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Sorry Dale but I have to strongly disagree; donating to a museum, local or otherwise, is a terrible idea. If donated the tsuba might be put on display for a short time but then will be relegated to the basement where they will rot away. If the collection is important and the museum has a serious interest in and knowledge of Nihont, that's another story but common stuff and a common museum is a recipe for ruin. Tsuba and all other Nihonto art are best kept by collectors who appreciate and know how to preserve them. Grey

Please please Santa I would really like this for Christmas! https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/miyao-a-fine-parcel-gilt-bronze-okimono-of-a-tsub-12-c-9dfc5ad8c7

Dear Hokke, The topic is a bit more nuanced that throwing a "yes +xx% price per marks" but much of this is due to the framing. There something better out there that captures the essence of your question in a period-accurate way and reframes it: A recorded kiritsuke mei inscribed on the nakago that allude to battle circumstances and defeating certain prized foes and nemesis. Once such blade, a Tokuju Osafune Motoshige, had the name of the son of a Daimyo it slayed inscribed on the tang along with who performed the deed during the Sengoku Jidai. The blade was retired subsequently and kept as a family treasure celebrating the deed. The inscription is ancient, and the act recorded in the archives of the family. Does this increase its value? Of course, in front of the right buyer. I would go as far as personally to consider chasing only this specific Motoshige if I wanted to make an exception for a mumei motoshige blade (there are enough signed ones - 56 to be precise - to target signed). In the NBHTK setsumei: In addition, this piece preserves a carved inscription (kiritsuke-mei) stating that on the 13th day of the 6th month of Eishō 18 (1521), Hayashi Motokatsu killed Kageharu, the youngest son of Asakura Sadakage of Echizen. However: Would I be interested in generic but verifiable "kill notches" without further context, per se? Not at all, to the contrary. There is little historical and provenance value in my eyes. For the same reason, Edo period cutting tests are also not my cup of tea. Why? Some introspection: perhaps because war is necessary, high-stakes, and epic in the human story arch, but death itself is a tragic byproduct. Remove the battle, the stakes, the heroes and the villains - and leave only death as a memory - well - it does not appeals to my personal sense of life aesthetics. The Motoshige with kiritsuke mei recounts the story of defeating a family nemesis. This fits in the arc of the human epic and adds an enchanting element. More generally, is provenance valuable? It can be everything - take the following provenance extreme case: A gimei Kotetsu blade belonging to one of the famous Shinsengumi with kirikomi with ironclad provenance documentation. This blade is likely to be extremely valuable and command in the mid-to-high six figure results at auction. The price is solely driven by the provenance in this case. Famous historical figures and Daimyo collections, romantic Bakumatsu ronin stories, all of these hold a special place of interest to many collectors and have market effects, and no wonders - these are genuine moments of history that create enchantment in the experience of collecting and studying history. Long live epic stories, Hoshi

Come to https://www.japanartfair.com/ (No taxes from dealers from Japan, btw) . For this price I would first learn more about Nihonto and second only buy after personal viewing.

Dear Geraint, Rather than asking for an explanation I couldn't find, I went down the rabbit hole, researched and asked around and did a little write up - all comments are welcome! ------------------------------------------------------- Among the many attribution problems in tosōgu, the distinction between (late) Mino work and the Kozenji school is a challenging one. At first glance the two can appear remarkably similar. Both employ scrolling karakusa, shakudō grounds, gold hirazōgan, floral ornament, and richly decorative surfaces. Both participate in the broader aesthetic world that emerged from the enormous influence of Mino metalwork during the late Muromachi and Momoyama periods. It is therefore that collectors frequently encounter guards which appear unmistakably “Mino,” only to discover that the NBTHK has papered them to Kozenji. Conversely, certain highly refined Owari-style works still receive broad Mino attribution. The reason for this confusion is that Kozenji did not arise in opposition to Mino aesthetics. Rather, Kozenji emerged through the absorption and reinterpretation of Mino decorative language within an Owari context. The distinction between the two schools therefore lies not primarily in motif vocabulary or isolated techniques, but in something much deeper: the philosophy of ornament, the treatment of surface, and the emotional structure of the design itself. To understand the difference properly, we must move beyond the question of what is depicted and instead examine how the surface behaves. The Mino tradition developed in Mino Province during the Muromachi and Momoyama periods and became one of the most influential decorative metalworking traditions in Japan. Mino artists cultivated an aesthetic built around vigorous carving, energetic takabori, rich metallic embellishment, and deeply animated surfaces. Their work often possesses tremendous physical vitality. Ornament in Mino work feels carved into existence through the force of the chisel itself. Even highly refined examples retain a sense of movement and tactile energy. The plate feels worked, excavated, and alive. This sculptural vitality became enormously influential. Mino aesthetics affected not only later Mino generations but also Gotō traditions, Owari kinko, and even aspects of Kaga metalwork. By the early Edo period, Mino visual language had spread widely beyond its original provincial boundaries. The Kozenji school emerged later in Owari, likely during the early Edo period, after Mino artistic influence had already spread westward through political and cultural realignment under Oda Nobunaga and his successors. Kozenji artists inherited many elements of Mino decorative vocabulary: scrolling vines, asymmetrical compositions, gold accents, and soft-metal ornamentation. Yet they transformed these inherited forms according to a different sensibility. Where Mino prized carving vitality, Kozenji increasingly emphasized decorative integration. Where Mino celebrated sculptural movement, Kozenji pursued ornamental coherence and surface harmony. This difference may be summarized very simply: In Mino work, the carving creates the ornament. In Kozenji work, the ornament organizes the surface. That distinction explains an extraordinary number of attribution decisions. In Mino work the eye is drawn first to the carving itself. The relief possesses physical authority. Lines vary with the movement of the chisel, shadows accumulate in compressed recesses, and vegetal forms seem to push outward from the plate. Even when gold or silver decoration is present, these additions generally reinforce the sculptural structure rather than flatten it into surface pattern. The ornament feels organic and energetic. One senses not only design, but physical action. This is particularly evident in Mino karakusa. The vines tend to be deeply cut, asymmetrical, and rhythmically compressed. They twist through the surface with muscular energy. Negative space often feels crowded and pressurized. Around the hitsu-ana and seppadai, the ornament seems to gather force inwardly, creating visual tension and density. The resulting atmosphere is one of Momoyama vitality: forceful, tactile, and animated. Kozenji adopts much of this same vocabulary but alters its function. The karakusa remains recognizably Mino-derived, yet its behavior changes fundamentally. The vines become more evenly distributed, smoother in movement, and more consciously decorative. Rather than appearing as sculptural vegetation carved into the iron, they begin to resemble ornamental patterning spread across a unified surface. The rhythm becomes calmer and more controlled. Space is allowed to breathe. This transformation is central to understanding Kozenji attribution. Kozenji surfaces often possess what might be called a textile sensibility. The entire guard behaves as a coordinated decorative field. Individual motifs no longer dominate through sheer carving energy; instead they participate in an integrated ornamental structure. Hirazōgan becomes especially important in this context. In Mino work, gold inlay usually accents relief carving. In Kozenji, however, flat inlay frequently becomes structurally important to the design itself. Gold highlights distribute visual rhythm across the plate, contributing to balance and ornamental unity rather than simply emphasizing sculptural depth. The emotional atmosphere changes accordingly. Where Mino often feels vigorous and physically charged, Kozenji tends toward refinement, restraint, and composure. One might say that Mino preserves something of the energetic instability of the Momoyama period, whereas Kozenji reflects the cultivated decorative balance of the Edo period. These distinctions become especially important in modern attribution practice, particularly within the NBTHK. In practice, the NBTHK tends to separate Kozenji from late Mino not by isolated motifs but by overall artistic behavior. The central question is often whether the piece fundamentally behaves like a Mino carving object or like an Owari decorative object influenced by Mino. If carving dominates the visual experience—if relief retains sculptural authority and the surface feels physically excavated—the attribution tends to move toward Mino. If, however, the ornament behaves as a coordinated surface system, with controlled spacing, decorative integration, and ornamental calm, the attribution tends to move toward Kozenji. This is why collectors are sometimes surprised by papers. Many collectors naturally classify by subject matter: karakusa, shakudō, gold decoration, and scrolling vines immediately suggest “Mino.” Yet the NBTHK often evaluates according to broader aesthetic logic. Two guards may share almost identical motifs while embodying entirely different surface philosophies. The two example guards illustrate this distinction well: The first guard, papered to Mino, retains strong sculptural vitality. The dense karakusa appears deeply worked into the plate, and the ornament generates considerable visual pressure. The gold mon serve primarily as accents within a carving-dominated structure. The eye responds first to the physical movement of the carving itself. The surface feels excavated and tactile. Even within its refinement, the guard preserves a distinctly Momoyama-derived energy. The second guard, papered to Kozenji, employs similar decorative vocabulary yet behaves very differently. The karakusa is more evenly distributed and rhythmically organized. The hō-ō bird participates in the ornamental field rather than emerging as a dramatically sculptural centerpiece. The entire plate possesses greater decorative unity and calm. Here the eye reads not carving force, but ornamental coordination. The surface feels designed rather than excavated. The lesson is that Kozenji did not reject Mino aesthetics; it refined and reorganized them. The two traditions exist along a continuum rather than within rigidly separate categories. Indeed, the problem becomes even more difficult because late Edo Mino work itself increasingly adopted decorative refinement. As a result, there are many guards that legitimately inhabit a grey zone between late Mino, Kozenji, Kaga-influenced Owari work, and broader Owari kinko traditions. Ultimately, the distinction between Mino and Kozenji is not simply technical. It is philosophical. Mino expresses ornament through carving energy and sculptural vitality. Kozenji expresses ornament through surface integration and decorative order. Both traditions share a common visual ancestry, but they embody fundamentally different ideas about how ornament should inhabit the plate. TL;DR Summary: Mino and Kozenji tsuba can look very similar because both use decorative motifs like karakusa vines, gold inlay, and rich surface ornamentation. However, the key difference is not what is depicted, but how the surface is treated. Mino work is driven by carving energy. The design feels physically excavated, dynamic, and sculptural. Ornament emerges from deep, forceful carving, creating a vivid, almost “alive” surface. Kozenji work reinterprets this vocabulary into a more controlled, decorative system. The surface feels calmer, more unified, and patterned—like an integrated design rather than carved action. In short: Mino = ornament created by carving force and tactile energy Kozenji = ornament arranged as a balanced surface design Because Kozenji absorbed Mino aesthetics rather than rejecting them, many pieces sit in a grey zone, which is why attribution (including NBTHK papers) can be difficult and sometimes surprising.

I received my tsuba a few minutes ago as stated: Scheduled delivery date - Wednesday, 13/05/2026. Updated yesterday to 14/05/26 Very well packed with the papers and box The tsuba was wrapped in tissue inside the box with a pillow (normally a no no) but in this case there was no damage 8 pages (what a pain for the auction house) with an interesting comment: This artworks are exempt from Reciprocal Tariffs' under chapter 99 Secondary Classification 9903.01.32, as informational materials. These goods are ART antiques and more than 100 years old. HS code: 9705100090 I was surprised that I didn't have to pay import duty A very nice Kanayama tsuba, good condition with a lovely patina, with papers, just so pleased I wish the best to other buyers from this auction and I hope you are as happy as me with your purchase

Two almost identical other than the nakago-ana: One in the Met. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35193 what I find odd is the shape of the Met's example nakago-ana, too sharp for its age and little to no wear? https://eirakudo.shop/tosogu/tsuba/detail/324249/ a papered piece as Katchūshi I also see these on some auction sites - makes me think many are Edo revival pieces.

Hi! This is really hard, but I'm on it. This could take a little while though for I'm helping many others doing something else at the same time orz This reads "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭 乙巳仲夏" from top to bottom, right to left, ChatGPT's translation seems fine. (though used the wrong quantifier 株 instead of 枝 somehow) 乙巳(1665)仲夏(mid-summer) is just a date in the Chinese sexagenary cycle, incidentally last year 2025 is also the year of 乙巳, the next year of 乙巳 is going to be 2085. This is signed 黄檗木庵山僧戯筆. I might try to understand what the red seals/stamps said under, maybe later orz 黄檗(Ōbaku or Huangbo) is Mu'an's school of Zen(Ch'an), 木庵 is Mu'an, 山僧 means a monk living in the woods, a humble way to refer oneself usually by Zen monks, 戯筆 means "wrote/drawn playfully", one of many ways to sign one's work, and Mu'an used many other, like 題 ("inscripted"), 手題 ("hand inscripted", not that others are not by hand though), 自題 ("self inscripted"), 敬題 ("inscripted respectfully"), 並題("inscripted also", ususally in drawings), 戯墨並題 ("played with ink and also inscripted"), 書 ("wrote"), 敬書 ("wrote respectfully"), 謹書 (literally "wrote carefully", but really it's "wrote respectfully", too) and many, many other...... Not sure what this two words are orz The Chinese poem "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭" is perhaps Mu'an's creation because this has 0 hits on the Chinese internet, but Ogata Kenzan, a later-day artist and brother of Ogata Kōrin of Rinpa used it in one of his works. See the Chinese poem "緑雖千種草 香只一枝蘭" written in the red rectangle area on Ogata Kenzan's work. Hope this helps! Baby Joe

Good that you asked before buying . It is a Chinese fake .

While historical sales are not good indicator of current prices due to several factors of which we have discussed previously at NMB too. You can see Aoi Art had this same sword for sale without koshirae in 2021 for 2,500,000 yen https://web.archive.org/web/20210802211856/https://www.aoijapan.com/katana-mumeiunsigned-attributed-as-sa-yoshisada/ So you can see koshirae has not been historically with the sword. Also new habaki and shirasaya have been made for the sword. To me the workmanship of the blade seems very good but I am not after that in swords. Size and shape of the sword are the factors that would put me off from this purchase. If I would be in position to purchase a Sa school blade some day I would want it to be of the imposing Nanbokuchō shape in which there are plenty of Sa school attributed blades.

It must be a typo. 純正眞鐵入鍛 I do not know its correct reading either. Junsei magane nyutan (?) - Forged from genuin iron.

All, this is my sword. Everything stated on all of the 3 forums it has been posted on, including this one several months ago, was true and honest. I am taking this to have Chris look at it in hand tomorrow and hope to find out a little more about it. I do not collect swords but bought this sword from the son of the WWII AAA vet that brought it back. Actually, the sword was sort of a "throw in" and I probably would not have purchased it (I really know NOTHING about swords like this) if it hadn't been for the Type 2 Arasaka para rifle that was with the sword as the bring backs of the vet. I didn't want to see these broken up since they have been together since he returned home after the war. It was a package deal (rifle and sword) and I know much more about the rifle than the sword and what I gave I knew I wasn't losing anything on the deal so I kept both together. Once I had the sword in hand and showed it to another local US military collector he told me that from what he could tell (a novice sword guy) that the blade was very well made, clean with no damage, and could be very old so I decided to try and get a little more information on it. I hope that I can get you a few more pictures after tomorrow and have ChrisW comment his much more informed/experienced thoughts on this sword. I did post it on here but know that sometimes a more well known member of a forum may get more responses than someone who just "pops up" out of no where asking for help. I hope you all now have a clearer picture of my goals, and appreciate Jeff posting it back up on the board for me. I am primarily a US military collector with a focus on WWII, which is how I even came to own these items. Hope to give all more info this weekend after Chris has this in his hands for thoughts and inspection. Brian

Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Tanto Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Hisakatsu Saku Kore (久勝作之) Showa Ju Ichi Hinoe Nezumi Doshi Roku Gatsu Hi (昭和十一丙子歳六八月日); Year of the Rat June 1936 Hoju" 宝珠 (wish-fulfilling jewel). A pearl with flames that is supposed to grant the owner his wishes. Papered or not and by whom? : not papered, not necessary Era/Age : Showa 11 -> 1936 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Shirasaya Nagasa/Blade Length : 16,2 cm Sori : 0 mm Hamon Type : Suguha Jihada : Ko-Itame Other Hataraki Visible : - Flaws : Little rust spot on Mune Sword Location : Germany Will ship to : EU (Unfortunately no longer in the U.S.) Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal Price and Currency : €1200 + shpping Other Info and Full Description : Takeshima Hisakatsu was born as Takeshima Masao on February 28, 1909. From 1926, he studied the art of sword forging under Horii Toshihide and in 1934 founded his own forging center in Yamaguchi Prefecture. His artistic name was Suiryusai. He was the winner of the Shinsaku Nihonto Daikyoshinkai Yushusho and the 1st Nihonto Denrankai Tokusen, as well as the Honorary President Award in 1935. The following year, in 1936, he won the Minister’s Prize at the 2nd competition. In 1938, he joined the South Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd. (SMR), headquartered in Dalian, China, and together with Wakabayashi Shigetsugu oversaw the production of Koa Isshin blades. In 1958 he resumed the art of sword forging in his hometown. ¥ 1,5 TK-513, Jo Saku by Akihide This is a beautiful Talisman Tanto. It has been polished (the Ubu-ha is gone), but there is a small rust spot on the mune. Since the original wooden box was destroyed, I commissioned a calligrapher in Japan to create a sayagaki. Sayagaki: 御守護刀 Go Shugo Tō - Protective blade; 於石城山道場造之 Oite Iwaki Yama/Zan Dōjō Tsukuru kore - Made at the Iwaki Mountain Dōjō Hisakatsu has made a few of these tanto; I have 7 in my database. In the NMB you'll find more information about other Talisman Tanto made by Hisakatsu. https://www.Japanese-sword-katana.jp/未分類/1410-3043.htm

*NOTE: Information provided on items offered without kanteisho (papers) or with old shinteisho (think green papers) is nothing more than an opinion or translation of what is actually inscribed on the item along with information of the smith smith in question. Nothing more! This opinion/translation and information is provided as a courtesy and is not an indication, opinion, or guarantee that the item is shoshin or gimei. Old shinteisho (white, green, blue, etc.) are no longer recognized by the NBTHK and in the case of a mumei sword, if re-submitted to shinsa, it may or may not receive the same attribution. As well, they may receive an attribution/opinion of gimei (false mei) or horyu (needs more study). Please do your own research, ask questions prior to committing to purchase and commit only when you are confident in your decision and ready to purchase. Do not commit to purchase, then attempt to negotiate a lower price.

Golden rule that applies to all antiques/works of art etc…….of any variety…. No repair is far better than bodged repair🙂 I suspect I am “teaching granny”……🙂

I did spot one cast copy and possibly two guards made for replica tachi mounts. The rest are looking OK and there are one or two I would like myself! Just a suggestion, but as we are really just temporary custodians of these things - any thought of donating them to a local museum? Along with the story of how they were found would add local value to them and keep them together. [Like I say just a suggestion]

Concept. Hydrangea example. Look at the ‘coffee bean’ leaf tip. Oak leaf examples. Row 2 from right,No.4 ’Nakagawa Kashiwa’

Florian, as far as I know, the above described technique has nothing to do with YAKITE KUSARASHI (or KUSARAKASHI) but it is the way to create TSUBA with a shallow design as in KAMAKURA BORI or HOAN style. Removing URUSHI after the etching is no problem as it is an organic substance. Not much heat is necessary to get rid of it. I once discussed YAKITE SHITATE and YAKITE KUSARASHI with Ford, and we shared the opinion that all information available on these techniques lacked metallurgical knowledge and were written/posted as assumptions only. But it is safe to say that YAKITE KUSARASHI is a chemical treatment of iron TSUBA using heat and acidic substances at the same time to speed up artificial corrosion on the surface. Depending on the nature of the used iron, different surface structures can be achieved. It is important to note that these processes do not necessarily need pure or concentrated acids as we know them in the West. If time was not important, natural sources of acids work as well. We know this from other cultures where etching has been a standard technique on weapons for hundreds of years.

When the sword was initially procured and priced, the FX rate ¥/$ was close to 100. So, you were looking at c.$25k back then. Currently the FX rate is closer to 160, which means the $25k would be nearly ¥4m. Furthermore, the Japanese dealers in the last couple of years overcompensated for the yen depreciation somewhat. While previously they used to think purely in yen, as their inflation has been next to 0% for decades, lately they started mentally converting to $ and pricing accordingly, as the sword market internationalised in the last 10-15 years beyond recognition. I remember decent TJ perhaps 8-10 years ago was in the ¥14-15m range, then that became ¥17-18m, now you are looking at ¥20m+. A famous dealer complained to me a few weeks ago about former customers also demanding extremely high prices from him for the swords he had sold to them years ago (but that is a different story for another day…). So, the maths for this sword: You add to the aforesaid ¥4m (the historic price) then the ¥0.75m-¥1m koshirae, the cost of the polish, the fact that the seller probably wants some return to his investment and you get to ¥5m. The sword is rather nice, albeit not my cup of tea. But indeed in the last 15 years the floodgates of information and access have opened, so one naturally has a lot of choice. Just go to Chris’s Nihontowatch website and see what AI has enabled in the last few months. He has put a tonne of valuable (and monetarily rather expensive) information in there - for now for the benefit of people. But such access and info should really be premium….. One important thing: buy what you like and resonates with you emotionally and do not get swayed by people’s likes and dislikes in Sa or Nanbokucho shapes, or more/less nie etc. And measure and weigh carefully options, opinions, facts.

Jigane is probably very attractive itame. I love Sa hada and it should be a good example of such. The work seems to be very homogeneous, not tired, pristine, without kizu. However, Sa hamon is choji always tends towards ko nie or even nioi. It is a very attractive shade of nioi, but on the blades I really like this is further accented by strong nie activities. Inazuma, patches of nie along the ha, strong chikei. I think this blade is more towards just ko nie. Still very attractive though.

Hi Elias, Welcome to NMB. I'm assuming this is the one AOI has on hold. Nice tachi koshirae if you like blingy mounts. Believed to be a student or son of O-Sa. Not the best of the nidai smiths but still highly rated at jojo-saku. I prefer Sa-Kunihiro. From Sesko's eSwordsmiths. YOSHISADA (吉貞), Jōwa (貞和, 1345-1350), Chikuzen – “Chikushū-jū Yoshisada” (筑州住吉貞), “Yoshisada” (吉貞), “Yoshisada saku” (吉貞作), “Mononobe Yoshisada” (物部吉貞), Sa school, according to tradition the son or student of Ō-Sa (大左), there exists a tantō with a date signature of the Shōhei era (正平, 1346-1370), no tachi are extant by Yoshisada, his tantō have a wide mihaba and some sori, the jigane is an itame-nagare with ji-nie and thick chikei, the hamon is a slightly undulating notare mixed with gunome and sunagashi, the bōshi has a rather long kaeri, we know smaller and larger signatures but it is assumed that they go back to the changes in the active period of a single smith because nothing indicates a 2nd gen., jōjō-saku As to value you have to also factor in the ~20% importation tax so after shipping costs its more like 6mil JPY you'll be paying. I personally would not pay that figure for this blade.

長曽祢興里入道乕徹 - Nagasone Okisato Nyudō Kotetsu

Thanks Conway and Bruce. I’ve dug out my copy of Dawsons to refresh my memory on these police sabers. @Ghaad47, according to Dawsons on pages 300-313, your sword with that half-decorated backstrap is a sword for police lieutenants. The police logo on yours looks like what Dawson describes as a 16 ray badge, found on lieutenant and superintendent swords. Whereas a sword with a fully decorated backstrap (similar to the army field grade counterparts), are for police superintendents. These are shown on dawsons page 314-315. *Dawson, Jim. Swords of Imperial Japan, 1868–1945. Cyclopedia ed. Newnan, Ga.: Stenger-Scott Publishing, 2007. All the best, -Sam

Sometimes it is not the importance or rarity of an object that warrants restoration or saving but it most definitely is the pleasure and peace that so doing brings. Reward of a different kind.

Noted this post from @toushin1 at https://www.nihontou.jp/ on X and thought it worth seeing what others are experiencing in their recent interactions with the Japanese Sword and Tsuba Market. Are you buying? Are you selling? Have you noticed swords are moving or prices are rising?Having you noticed a shift in market sentiment in the west or in Japan? Worth finding out what others think. 美術刀剣 刀心: "Recently, the market price of Japanese swords has been rising again. While inflation and other cost increases are contributing factors, I personally believe that increased overseas demand is a major driving force behind the price increase. Our sword shop is small, so we don't experience this to the same extent, but from what I've heard from various people, larger sword shops seem to be selling a considerable number of swords overseas. The weaker yen has increased the purchasing power of people overseas, leading to a rise in demand and prices. In recent years, it's estimated that several thousand to 10,000 swords leave Japan each year and go to people overseas. I think it's very gratifying that people overseas are showing interest in Japanese swords, which can be considered symbols of Japanese spirit and culture. Furthermore, considering the current situation in Japan where interest in Japanese culture and swords has waned and fewer people own them, I feel it's wonderful that people overseas are purchasing and cherishing them. On the other hand, I worry that if this continues, excellent Japanese swords will become unattainable for Japanese people. Or perhaps, the future where people travel abroad to admire famous Japanese swords... I fear that such a future may be closer than we think. In order to prevent Japanese swords, which can be considered the very soul of Japanese culture, from becoming something distant, I hope that more people will learn about them, actually touch them, and become interested in them. We will do our best, however small our contribution may be, and we would be grateful for your support. #ProtectJapan #MadeInJapan #JapaneseCulture #JapaneseSword #JapaneseSoul"

This doesn't look right. It is either low end WWII war time or a fake. Grey

Hi! This reads 但(closer to although/albeit than but/however)大磨上無銘(Osuriage Mumei)也(kind of like "this is"). 刃長(hacho)貳(formal "two")尺(shaku)参(formal "three")寸(sun)八(eight)分(bun)半(half, or in this context "and half")有之(formal "this has"). (Characters are overlapping a little so I made this↑) 昭和(Showa)癸丑("Mizunotoushi" in the sexagenary cycle, 1973 in this context)年(year)弥生(Yayoi/March). This was really hard! I'm not sure if this is genuine Kanzan Sensei's sayagaki, but whoever wrote this I guess made a tiny mistake when writing top half of 癸, and they just went with it. The bottom half of 癸 (天) and 丑年 below it are very recognizable, so it's X丑 in the sexagenary cycle, 癸丑 being the most likely option. The rest of the translation is very good. Hope this helps! Baby Joe

I know. Can you take me back to the 20th Century, when I still had belief and faith in institutions of learning and of government?

A little snapshot of my "Fake Archive" around this serial number range. Disclaimer: I record these with much less diligence than genuine examples. I primarily just like to get the serial number and what makes it fake. This faker seems to really like the serial numbers 7, 2, 1, and 0. -Sam (Columns in order left to right: Serial# - Tsuka and pattern - tsuba material - ferrule material - ferrule stamps - Scabbard # and notes - source - Notes.)

Just a guess, 蓋好資料之一也 (Kedashi ko-shiryo no hitotsu nari) – Probably, it is one of good examples. 金象嵌 銘曰 ＊ kin-zogan mei iwaku

Taking / displaying heads is well documented.

I got a surprise, didn't think I'd manage to get this close while I was checking koshirae examples for you. This sword was featured in Tokyo National Museum Uchigatana-goshirae exhibition which I think is the best resource for uchigatana koshirae of this time period. This sword is actually recorded in records of Katakura family (片倉). It seems they became Date retainers in 1532. This particular sword was actually wielded by Katakura Shigetsuna in Osaka summer campaign in 1615. And in the book it is written that this koshirae dates not older than 1615 but the tsuba is actually older piece that was fitted to this sword. However it is mentioned that the koshirae might be made in later years of Shigetsunas life and not in 1615. It is also mentioned that kurikata and kaerizuno are different and probably show local style. One problem with very old complete koshirae is that usually the ones that have been preserved have been owned by high level people and might not be comparable what your average person would wield. Or they might be very plain battlefield koshirae which I personally like.

https://nihonto.com/nakai-koshirae/

The problem with those adhesives is they are most effective bonding two flat surfaces. They hold well when pulling those surfaces apart but they are far less effective when it comes to shearing force.

According to Ford Hallam, the finer AMIDA YASURI was not chiseled, but scraped with a sharp tool. Another YAMAKICHI BEI: A following YAKITE KUSARASHI treatment is very likely.

Some interesting ones. That cloisonné one would do well on an auction, international bidders seem to like them.

Very interesting Jussi. A couple of things that immediately raise a few red flags. The setsumei states the blade has iori-mune, but the AOI description says mitsu-mune. It's lost 5g of weight and gained 3mm motohaba. Obviously these discrepancies, especially the mune should be clarified, as the staff at AOI have already shown themselves to be prone to errors. That said, the current oshigata clearly shows mitsu-mune. The blade appears to have been polished between 2021 and 2026 as hadori(?) finish and oshigata look very different. Makes one wonder why the owner felt it necessary to have work done to the blade post-juyo shinsa.

This is a translation of the setsumei giving the opinion of the shinsa panel. Worth reading carefully. 65th Jūyō Tōken Designation Summary Designated on November 7, Reiwa 1 (2019) Classification & Attestation Item: Katana (刀) — One blade (一口) Signature: Mumei, attributed to Sa Yoshisada (無銘 左吉貞) Submitter: Paul Martin (ポール マーティン) Measurements (Sugata) Blade Length (Nagasa): 66.7 cm (2 shaku, 2 sun, 0 bu) Curvature (Sori): 1.6 cm Motohaba (Base Width): 2.8 cm Sakihaba (Tip Width): 1.8 cm Kissaki Length: 2.9 cm Nakago Length: 18.5 cm Nakago Sori: 0.1 cm Appraisal & Technical Description Shape (Taihai) Shinogi-zukuri with an iori-mune. The blade exhibits standard width proportions with a typical differential between the base and tip width. The curvature is shallow, culminating in a slightly elongated chū-kissaki profile. Forging Pattern (Kitae) An itame-hada foundation seamlessly intermingles with areas of mokume-hada. The grain characteristically flows (nagare-gokoro) toward the cutting edge. The entire steel matrix is densely packed with fine ji-nie, displaying an excellent jigane clarity that yields a faint, soft utsuri (reflection). Temper Line (Hamon) A masterfully restrained ko-notare(small wave) serves as the primary motif, interspersed with ko-gunome(small undulating steps). The overall temper is intentionally low-profile, exhibiting active ashi (legs). The steel displays brilliant metallurgical activity near the cutting boundary, where yubashiri (drifting mist formations) fuse with sunagashi (streaks of sand). The nioiguchi remains bright, crisp, and exceedingly clear. Tip Temper (Bōshi) The temper line runs true (sugu) into the point, executing a shallow, rounded turnback (komaru-gokoro). The apex of the curve terminates with a delicate, swept hakikake (brushed) texture. Engravings (Horimono) A classic bōhi (wide groove) is cleanly carved into both faces of the blade, running entirely through the tang. Tang (Nakago) Ō-suriage (significantly shortened). The heel profile is finished in kirijiri (flat cut) with indistinct, faint yasurime (file marks). The tang features two mekugi-ana (retaining pin holes) and remains strictly unsigned (mumei). Official Commentary & Historical Context Yoshisada was an elite bladesmith belonging to the Sa lineage of Chikuzen province. Historical scholarship positions him alternately as the direct son or primary student of the legendary founding master, Sa (Samonji). His production era can be confidently contextualized through existing dated examples, notably a signed companion piece from the 13th year of the Shōhei era (1358). While signed long swords (tachi) by Yoshisada are vanishingly rare, his signature is primarily preserved on short daggers (tantō) and sidearms (wakizashi). His styling on long blades typically trends toward a highly controlled, narrower hamon footprint compared to his peers. This specific mumei katana perfectly captures those defining school traits. The blade's overall width is classical, paired with a sophisticated, gentle curvature. The hamon centers around a subtle, low-profile wave pattern. While the upper and lower halves show variation, the upper section resolves into a quiet, uniform temper line. Enhanced by vibrant nie activity, a flawless jigane, and remarkable health from tip to tang, this piece stands as a premier, highly dignified exemplar of the Sa Yoshisada tradition.

Interesting story. We had a birthday party at our home this Saturday, and a family member was in my workshop and noticed a sword of mine. As we were talking about it he said he had a collection of tsubas and was wondering what he had and what to do with them. His parents, years ago like in the 50s or 60s bought a home. I know, get's your heart pumping as you know where this is going. They were cleaning out the basement and found a group of swords along with the tsubas. His brother has the swords, and he got the tsubas. He sent me pictures this morning. I'm looking for guidance to pass along to him. You can feel free to message me. I think he wants to sell them because he's had them for a long time and has never known how to approach doing anything with them. Is there anything that jumps out at you as "this could be worth something?" As a group if someone wanted to put a ballpark price on them that would be helpful. Fun story, and looks like some interesting ones for sure. Thanks for your help. And if there's anything in particular you'd like to see better images of let me know and I'll see what I can do. Thanks.

Hi All, Here is my very faded company grade tassel. Regards

I don't think this can disproof the genuinity of the sayagaki.

Hello again, Yes..., last weekend I bought a third tsuba... 🤷🏻‍♂️ And, as always, all comments are more than welcome 👍🏻 Some info: 70 gram 5,5 x 4,5 x 0,5 cm Shakudo (?)

Blades do not kill people. People kill people. The blade is just an inanimate tool albeit it of varying quality or value or age. To me personally such hypothetical marks would be irrelevant if unproved. Who owned the blade (if substantiated) is a whole different ballgame……imo who owned it is the provenance worth considering.

I dont have much experience yet, but I agree with Jeff. Over the past year or so I have been searching for a nice piece from the Kamakura era that peaks my interest. Plenty of Items on my wishlist sold out quickly over the past few months, most of them between 7 - 10kEuros. Some were sitting on sites for years making me think I have time to consider carefully which one to get and suddenly a lot of them were gone. Made me impulse buy a cheap Tanto I really really liked.

Here is Shodai Hoan tsuba with a yakite-kusarashi (or kusarakashi -- the term is often shortened in usage) finish. The recognizable motif of a kiri-mon may be seen in the lower-left quadrant, and others appear elsewhere on the plate. I believe the effects are achieved via the process I described in my earlier post. Florian, as far as I know, the creation of amida-yasurime was often accomplished by painstakingly careful application of the chisel onto the plate, at least in the tsuba I'm familiar seeing this presentation in (e.g. some of the Owari province artists and groups, such as Yamakichibei, Toda, Fukui). Attached is a Nidai Yamakichibei tsuba where the amida-yasurime was first chiseled into the plate, and then (perhaps?) there was some application of acid afterwards to soften the effect. This is how it appears to me, anyway.

Gents, thanks for your patience. I am back from a trip. All sold menuki are now packed and will be shipped tomorrow, Tuesday 12th May. Apologies for the delay and thank you for your purchase

Yours is a WW2 soldiers utility/general use tanto, of the type maybe bought for good luck or to take to war or available around that time. Usually not traditionally made, but still liked by militaria collectors. Nakago is always a big giveaway.

I would like to post here some pictures related to shark skin. I hope that someone will find it helpfull.