourite toy. Iron Crab by Myochin The Myochin family, whose centuries-old family business had been snatched away by the progress of time and whose fortunes had been sunk, must have felt as if a lost tree had blossomed upon hearing this story.

Hello everyone, I have a strong interest in Japanese sword fittings, especially kozuka. This is my first post here and I would like to share two pieces from my collection. Both kozuka are signed “Joi”, but they do not have papers, so I am not sure whether the signatures are genuine or gimei. The seal on the left kozuka (the Kanzan sweeping scene) is inlaid on a raised silver plaque. I would really appreciate any opinions or comments from more experienced collectors. Thank you. Liang

Excellent production values, descriptions and offers a good appreciation of the multitude of steps needed to create these blades. Enjoy

This is my display case, I’m still finishing it and need to hang it on the wall. It is almost hermetic, and has an hygrometer and a silica gel compartment to control humidity.

The guard looks very similar to a type of gunto guard with the rim removed - except that the majority of these have a locking hole - the guard in question may have been given a "texture" recently if it was in fact a WWII altered piece but the colour is not what you would expect either. Could you give us some dimensions for this piece?

Reading this story reminded me of an anecdote shared by Ted Tenold many years ago on this very board: I remember a story relayed to me about a Japanese swordsmith that was a visiting guest here in the US. He has made a few small tanto while here and was signing them the morning after a long night of libation. As he was inscribing the mei, he made an abrupt stop from his pace. He grunted and shook his head obviously annoyed by his misplaced strike of a single stroke. Looking up at the observers he laughed lightly and said, "In two hundred years, this is gimei!", then went back about his business. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/4357-signature-comparisons/#findComment-38825 Useful reminders that for all their artistry and consistency, the great artisans of old were still human and subject to the same pressures as us; a slip of the hand, a bit too much sake the night before, the infirmity of age and sickness.

Left: 光弘作 = Mitsuhiro saku Right: 政随 = Shōzui

I found the tsuba at Yahoo Japan auction. The reading is correct. 橘顕政 – Tachibana Akimasa 以清鐵造之 – Made this from Qing iron.

last batch

Ladies and gentlemen, we are making progress on all fronts! Volume 4 (660 pages) of the Tosogu Classroom project is completed and ready to go. I am initiating the orders for those who have prepaid for the set. As always, if you have any questions, or would like to inform me about an address change, please get in touch with me via markus.sesko@gmail.com.

I agree totally with Curran…..some superb works have “questionable mei” but I often wonder…..are they really gimei? How can we be certain? Which ones are genuine and which not? Mei would doubtless vary as artists grew older, maybe even they even changed them deliberately …..we don’t really know. Records are a bit sparse. We do know many of these artists had teachers and pupils, perhaps even akin to many swordsmiths workshops. Iwamoto Konkan is a prime example where many wonderful works are catalogued as “after Konkan” or “school of Konkan” yet someone with immense talent made them. Who?….and why gimei something superb in its own right. Was it done with the blessing of the “master”, was it made by the master and signed by the student (as per some swords). We jump to the conclusion that it was done to deceive ie for £ but I remain hesitant to judge. Of course many pieces fall well short on technical quality or artistry and certainly we can be confident that they are indeed “wrong uns” but sometimes I wonder…… Just some wandering rambling musings🙂

Welcome to the Club! Is there anything special you are looking for?

鶴聲 – Kakusei He is a Noh mask craftsman.

Showing my case built with a friend, then I added every other element. All from cheap chinese seller (except the stones) : the leds, the handle to open the display case, the stands, the wide white satin sheet, the hygrometer and anti humidity silk bags.

於江府雲州高橋信秀作 - Oite efu Unshu Takahashi Nobuhide Saku 文久三年二月吉日 - Bunkyu sannen nigatsu kichijitsu

高橋兼行 (Takahashi Kaneyuki ). The hot stamp百鍊（Hyakuren/Hundred-Fold Forged)belonged to 百鍊堂刀劍店 (Hyakuren-dō Tōkenten). This shop was a designated supplier for 豐橋陸軍預備士官學校 ( Toyohashi Army Reserve Officer School).

Here is mine. I ordered it online to custom dimensions, then added the black felt and LED lights. My stupid phone started doing this thing months ago, where it adds yellow or blue thick ghost stripes to an image, so forgive the blue tinge everything has - totally not like that IRL. Also weird how my plastic Torokusho sleeve fluoresces. I live in the California desert so humidity is not a problem and it's super easy to raise the left side of the display cover up and remove the blade as needed to oil. It's not a perfect seal so it won't develop its own micro-climate, but it's sealed enough that it should be near dust-free (which my whole house nearly is anyway since I have no pets). Anyway, the LED spotlights do an amazing job making the contrasts and textures of the blade stand out, even from across the room. This is on a mantle above a fireplace I don't use (there is a Ducati SBK parked in front of it), so the display is at eye level and higher, so you can walk right up to the blade and it's perfect height to let the light play off it as you move around.

高来 - Takaki/ Takamasa

Yes, it’s an acid etched blade. Sometimes blades like this are encountered with bohi in Kyu Gunto mounts. I have a similar example in good condition early type 94 mounts. Mine is devoid of any markings on the nakago. It’s nice to see another example.

Those are some very nice pieces I would love to have in my collection, gimei or not! Everyone wants the authentic signature but as long as the piece is high quality, I don't think it matters too much.

... and a video of this blade from the Masamune no Sono Ichimon 2024 exhibition Sorry for the quality, the lighting conditions were limited https://eu.zonerama.com/Nihonto/Photo/14796705/599892574?secret=4mw04Yf9fo7i2EYh32MPkN3JO

Kosetsu Samonji was published twice in Token Bijutsu and also twice in the En version of Token Bijutsu Here is the better En version

Thank you Glen @GRC ! Happy to attach the other indexes here too. Volume1_Index.pdf Volume2_Index.pdf Volume3_Index.pdf

Hi, Liang. Neither signature looks perfectly coherent with what's reported in Sesko's "Signatures of Japanese Sword Fittings Artists", but the quality of both kozuka seems quite good to me. Since I've no experience about Jōi pieces, I refrain to comment on the genuinity of your kozuka.

Definitely. I find it particularly interesting, and honestly, I'm surprised that this blade isn't thrown around as much (at least where I communicate about tanto) compared to other Kunimitsu works like Aizu Shintogo, which more represent his "textbook" style of swordsmithing (leaning more into the Awataguchi School traditions, with hints of Soshu-den elements, like the clusters of chikei or rare burls of chu-mokume along the ji). At least for me, it definitely stands out as one of the more historically relevant early Soshu pieces to study.

I believe it should be this Jūyō Bijutsuhin tantō.

西原兼正 - Nishihara Kanemasa

I would go further and say "Sukesada" was a kind of brand, too, indicating a certain consistency of quality. I think these were also exported to China, so there would have been external demand for swords inscribed with "Sukesada". No doubt there would have been sufficient commercial incentive to add the name Sukesada to any sword. Note I am not saying the sword in this post is gimei. With so many Sukesada smiths, it would take a detailed examination to determine if this was made by one of the 60 or so Sukesada smiths. I mean, there are a few whose signature style, and swordsmithing style, was distinctive enough that you could make a quick judgment, but there are a lot of Sukesada smiths, and this could be from one of the lesser smiths.

Multi-tone Kaga works like your #2 are getting to be very rare. When you do see them, they are often rubbed damaged due to the raised shape of the seppa dai. Please take good care of it. On my very short bucket list is a trip up to Kanazawa area for a few days to take in the spirit of the Maeda lands. A really good Kaga Kinko or Kaga Goto tsuba is on also on my tsuba wish list. That and a good Nobuiye of design that suits me.

Hi Milo, Welcome to the forum. 和泉守藤原国貞作 - Izumi (no) kami Fujiwara Kunisada. It's a big name and often faked. You might get some better information if you are able to post some pictures of the blade as people will be able to see the signature in the context of the workmanship. Some more information here: https://www.nihontocraft.com/Izumi_no_Kami_Kunisada_mei.html

Yes, there was a splendid oyoroi, dated 14 th century. This was an edo high end copy, or less likely a late muromachi armor What we see on this picture is a Joshu koboshi kabuto, made around 1570, not early 1300.

Certainly not! A Joshu (or Soshu) koboshi kabuto dates from the late 1500, not the early 1300. This is elementary knowledge.

Here is my little display setup. Pretty simple but does the job. I got these display cases for free from my work place, which is pretty nice. I don't really like that white background though, so I need to do something about it at some point.

The first shishi tsuba that I have is a Shakudo one signed Masanaga. The tsuba depicts two shishi in shishiaibori and engraved in katakiri on the reverse with a windblown peony. Shishi are mythical guardian lions in both China and Japan and the peony is regarded as the king of flowers and in Japan symbolises bravery, honour and good fortune. The design of shishi and peony is often augmented by the addition of a butterfly. This is because, according to legend, the shish has a weakness in that a bug lives inside it, but if it sleeps under a peony the morning dew is absorbed by the shishi and the bug is eliminated as a larva, which metamorphoses into a butterfly. The tsuba is signed Masanaga, with a kao and was catalogued as Haynes Index no. H 04250, which identifies the artist as Chosuke Masanaga (d. ca 1700), who was a student of Nara Toshinaga (Markus Sesko) or Ito Masatsugu (Haynes). However, there were two generations of Masanaga in the Nara School and both used the same kanji for their signatures. The first generation, Seiroku, was a student of Toshinaga (either the 3rd generation master of the Nara School or a student of the same name). His (adopted?) son was Gihachi Masachika, who signed Masanaga for a while after his father’s death and was from the Kawakatsu family and a nephew of Sugiura Joi. The Nara tsuba artist Gohachi Masachika may have been an alternative name used by either of the other two Masanaga. Consequently, there is some uncertainty as to the identity of the artist who made this tsuba. Height: 7.6 cm. Width: 7.4 cm. Thickness (rim): 0.4 cm. Weight: 216 g Provenance: Edward Wrangham Collection, Part I, 9 November 2010, Lot 37, bought from the Roland Hartman Collection of Japanese Metalwork (Christies, 30 June 1976, Lot 130) The second shishi tsuba is a large copper one made in the 20th century by Yanagawa Morihira (1899-1971) and was made as a work of art, rather than as a practical object to be mounted on a sword. The shape of the tsuba may be best described as sumi-iri-kakagata (lit: notched in square). The front (omote) of the tsuba shows both a shishi and peonies, whereas the reverse (ura) only shows the shishi. Interestingly, the shishi on the omote has a silver body and a golden mane and tail, whereas the combination of silver and gold is reversed on the ura. The faces on both animals are copper. Shishi are often represented as playful creatures, but these two are muscular with a fearsome pose and the silver shishi has a head which looks rather like Hannya, the Japanese female demon. The engraved peonies on the omote are coloured with silver and gold gilding and the petals are in a darker shade of silver. The outlines are defined in katakiribori (half cut carving) and kebori (hair carving) and, particularly the silver, darkened to add extra tonality to the design. The nakago ana has four 32(?)-petalled chrysanthemum punch marks on each side, purely for decoration and the tsuba is signed on the lower right face of the ura Morihira (守平). There is also a single kozuka hitsu ana, filled with a gilt cat scratched plug. Shishi are mythical guardian lions in both China and Japan and it is also the name given to a group of political activists (Ishin Shishi 維新志士) in the late Edo period who opposed the westernisation of Japan. The peony is regarded as the king of flowers and in Japan symbolises bravery, honour and good fortune. I think that it is likely that this tsuba was made in the 1930’s when Japanese militarism was at its peak. I expect that the intention of the artist was to represent the shishi as fearsome creatures prepared to protect Japan in its time of conflict. However, in my view, the artist failed in this respect and they appear rather camp. I purchased this tsuba in memory of my nephew, who died young (52) at about the same time this came up for sale. He was a rather over the top extrovert character and I thought it would be a suitable memorial for him. Height: 8.75 cm. Width: 8.4 cm. Thickness (rim): 0.7 cm; Nakago: 0.4 cm. Weight: 254 g Provenance: Bonhams (Lot 48, 13 May 2021). Best wishes, John

The second most expensive sword I have found so far; the Kokuho Bungo Yukihira which was sold at the Nakayama Takamaro Estate Auction in 1919 to Hosokawa Moritatsu (first president of the NBTHK) for 21,000 yen or $8,610 USD in the day. Today that would be the equivalent of $8,610,000.

There are a number of photos of Meito on sho-shin.com that are noted as being gifted to Emperor Meiji, a few of those mentioned above show up if doing a site search. Chogi Haito Sword of Emperor Meiji Chogi Nagasa: 71cm Sori: 2.3cm Standing Itame Hada with JiNie, Chikei and standing Utsuri. Bo-Hi and Sobi run the length. Gunome-Midare ba moves inside a Notare line. There is Ashi and Yo and Kinsuji through the Mid. Yakiba widens in the Monouchi. Boshi is deeply set O-Gunome Midare mound turns to an abrupt Kaeri. Suriage Nakago has two Mekugi-ana and Bo-Hi resolves in Marudome. Signed in the Ji at the bottom: Bizen-no-Kuni Osafune Ju Nagayoshi (Chogi)

Late Muromachi or Kambun shinto are default attributions if its not Showa or shinshinto... Basically 90% of the remaining blades will fall into those categories. Sugata here is kind of generic. The nakago shape with its width, no sori... that existed for a long time and made its appearance now and then. Nakago ana is a bit off-circle. Its a good indicator its koto. Patina... I just dealt with Nambokucho tanto who had such patina. I've seen shinto blades with darker. So nothing conclusive, but early shinto-late Muromachi is within realistic. It has considerable ware all along the blade, it looks like masame is strong here... hamon has some hotsure, so most likely this is something in Yamato line. It does not have typical deep thin kaeri which we see on a lot of work like Owari. The only factor that remains is yasurime. And this one is a bit garbled, but it almost look higaki... or takanoha. Higaki or takanoha with earlier work would tent towards Yamato, with later towards Mino. If its not higaki, I would lean towards something like Bungo.

I have just read Honma Talks and was surprised to read that even Dr Honma Junji did not have any clear idea of what swords the emperor owned prior to 1945. His only full review of the what he considers to be 500 swords was as the head of preservation initiative after the war when he was brought in to save the important art swords before the non-important swords were given to GHQ. He was invited in because he was not an official member of the Imperial Court therefore other than the rare unofficial invite he was not able to view the swords at any other time for research or any other reason. He also notes that the book Meitō Oshigata (銘刀押形) compiled by Satō Kanzan and Numata Kenji (沼田鎌次) Sensei with 330 blades housed at the Tokyo National Museum that now belong to the Imperial Collection did not contain all the original Gyobutsu blades as the book focused specifically on signed blades meaning that no Masamune or Gō blades appear in the book. Which is perhaps one of the reasons why this book does not contain the Kitano-Gō and Nabeshima-Gō. And finally, even with all his connections Dr Honma Junji had no idea how the swords were split or allocated between the Property Tax payment, the Imperial Collection owned by the Imperail Household Agency on behalf of the state, the swords owned personally by the Emperor and the swords owned by the Imperial Throne after the new constitution was enacted and the majority of the swords became the property of the State of Japan. It was very much a need to know basis and he (even though he was the head of the Preservation group) was clearly not in the circle that needed to know. He makes a comment that even though he examined the Gyo-butsu blades he was not allowed to comment on any of them - which he found incredibly frustrating especially when similar swords came up for comparison in his writings. It just goes to show again how discreet and opaque this designation really is when even the great Dr Honma Junji was none the wiser about specifics (although he did get an incredibly rare privilege of examine them all - but that was a once off).

I also will be attending. This will be my first show as I’m a fairly new collector. I will be traveling from Michigan.

雪斎書 = Sessaisho (presumably the art name of the person who made the tsunagi) 宗雨 = Muneame I would imagine this is the professional name of the maker. I haven't seen a copper tsunagi before. It would be an unusual extravagance. The name is also kind of unusual. Mune is common, but 雨 (ame) isn't a character you would typically expect to see in a name.

I will admit to liking Japanese dealers. Yes, certain nonchalant description writing can be next level compared to western ones. There are no guarantees. Communications can be edgy. You want to pair koshirae with a blade from different dealers, and as a rule they hate each other and proud to make impossible. But I am yet to see a western dealer (though youngest generation shows great promise) who would close the knowledge gap compared to upper grade Japanese ones. Or have an actual impressive personal collection NFS. Which again speaks to personal knowledge, re: ability to pickup the magic guntos that matter. Yes, Japanese dealers have "make money" attitude, and they have solid acceptance of the fact they are traders by profession. Frankly, dealing in some loveable items and making money - why can't one be proud of this profession? Comparing this with a certain (common) type of Western dealers... I actually wish they would accept being professional dealers, and be more concerned about the knowledge gap, rather than investing into building a brand of a warrior-scholar who is not doing this for the money.