John A Stuart

The site mentions Edo/Meiji period, however I get a very contemporary vibe. It is attractive. John

Agree, with the exception of the Kobuse method being a poorer construction, cost cutting or time saving (mass production). An outer sheath of premium steel especially the Ha wrapped around a softer core seems just so logical for purpose of robustness and being slightly more work intensive belies it making a process suited to the mass production during the Warring Period as an excuse over a mono-steel method. It may reduce the time needed to homogenize a sufficient quantity of steel pure enough for an entire sword. Time experiments for efficiency need to be done to be absolutely sure though.

Menuki are vestigial remnants of tsuka to ken fastenings and became ultimately ornamental. Can you imagine anyone quipping, 'I can't use that, the menuki are all wrong',? As to left handed use; any good swordsman would train their left hand to be as competent as possible in case of injury or necessity. There were a few nito schools and in the west it was very common, the main gauche, as in la verdadera destreza. John

I wonder how many casts were made in the run of this hawk, could it be later than Meiji period? A later edition? Rodin had foundries casting well after his death and the premium was always for pieces cast during his life. I would like to have this guy perched somewhere in the house. John

I'd swear this is the tachi sold by Bonham's, July 2015 for $2434 US. It was listed as having an 'untempered' blade and with slight damage to the enamels and tsuba. Used as regalia it was decorative by nature and very likely the equivalent of parade swords of the modern military in that they were hardly weapons. John

Dark stars. John

Mishina and Sasaki sensei in Japan. Bob and Woody in Hawaii. Time and money may be deciding factors. John

Haaaaa! Rather I'll somehow survive. Confirmation is a safety feature, almost ubiquitous. John

I haven't seen a published example of that. Not impossible, however, it would be a lot of work to simulate for a doubtful return, even if only a gift as seen with standard gimei. John

Rule of thumb, the tsuba with the side of most craft, as yours is, are worn so that it faces onlookers, those meant to be impressed. This generally is also the 'usually' signed side, for iron figural types. John

A great musician and will be missed. Condolences to family and those he touched. John

官本 seems an odd inscription. John

Rich, no croaking allowed. John

I hope you are out of bed and chasing gazelle soon as, John

Mirrored image of sho 壽

Travel is so difficult now, maybe 2021 will be better. Cheers to YK. John

Nihonto no Horimono. 日本刀の彫物 Oh snap.

This is a sub-genre all it;s own. Miniatures can be exquisite works of art. John

Me too, which classifies swords just as well. John

Shinsakuto, to me, a sword made during my lifetime. Gendaito, a sword made post Hatorei. Shinken, any steel sword which is or copies real cutting swords. John

Gel? No. John

There are kitchen knives that tout Sakura Steel. It is a molybdenum sfainless steel. John

A little treasure. John

Ah, yes. 津田越前守助廣

This make sense to you Last kanji, hiro, I think. John