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Hello everyone, I wanted to give a quick introduction to my new dealer section. Having been active in this wonderful community for quite a while now, and having sold Japanese swords for over three years, I thought I would obtain dealer status here on NMB. This allows me to support the forum and have a more direct way to communicate updates concerning stock and upcoming swords. My name is Lex van der Jagt. I started selling antiques when I was 14 years old and started my own company as soon as I turned 18, based in the Netherlands. I have focused my interest on Nihonto ever since I was legally allowed to own them here in the Netherlands. I specialize in Japanese swords from the Koto period (before 1596 AD), as this is the period that interests me most and is also the main focus of my own collection. Japanese swords are my passion, and I stand behind every sword I sell. Almost all swords I sell come with modern NBTHK Kanteisho, and some have been submitted to shinsa by me personally. I visit Japan every three months in search of high-quality Koto-period swords that I can offer to my buyers, which I personally export by plane. I plan to have a website up and running within six months. Until then, you can contact me directly here or send me an email at: lexvdjagt@gmail.com. Greetings, Lex van der Jagt The Netherlands

Yesterday the famous sword appreciation event in Tokyo co-sponsored by the Toyama Sword Research Group and the e-Sword Research Group took place. It took 5 months to make happen. The theme Soshu-den, showed off a luxurious selection including Bizen Saburo Kunimune, Shintogo, Masamune, Norishige, Go Yoshihiro, Sa, Rai Kunitsugu, Taikei Naotane, Dewa Daijo Kunimichi, and Kashu Kiyomitsu! And even had the sword fittings, including the famous Atsuto Shiro, the sword fittings and Kaga metalwork that came with the famous Satsuamee koshirae, and the Hirata school of cloisonné! More than half the participants were female! #Sword

Last year at the Las Vegas Japanese Sword Show, Brian Tschernega did a presentation on tsukamaki and discussed tsuka. He brought several old tsuka from the Muromachi period onward, and talked about them. He emphasized that old tsuka were "teachers", and that they inform and inspire modern crafstmen to better emulate how tsuka were made in the past. Preserved old tsuka can help keep those tradition alive. Obviously not all tsuka are old, but just another scenario tsuka may be traded around. It's important to keep them in the hands of people who care about their preservation and appreciate that history and craftsmanship.

I'm very confused by a couple of things. First is that I don't think there are any words about Hiromitsu or Akihiro making Kodachi in the entire 3 pages about them in Fujishiro Sensei's Nihon Tōkō Jiten, 1938 edition. Another point is that Kodachi (in this context) means Tachi that is around 60cm (say 50~65cm) in Hachou, so a 65~70cm one is just a full-size regular Tachi. This is just 101 for Nihonto learning. I also failed to find the Soshu Masters' Mei on the Sashiomote side part in The Connoisseur’s Book p. 202, or any talk about this topic in the whole book of its Japanese version 刀剣鑑定読本. (English version using https://openlibrary.org/works/OL12592939W/The_connoisseur's_book_of_Japanese_swords) On this issue, I don't think Soshu masters even are exceptions. Usually we say that in the Koto times, part of Aoe and Motoshige (who is considered under Aoe influence) are the exceptions, signing on the Sashiomote. Soshu works are mostly Mumei, but here are a few examples. (Juyo Bijutsuhin Hasebe from Nanbokuchou, Mei on Hakiomote) (Juyo Bunkazai Akihiro, specifically labeled as Kodachi at 63cm, Mei on its Hakiomote) (Many, many signed Soshu master Shizu Kaneuji's Tachi from Nanbokuchou, Juyo Bijutsuhin and Bunkazai, the go-to when praising a later-time Soshu style work, "Wow! this sword reminds people of Shizu!") Actually, I would love to see enough exceptions from the Soshu masters where their Mei on Sashiomote and being labeled as Tachi or Kodachi by the officials. So......May I ask where are you getting your information...? On an unrelated note, LLMs are extremely unreliable with Kantei Kanshou stuff, lack even the most basic resources, knowledge, and often hallucinate. Lastly, I'm going out on a limb here, asking, is there a little confusion about how the Suriage process works...? Because a sword like this could never reach 69cm in its original size. Suriage is a one-directional process, cutting a sword's Nakago and turning the bottom blade part to new Nakago part. (In this case, like this.) Many people would get this wrong, but one can not Suriage a Kissaki (unless an unlikely scenario of an Ichimai Boshi), they are shortened mostly due to damage. Because Boshi, like Hamon, are fixed, and a sword loses most of its value when the last of the hardened are on Kissaki is lost. (in extreme cases, a Boshi-less sword became what we call Satsuma-Age.) (And the Kissaki of your sword seems fine, I think. Perhaps 1 or at most 2cm lost?) So you can't "gain" extra original length from the Kissaki part, just the bottom, which is very limited because of the remaining Mei part, giving no more than 10cm of room in the most ideal circumstances, making your sword no longer than 60cm originally, like other has pointed out.

Aoi Art currently has this Chōgi (Osafune Nagayoshi) tantō up for auction: https://sword-auction.com/ja/product/31815/as26214-tanto：-bishu-osafune-ju-nagayosi-cho-gi-jowa-6-nen-shogatu-hi-new-year-1350nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-paperkurashiki-sword-museum-estimation-paper/ Just from a glance, it's easy to see why Chōgi is considered the least Bizen-like Bizen smith; this tantō looks almost like a work by a later mainline Soshu smith such as Hiromitsu. It is signed 備州長船住長義 貞和六年正月日 (Bishū Osafune ju Nagayoshi, Jōwa roku-nen shōgatsu-hi). There's some important context behind this particular blade and mei which is somewhat glossed over in the English listing – I've provided a basic translation here as I think this may be a useful reference point for someone someday. "Until recently, the oldest known sword by Bizen Osafune Nagayoshi was a meitō called the 'Osaka Nagayoshi' and dated Shōhei 15 (1360). That tantō was believed to have been bestowed at Osaka Castle upon Maeda Toshiie, a daimyō who was a retainer and old confidant of [Toyotomi] Hideyoshi. It was then subsequently passed down through the Maeda clan as a family heirloom. However, the tantō [listed here] was recently surfaced, and the mei—dating it to January of Jōwa 6 (1350)—predates that of the Osaka Nagayoshi by 10 years. It had long been considered to be gimei and held in reserve, but after re-evaluating it in light of Tanobe-sensei's judgement, the Japanese Sword Museum [and by extension, the NBTHK] finally authenticated it. With the Osaka Nagayoshi previously established as his earliest dated work, having a blade dated earlier [than 1360] authenticated as a work of this smith was no small feat. Henceforth, the listed tantō may now officially be recognized as the oldest extant work of Nagayoshi. * Reference: TANOBE Michihiro, The Japanese Sword – A Journey Through the Five Traditions of Japanese Sword Making: The Bizen Tradition, p. 182 (The Golden Age of Osafune Swordsmiths)"

What makes this fascinating little blade so important is its date. It appears at least a full decade earlier than what has traditionally been considered Chōgi's established working period, making it a significant piece for students of Sōden-Bizen and the development of the Chōgi school. Unfortunately, the blade is showing its age. Condition issues including ware in the ha likely explain why it has remained at the Tokubetsu Hozon level despite its rarity and research value. Could it make Jūyō someday? Anything is possible, but I would not consider it likely. That said, it is probably the most reasonably priced zaimei Chōgi to appear on the market in quite some time. The blade was previously offered by Aoi Art roughly four years ago, though I do not know the asking price at the time. @Jussi Ekholm may have that information recorded. I am also curious why the current owner is parting with it after such a relatively short period, something some collectors may understandably view as a cautionary sign. The hitatsura is another point of interest. It is an outlier within Chōgi's body of work, recalling the work of Hiromitsu and, further back, the full-temper explorations seen in some works of Yukimitsu. Yet despite the treatment, Chōgi's hand still comes through clearly. The blade retains the dynamic,Sōshū-influenced Bizen character that makes his work so distinctive. Signed and dated Nanbokuchō-period works by Chōgi and his immediate circle rarely appear on the market. Even mumei examples are encountered infrequently. By comparison, the blade pictured below was offered by Aoi Art last year and received 2025 Tokubetsu Hozon papers to Kenchō—not Den Kenchō, but Kenchō himself, generally regarded as Chōgi's foremost student. Tanobe-sensei, however, attributed the blade to Chōgi in his sayagaki. Both opinions are entirely reasonable. The condition of that blade is exceptional. The zaimei example being offered here, however, provides something the Kenchō attribution debate cannot: a firmly signed and dated reference point from the formative years of the school. For collectors of top Nanbokucho Soshu works, that carries considerable importance. The asking price is not unreasonable for what is being offered, and I would not be surprised to see it rise before the auction closes, much as the zaimei Kanemitsu did last week. If I had an extra $40,000 available in these uncertain times, I would be very tempted. For collectors of Sōshū-influenced work, Sōden-Bizen, Nanbokuchō tantō, or blades exhibiting strong Masamune-style jihada, this is certainly worthy of serious consideration. As for me, I will remain content with my little mumei example.

I expect 99% of this sort of damage is neglect and messing around, and done in modern times. Blade to blade contact is rare and unlikely from those pics. We tend to romanticize these things, but it's important to realize that it isn't a desired thing in most cases and unless can be proven 100%, it's best to not see them as a feature.

Same way people collect fuchi/kashira and menuki, keeping an entire tsuka allows you to collect all those parts already assembled. Many of us collectors have tsuka that we will never fit to a sword and collect them for the en-suite fittings.

As Jean said I signed with the kanji 古伝 which reads as "Koden" that sounds like my surname and also have a meaning of "old tradition" which fits my style of Muromachi -Early Edo style. For NBTHK contest you're required to have either a signature or a kao to submit

Kyo is short for Kyoto. Kenjo (in this context) is sort of a general term for certain type of tsuba. Slightly more bling (with gold) for going into town type of dress up, but not a tsuba that cost an arm and leg to have. The tsuba equivalent of wearing cuff-links. Usually associated with Kyoto.

Whoever said that was completely different. 尾州住人真野光弘作之 (Bishu junin Mano Mitsuhiro saku kore) – A resident of Bishu (= Owari province), Mano Mitsuhiro made this.

Welcome to NMB Fred. I vote for Kyo-Kenjo [presentation] or possibly Higo style? Powerhouse museum - A5308-13 https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/182968 A Kyo-kenjo from Gary Murtha's book - notice the gold edging to the hitsu-ana and the seppa-dai

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okuri-inu Also known as okuri ōkami.

Perhaps Gustavo Hoefs could answer this? : He has done several works and adopted one set of Kanji [グー ] which is pronounced Gū. This is close to his pseudonym of Goo However he has had feedback from Japanese and others that leaving his pieces unsigned in anyway is ideal - a view I tend to disagree with. If you are proud of your work why hide it? Also an unsigned modern utsushi just muddies the waters and creates future problems of authenticity and provenance. No one would like their work to be lost or worse, thrown in as some sort of Chinese fake. My opinion is "You make it, you take ownership" JMHO

Great attitude Hengu, vital for true learners, but so hard for most people to handle.

Kannon tsuba by Kano Natsuo Halo figures, recent additions to older tsuba? A cross over from Kannon to the Christian Madonna - "Maria-Kannon" This syncretic icon was developed in the 17th century by the Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christians)

I am currently on train so I cannot write too long post. However as the sword seems to be 49 cm in current form and would seem to have long portion of the mei intact, I would guess it would have been under 60 cm blade originally.

Hi! I think the official stroke counts of a character are calculated in their 楷書体 (Kaishotai/regular script, most of the fonts use this as their baseline, and this is the first and usually only script style taught to Chinese and Japanese children when in school). Stroke counts are used in many ways, even for fortunetelling (姓名判断/Seimeihandan/onomancy) in Japan, I think. This would be counted as one single stroke (a "hook" as we say), too. Even though it took two strokes of a chisel. Stroke counts of a Sosho/grass script character can vary vastly, as shown below. (That trippy and seemingly deformed two-stroke 兼 at the bottom-right corner is written by one of the greatest modern artists, Yu Youren, too.) The word for tiger (虎, as in Kotetsu's 虎彻, he uses this Sosho version in some of his work) in Sosho is usually written in one stroke, too. There is even a specific genre because of this called one-stroke tiger ("一笔虎"), where the one character is the only content of a whole artwork. ...wait, what was I talking about again? Anyway, I'm afraid stroke counts are very much subject to change in any style other than regular script, therefore not applicable as a tool for deciphering a Mei : (

I thought I'd post this here for the exposure, then it can be moved to the Fake Sword thread. Found at this Western Trading Post auction (Invaluable) At first, I thought it was legit, but with wrong saya. But red flags: 1. No dimples in the tsuka diamonds 2. Wrong curvature of latch 3. A zero in the front of the serial number "02353". 4. Wrong ending of the bohi Patina to the tsuka is shockingly good and stamps are pretty darn close, however the center "TO" is too big. I'll post their photos and what it should look like right next to them: FAKE REAL

ISP's are slowly putting measures in place to mitigate the various attempts at DDOS. It's a very complicated process, but it's going to get better, not worse. We'll be back to normal soon.

Hello everyone! I will use this thread for any new swords that will be for sale soon. If you want to be first to know about any new stock I will be uploading in the future, then please give this thread a follow! I will keep the list updated, so if anything sells, then I will indicate so here. The actual full sales listings for all these swords will be made once I have time to make my own photographs and thorough description, and will be uploaded separately in the for sale section. In the meantime, feel free to contact me regarding any of these swords. I will, in many cases, already have some photographs or videos of the sword made with my phone. It is also possible to view these swords in person on request. 1. Omiya Mumei Katana in Shirasaya Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Nanbokucho around Joji era (ca 1362AD) Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Horimono: Bonji Habaki: Silver Koshirae: spare Shirasaya Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 73.03 cm (2 shaku 4 sun 1 bu) Sori (Curvature): 1.52 cm (5 bu) Motohaba: 31.2 mm Sakihaba: 23.7 mm Kasane: 7.8 mm (Motokasane), 4.4 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): 839 g Shinogi-zukuri, Chū-kissaki Description: Attributed to the Omiya school by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2024. This sword is a high-end Omiya katana, with an absolutely stunning Gunome-Choji hamon, and stunning jihada, mainly consisting of beautiful mokume patterns. This Omiya katana has a typical Nanbokucho sugata, with a very powerful feeling. I believe this sword dates to around the Joji era (1362) of the Nanbokucho period. The mune has a homare-kizu (honor flaw) close to the kissaki. The homare-kizu does not detract from the overall quality or integrity of the sword's structure and is a testimony to this sword's history. The sword was polished in Japan by a very qualified polisher after shinsa, which leaves the sword in fresh and beautiful polish, ready to enjoy. There was also a new shirasaya made. The original shirasaya is also included. An old sayagaki on the saya records that at a sword appraisal meeting held at Yasukuni Shrine in 1909, the blade was attributed to Motomitsu of the Bizen Kanemitsu school. This attribution is likely not true. But still adds some provenance to this stunning sword. Price: 8000 EURO 2. Kaga Sanekage Naginatanaoshi in Shirasaya Type: Naginatanaoshi wakizashi Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Nanbokucho around Joji era Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Horimono: Bonji (very vague, almost polished away) Habaki: Silver layered Koshirae: X Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 47.7cm Sori (Curvature): approx 0.8cm Motohaba: 30.4mm Sakihaba: 29mm Kasane: 7.6 mm (Motokasane), 5.5 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): Uncertain Description: Attributed directly to Kaga Sanekage by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2025. Kaga Sanekage is thought to have been the student of the master swordsmith Norishige. This Naginatanaoshi has an absolutely stunning hamon, with a beautiful layered hataraki, and jihada, mainly comprising out itame with some masame patterns. This naginatanaoshi has a wide mihaba, which is typical for naginatanaoshi made in this period. I believe this sword dates to around the Joji era (1362) within the active period of Kaga Sanekage. The sword has some kitae-ware in the hamon, and shinogi-ji. The overall sword is a great study example, which shows clear influence taken from Norishige. Price: 3200 EURO 3. Uda Kunimune Katana Mumei in Shirasaya and Koshirae Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: NBTHK attributed to Ōei period (1394–1428AD) Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon & Honami Kisanji? documents attributing the sword to Naminohara Yasuyuki Horimono: Bohi Habaki: Copper Koshirae: Uchigatana-koshirae, with overall blue and buddhist theme, fuchi-kashira with swastika theme and a very nicely made tsuba. Overall koshirae dates from Bakumatsu-period. Blue tsuka-ito. Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 60.6CM (a little over 2 shaku) Sori (Curvature): approx 2.1cm Motohaba: 30mm Sakihaba: 20mm Kasane: 0.8 mm (Motokasane), 5 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): 630g Shinogi-zukuri Description: Attributed to Uda Kunimune by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2025. Uda Kunimune is a descendant of the Uda school, from Etchu, starting in the late Kamakura period. This Katana has a slight notare-hamon with stunning nie activity with stunning crystallized structures. The Jihada consists mostly of Mokume and Masame patterns, which are nicely visible and very enjoyable. This katana has the overall typical early Muromachi sugata, clearly taking inspiration from earlier Nanbokucho work, with an overall wide mihaba. The NBTHK Kanteisho specifically attributes this work to the Ōei period (1394–1428AD). The sword has some light scratches, which are negligible. The sword includes an old wooden box with documents. I have not translated all of the documents, but there is one large examination paper, made by I believe Honami Kisanji, attributing the sword to a specific Naminohara smith. These may not be entirely accurate, but they are still a wonderful addition to the provenance of this sword. The registration number of the torokusho is also a 4 digit number, indicating very early registration. Price: 4900 EUR 4. Takada Muneyuki Katana in shirasaya Type: Katana Nakago: Mumei Period: Around early edo period Papers: NBTHK Hozon Horimono: Habaki: Gold foiled Koshirae: X Shinogi-zukuri Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 68,18cm (2 shaku 2 sun 5 bu) Sori (Curvature): approx 1.8 Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Description: Attributed to Takada Muneyuki. This Katana has a slight gunome-midare hamon with stunning overall quality. The Jihada consists mostly of ko-itame hada. This katana has the overall typical early edo period shape, but with 3 mekugi-ana, which gives the sword more of a late Muromachi Taira Takada feeling. The sword is in beautiful, enjoyable condition with nearly no kitae-ware, which are negligible. (NBTHK KANTEISHO IMAGE TO BE UPLOADED) Price: 2500 EURO 5. Uda Wakizashi fumei Shirasaya and Koshirae Type: Wakizashi Nakago: Mumei Period: Around the middle Muromachi period 1450-1500AD Papers: NBTHK Hozon and old Kanteisho of a Nihonto study group, attributing the wakizashi to Kozori. Horimono: Bohi Habaki: Silver foiled Koshirae: Yes, Tanto koshirae, late edo period. Hira-zukuri Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 35,7cm (1 shaku 1 sun 7 bu) Sori (Curvature): None Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Description: Attributed to Uda by the NBTHK Hozon papers in 2025, sent to shinsa by me. This wakizashi has a suguha hamon with overall nice activity in the nioiguchi. The jhada consists mostly of ko-itame hada combined with some masame hada. The wakizashi has more of a tanto feeling, being quite slender. The sword has the remains of a signature visible, but the NBTHK judged the signature to be illegible. The sword is in enjoyable condition with only a few foraging flaws, but is in older polish. Overall a nice wakizashi in koshirae for any collection. Price: 1500 EURO 6. Taira Takada Katana Mumei Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Late Muromachi period (16th century AD) Papers: NBTHK Hozon Horimono: x Habaki: Gold foiled Koshirae: Mounted in a late Edo period koshirae. The saya features a rare shuro-nuri finish, made by mixing fibers from the surface of the windmill palm (shuro) into transparent brown urushi lacquer and polishing it to a smooth finish. There are some previous repairs visible. Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 69.5cm (2 Shaku 3 sun) Sori (Curvature): approx 1.5cm Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Shinogi-zukuri Description: Attributed to Taira Takada by NBTHK Hozon papers in 2002. Taira Takada is the last stage of the koto Takada school, originally starting in the late Kamakura period. This Katana has a slight notare-hamon. The Jihada Itame hada, which are nicely visible and very enjoyable. This katana has the overall typical late Muromachi sugata. The sword has some light scratches, which are negligible. Price: 2600 EUR

Imo “fake” is the wrong word especially regarding this koshirae. The quality is too good. A better phrase would be “school of Teruhide” ie to recognise that we cannot be totally sure how many artists were involved. Whoever they were they were collaborating on making this set. None of the Mei on this have been added later. There is no fakery involved. As for the hay day…..dubious signatures have been a feature of most aspects of Japanese Art throughout history going back many hundreds of years. That includes swords and the associated fittings. As soon as a “genius” appeared on the scene others (often with considerable talent) started to “copy”, often while the genius was still alive and working! Sometimes it is obvious that a piece cannot be “right” but other times it is not quite so straightforward. It is an aspect of Japanese Art that we have to live with. It frustrates many, doesn’t bother me.🙂 (quality is quality)

Stunning! Whether Omori Teruhide or one or more of his students, who-ever (singular or plural) did that work was seriously talented - not only the quality of the workmanship, but also the quality of the design. I suspect that as with similar products from western traditional workshops, asking who actually made it within a workshop led by a great master is probably meaningless. There were probably many hands - specialists in one or more areas of work - being directed by the master. We tend to think more in the post renaissance western art paradigm - the solitary great artist. But it's not necessarily the way that a master with a strong team would work. I do wonder if the character variations actually indicate the lead hand on each piece.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your expertise, references, and insights on this piece. I really appreciate the thorough analysis of the dimensions, signature styles, and the historical context. You've given me a great deal of genuine knowledge to consider. Thank you again for your time and for a very educational discussion!

Good eye, Bruce. I agree. We will have to keep a keen eye out for these. Thank you for sharing. To add, the habaki on copper hilt Type 95 swords should have a cutout on the mune (like the Nihonto habaki we are familiar with). The subsequent aluminum hilt variations did away with the habaki cutout. Also factory original copper hilt swords were made without a mekugi. Instead they are secured to the hilt only by the grommet screw at the kobutogane. Example of the habaki on a genuine sword:

If you are near Southern California, I would recommend taking it to Mike Yamasaki, who can give you good advice on the blade and the polishing process. What I can tell you today is that the blade comes with an appraisal paper (origami) from Hon'ami Kō'on, dated 1662. Kō'on says the blade comes from the Sa lineage (he doesn't specify the exact smith). The blade was already shortened and had lost its signature by this time. Then, in 1953 (maybe January, can't quite tell), Japanese sword scholar Kashima Tsutomu reaffirmed the sword was of the Sa lineage via his own appraisal. Then, in June of that same year, the NBTHK also appraised the sword as coming from the Sa lineage, and gave it a "Precious" designation (one of the designations that predates the Tokubetsu Hozon designation). The current "Sa Hiroyuki" appraisal comes from the latest NBTHK appraisal, dated 2021, in which it received the Tokubetsu Hozon designation. So, no doubt the sword is of the Sa school, but there may not be absolute consensus among the Japanese sword world as to the Hiroyuki appraisal. This may be one reason the sword currently does not have a Jūyō designation. My gut feeling is that if the sword were a super strong candidate for Jūyō, the sword dealer Seiyūdō would have submitted it themselves in order to take advantage of the potential profit that they could have received by selling it as a Jūyō blade. But I am not an expert, and that "gut feeling" is sort of a lazy person's conclusion.

I'm just a newb, but that polish seems solid as it is.

I have seen retrofit old tsuka where the mekugiana was moved. you can tell if you see a same' patch where the original hole was. If the Cheness tsuka is too tight, then various files could be used to remove material. This is a 3D problem that takes some thought about which way you want the tsuka to move. Do you take wood off the ha side or the mune side? It is also important to make sure that fuchi tenjogane is parallel to the tsuba seppadai, so may need to remove or add wood in stategic spots to "rotate" the tsuka into proper alignment. Also need to check the interior length against the nakago length with the habaki, tsuba and seppa in place. If used for martial arts, then the tsuka needs to seat tightly. If too much wood is removed then this can be replaced with thin shims, basswood sheet from the hobby shop works. I have an old wakizashi koshirae where the tsuka is a period refit. I can tell because the inside was crudely recut. Also, the style of the tsuka does not ideally match the Owari/Yagyu saya. The original mekugiana was used, but this resulted in a big gap where the tsuba goes. Their solution was to make an extra long habaki to fit the tsuba and seppa correctly. Apparently that was preferable to making a new tsuka for it.

You could choose any kanji with a reading close enough to your name. That's what the student helped me with when I joined a calligraphy club, and I had to carve my own signature stamp. For many non-Asians, it can mean quite a few kanji (mine was 4 for the family name, and 3 for the first name).

I have 5 Yoshimichi on file with kikumon (chrysanthemum). Three dated between 1711 - 1755. One was estimated to be from the 1600s. This mon does not match the others in my files, however each of them vary from the next, so that doesn't tell us much. The kikumon was a sign the smith was approved to make swords under the shogunate, and has been seen from the 1600s to the mid-1800s. You might have noticed that your fittings are missing some parts. Some collectors like to keep their swords just as they got them (Life of the sword philosophy). Other would rather find period correct parts to refit the sword. If you care to do so, you can see how yours should look by reading this site: Scabbard, spring clip, etc - Ohmura and Gunto Metal Parts - Ohmura Care and cleaning - Japanese sword Care I don't know Yoshimitsu and his work. But in general, older blades in military fittings sell in the range of $1,900 to $2,400. Lower end for gunto with missing parts and rusted blades. However, if your smith is valued, it could go much higher. The nihonto experts would have to help you in that area.

但無銘也 - However, it is unsigned.

As it turns out, a tsuba with a similar motif was discussed on the forum previously:

In the Edo period, gimei was not always interpreted according to the modern Western distinction between authentic and fake, but was part of a cultural system where imitation, transmission of tradition, genealogical prestige, and commercial value were deeply intertwined. This perspective emerges particularly clearly from Kameda-Madar's studies on the practice of utsushi. It would likely be of interest to more than one member of the NMB. https://www.academia.edu/10385390/Copying_and_Theory_in_Edo_Period_Japan_1615_1868_

Hello! I think they are the work of different craftsmen. Of course, a proper assessment would require detailed photographs from multiple angles. However, when we are talking about the work of a master craftsman such as Teruhide, the standards the master set for his own work were considerably higher. This particular example is not flawless, either in terms of the katakiribori or in the execution of the waves themselves. The carving - specifically the thickness of the lines and the cutting angles - varies from one line to another. I agree that signatures are often of limited help when establishing authorship, but in the case of an Omori signature, I would always evaluate the workmanship itself before considering the signature. This is not to say that this koshirae is of poor quality - not at all (sometimes I feel as though I am unintentionally insulting other craftsmen when I make such comparisons). It is simply that everything is relative, and the works of artists of such renown are on yet another level. I have noticed that many people here do not recognize the difference between a truly great work and a merely very good one. For many, Joi is Joi - what difference does it make, the work is good anyway)) But that is not the correct way to look at it. All the works with complex compositions from master-master are almost flawless or flawless. And yes, there are not so many such masters, but you will see these works immediately, even without a signature.

I want to add that the overall signature style does not seem to coincide with known signatures of Hiromitsu, take this signed Juyo Wakizashi below: (It is signed Sagamikuni Jyunin Hiromitsu not Sagami Koku Junin, but you can clearly see the differing execution and position of Mei.) source: https://iidakoendo.com/4225/ My two cents are that this Wakizashi was never a Tachi or Katana. But simply a Wakizashi. In my opinion a Keicho period work, or around that period. Greetings, Lex

Thanks Sam! Just for the record, you can find legitimate coppers with a screw. It is believed they were factory repaired jobs. With the mismatched saya, this one could be pretending to be one, if all the other things were right…. But even the paint on the saya is clearly new.

Please wait for the more knowledgeable to chime in. I'm still honing my ability to decifer kanji. Could it be?: 兼 Kane 氏 Uji Best, -Sam

There are multiple stories of collectors doing just that and being jammed up for hours. The reason some collectors have great success with this method is the prior knowledge and co-ordination with an experienced dealer beforehand, just rocking up to Narita airport with a sword and a prayer is ill-advised.

I'd be content to hold a genuine Muramasa demon sword.... just to see if it whispers for the blood of a Tokugawa. My first (and still favorite) nihonto feels like it has a mischievous spirit. Like it was waiting for me.... and it sometimes feels heavier than other times. No papers. No one else in the store even looked at it. Like it was waiting for me, or someone like me, to go home with. The tsuka looked like it had been chewed by a dog, (which perhaps it had....)But I knew they would have it repaired it for me if I commissioned it.... maybe the other shoppers didn't? And so what I think was the best sword in the shop was overlooked entirely on a busy day... Other short swords sold while I was there... but no one else even looked a this one. Waiting for me? All of that is just a feeling, but I did have that feeling... and in the end that turned out to be the case since I bought it and treasure it. The old wrap, (some modern material,) went away and black silk came in. It did give me the chance to find out the menuki are signed! The Hamon (quite difficult to photo to it's full effect...) is like fire, with the lights rising up over a darker background. (Can anyone name this pattern? A choji I suspect, but I admit to ignorance in this, and would like to know if anyone can tell me. Notice on the second photo, the fuchi has been polished smooth by someone's thumb, as that's exactly where your thumb would sit if you were wearing it edge up and rubbing it with your hand wrapped around it... The blossom on the kozuka, which I believe is a plum blossom, is gold. Sadly, the other side has one remaining chopstick, with a single gold flower. I sometimes wonder if I could commission a replacement chopstick from a craftman, and someday I'll investigate the price... and likely reject it... or perhaps not.

Yes we’ve discussed these Ginkgo nut blades (銀杏穂) Gin-nan-po/ho here before, quite a few years back. They’re beautiful, aren’t they! Perfectly formed curving facets. They come in various sizes, some quite small. I’ve seen bronze examples from 5th-6th century AD tombs. It has been said that the weakest spot of an armoured warrior is the eyes, for which you do not need a long blade. Maybe there is indeed more than symbolism and beauty to them though…

One for the ladies - Obi. https://www.jauce.com/auction/e1217356383 an expensive but attractive Obi!

Manuel Coden uses real KANJI for a phonetical resemblance of his name. My first name is related to the German name "Johann", so I could use 洋半 YÔ HAN (funnily, the meaning would be like 'half foreigner' which would fit). My family name COLLIN could be 光琳 KORIN, so just a phonetical way to write. For the TOSOGU makers competitions in Japan, I am not sure if a MEI is not even requested. Ask Manuel for that.

Thanks Bugyotsuji, very kind of you to say. Guys, if I do get this to shinsha and get an attribution, I will be sure to share it here with everyone, for our learning journey.

Fantastic cooperative effort, and thanks indeed to Moriyama San, but you should also be aware that some sources pronounce the two rather rare kanji 宗古 as 'Munefuru'. 1. The Kokin Kinko Zenshu lists 宗古 Munefuru (五鉄錬) as an artisan of the Tosa Myochin branch. (It also suggests he used the name 宗定 Munesada.) 2. The Shin Kacchushi Meikan on p.262 gives more detail about Munefuru, commenting inter alia that his work was good and that this name has also been found on (a) ryubu-men. These two do not list the name as Soko, but it would not be 'wrong' to read it that way, and I would not be surprised to find a 'Soko' reading elsewhere. See photo of entry 2 above for example:

Kane is in 'square' (on papers) so they assume this character based on attribution. Right? Similar use case:

It's somewhat curious how some general tassels age differently, a friend brought over the middle one where the bullion stitch is barely visible from oxdisation:

The inscription reads like Simplified Chinese for '近江守长幸作', but honestly, it’s just a Japanese wannabe.

At least it pretends to be Japanese... The inscription on the tsuba reads: 近江守長幸作 = Ōmi no Kami Nagayuki saku

Hey all! As written in another post (Here) I recently recieved a new Tanto. The fittings it came with remind me a bit of Aikuchi style Koshirae, but they look different to previous pieces I have seen. I would be grateful for any kind of insight. For once, the Kurigata is a simple metal ring, decorated with what looks to be a chrysanthemum motive. The Fuchi is plain metal, while the Kashira has a hole with a leather strap. The Habaki has some kind of Mon engraved on both sides, maybe a Mitsuboshi Mon (three star crest) ? The same Mon can be found on the opposite side of the Kurigata, below the Kozuka "pocket", engraved on some kind of metal fitting on the Saya. Sadly it did not have a Kozuka come with it :/ Please see the pictures below for reference! Does anyone have an idea what this could be? All the best Erik

Still, a tachi from Nambokucho would've been significantly longer. The sugata of that time was mostly impressive in size. Tachi were regularly exceeding 90cm. Even if a tachi was on the very lower end of 70cm nagase: you Waki has 63.5 cm total length now. You have to deduct I guess 5 or 6 cm for mei, another 3 or 4 cm for the habaki. So there is no chance that even in theory, your sword ever was a tachi or katana. Well, only if the smith signed his work as horimono, way before the munemachi. Just kidding. So if you want to learn about swords; you maybe want to change your direction on this particular piece a little bit. And I agree, it's a beautiful and interesting piece. Best, Alex