Mike

I think I can see o-sujikai and maybe higaki towards the nakago jiri, but that doesn't proof anything as well beside having file marks I don't think it is mino school though it is hard to say from the photos. It might have been shortened as I faintly see machi okuri but this is far shot, more photos are needed. Mike

Hi, looks like modern reproduction to me. I wouldn't pay that price, or any, on this blade according to these photos. Invest in books first, it will save you money eventually. Mike

Hi, I think you are correct. I would place it as mid-Edo period. Mike

Hi, IMHO it looks like badly shortened and reshaped wakizashi. The machi has been mooved up and nakago was shortened, it is possible to see the remains of the original (?) mekugi ana on the nakagojiri. I wouldn't touch it. Mike

James, the links you provided only proves what Jean wrote as well as what I wrote in my previous reply, especially about the mei. Mike

Hi James, this is my opinion only, based on small research I made on mino Kanemoto as well as on Nihonto Koza vol. 3. I don't think that your sword is by second kanemoto, the boshi don't look correct to Magoroku (should be midarekomi with a hint of jizo), also the hamon looks a bit to organize comparing Magoroku, the mei is difficult to see, though I don't think it fits exactly. I think the right side of the moto kanji is a bit shorter and the kane kanji don't look the same as Magoroku. I hope I am wrong Mike

Yes Mark, I ment a bit squashed. BTW boar eye theme called Inome. Mike

Boar eyes (12 and 6 o'clock) and persimmon (3 and 9 o'clock). I have a tsuba with similar persimmon sukashi, although the proportions of yours persimmon are a little odd. Mike

Hello Stephen, here is goishi gata tsuba from my collection, it has kamon design and a very smooth and polished surface, the condition is not perfect but I do like it. This one might be mid-Edo Umetada, but I am not sure. Size is 7.5 x 7.5 cm, thickness at the nakago ana 4 mm, and at the mimi 2.1 cm. Mike

Sometimes you find this on the mune just above the kissaki. This style of mei is used by Honami school polishers, while signing and the shinogi-ji near the nakago is a tradition of the Fujishiro school polishing. I have read that the number of lines also has something to do with the polisher identity. Mike Later comment; I recall reading somewhere about the difference in kesho mikagi that indicates the school of polishing, but trying to find this source brought me to "The art of Japanese sword polishing" where it says that honami school put these lines close to the nakago in pattern of thick line and then thin line. Sorry for the confusion. Mike

I have read once that these kind of folders (with no locking mechanism) is originated in the US and were brought to Japan with American tourists and traders in Meiji period. I had one of this very knife which has very interesting sugata but its quality is not good enough even for the very simple cutting jobs. Mike

IMO it looks as if it was made from a broken sword, though the choice of the photos is very bad. I wouldn't touch it. Mike

Hi David, The link doesn't work, so it is hard to tell, also more info might help to identify the age, such as thickness, quality of the iron is there folding line, and so on. IMHO, from what I can see, I don't think it is pre-Edo, it looks like Tosho school, but too small for pre-edo tsuba, also the hitsu-ana indicates to more later tsuba. The design is also too elaborate for early age tsuba and more appropriate to Edo era. This of course may change due to new info on the tsuba and better photos. Mike

It is in Kachushi style, hard to say without measures. Mike

Yes Pete, I have noticed that, this tsuba might be Rakuju's younger brother (Chuhachi) work, or an exception in Rakuju work, I am not sure that all his tsuba had that tagne-mei. I am still looking info on this. Mike

Hello, I believe it might be third Kamiyoshi, called jinzaemon, known also by the name Rakuju. He worked in the style of Higo great master, and this is Nishigaki style tsuba. He was almost as good as the great master though the shape of his seppa dai wasn't as good. So I think this is the case now. The inlay is original to tsuba, one of the abilities of Rakuju was the beautiful inlaying. Mike

Hi, at first glance looks nice, but after inspecting the sugata looks odd, no photo of machi area and the blade as well, nakago not so nice, so I believe you saved your money. Mike

Hello John, this link sort of put together some interesting site as well as some shops. I believe nothing new but I find it comfortable as it has some useful info on every site. http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Palace/1135/sights.html Mike

Hi Paul and Brian I had done the same as Paul, separating and binding. Last year newsletters I had just bound and made a table of content that indicates the issues on every newsletter. Mike

Hello, Heianjo tsuba, early edo, or even earlier. Kiku sukashi. I have similar one, not much left of the zogan. Mike

Hi, I agree with Jean about the boshi of the sword in auction. The bo-hi looks too long as if the kisaki was shortened thus make the boshi looks not connected to the hamon. Just my thoughts according to very misleading photos. Mike

Hi, I am also leaning towards Saotome, have few with similar design an iron feel. The kamon maybe later addition. Mike

Hi, I have been collecting since 1999, when I first bumped into Dr. Stein excellent web site. It took me about 6 month to make my first buy. Mike

Great to hear the good news. All the best from the holy land :D Mike

Hello Henry, very nice one you took, I was looking at it for quiet some time, and then went for the heianjo, http://www.nihonto.com/11.23.04.html Mike