Brian

Have made a change to bring that up one level. Subscriptions is a software forced description, but maybe it is a bit more useful/visible now? Will see how I can fine tune it more. Thanks.

The flags are an immediate give-away. The flags are a red flag?

Welcome Kevin, and thank you very much for the support. It helps a lot, as we are about to consider upgrading to the new software (A major upgrade) and the quote for that alone is over $500. Do you mean finding where to look at the Gold membership options? Yeah, currently by default it is under the STORE tab at the top. If you are saying that is too hidden, I'll look tomorrow if I can make it more obvious and findable. The link is here for anyone who wants to see the benefits: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/subscriptions/ I'll see if I can make it more intuitive. Thanks, Brian

Very wise words, and worth reading a few times.

Steve, These encyclopedias are literally a list of names, with some brief description of the smith and when he worked. No pics, no description of swords. Just a dictionary of all the smiths and who they were. useful, but not if you are only ever going to look up 5 or 6 smiths.

Don't think more details are going to change anything. They are real, but very entry level/basic/utilitarian tsuba, except for #5 which is cast and of minimal value. The rest are fairly generic, there isn't much you will find out about them except they are real tsuba of average quality

@Markus If you contact him directly, I am sure he will be able to sort you at at a good deal for the eBook. he runs frequent specials, and his books are a must have.

Both look very nice to me, hard pressed to choose. Good job there.

A tool. Maybe something meant for woodwork or...? Nice item though.

My impression when I was in Japan, was that the requirement to change ownership within 20 days was very, very seldom followed when swords are sold...mainly among entry level and mid level collectors I suspect. Am I wrong?

Chidori?

I don't see anything genuine Japanese here, and if it was, it's toast. Sorry, but really too far gone. But I suspect Chinese anyways.

Charlie, I think Colin is correct. The MOP isn't inlayed into the metal, the base is lacquer over the iron, and the MOP is put into that. Still maazing craftsmanship, but they are putting the designs on lacquer with a clear coating to smooth it out, and not cutting out the shapes in the metal and putting the MOP in.

Definitely a bad Chinese fake, never been in Japan. It would be illegal there.

You can't. And you shouldn't.

No, they are real. Just in poor condition. I believe the one is fitted with half a double habaki and you'll want to get that sorted sometime.

VERY

That nakago was severely messed with. Junk with an acid wash

Yeah, would go so well with a small cased pocket pistol. Really nice bag flask.

I LOVE that Dixon flask. What size is it?

I believe our own @Volker62 has a very charming and personal history with Yasunori :-)

Here's the best write-up I've seen on Taketoku https://yasutoku.blogspot.com/2014/07/tachi-by-kajiyama-yasutoku-may-1936.html

Nice watch.

Guys, it's almost Xmas, can we get less defensive and a little more chilled in our discussions? Let's have a peaceful December. Ed has been around the block more than most, and I can assure you he is just giving the facts as he knows them.

We still have no conclusive meaning of the signature below the ana? I know there is talk of onkashi-to, but those had the same on the same side as the mei. So a bit confusing.