Ian B3HR2UH

This is not most likely fake but definitely 110 % fake , as is the kozuka

The mei ( signature ) is so freshly cut that it is obvious that this is a showa era blade , you are deluding yourself if you think otherwise

Your hamon is grey because the sword is not in original polish having been cleaned up by someone . The opinion you are quoting shows just how little it's author knows

The seller is right it is probably made in the 1940's . The second opinion giver knows nothing .

73 Yasuyo This sword is by Shumenokami Ichi no hira Yasuyo not Yasuyori . It was owned by the Miyasaka Shrine in Kagoshima Prefecture who handed it over to the Ibusuki police in December 1945. The blade is dated 1723 and is 33 .5 inches long . There are photographs of the sword and the lengthy inscription on the nakago in the documents from the American Archives that Stephen Thorpe shared with us . Attached to this is a copy of one of those pictures showing the Shirasaya, box and lacquered box that accompanied the sword . Further photos are on page 82 of Satsuma no katana no Tsuba by Fukunaga

Look at where the top ashi is in relation to the koiguchi . This is all wrong - avoid it .

70 Peony wakizashi 71 Nagamitsu Thanks for posting this Brett . The attached photo shows 70 and 71 which were taken from the Aso Shrine in 1945 and remain missing

I have seen a couple with brown lacquered same scabbards but never one with green binding .This combination would be extremely unusual I would be very very suspicious of this and if it is coming out of Japan I would assume it has been rewrapped

Christies sold one in 1994 with a copper blade signed Kano Natsuo , Funada Ikkin , Tsuchiya Yasuchika and Yokoya Tenmin !

Army Surgeon Lieutenant Kamisaka Yoshinosuke

I thought this one was interesting , a naval officer with a Shinto gunto

This one is signed Yanagawa Naomasa but the mei doesn't match those in Kinko Meikan or Wakayama. Bonham's did sell a very similar pair in 2023 which had Tokubetsu Kicho papers and a Sato Kanzan attribution to Naomasa

Similar ones to this piece in Japanese publications are labelled Satsuma or Oda school

Hi Jake , it is right here in Victoria

Thanks , yes my mistake I had it as Morimasa and wrote Morimitsu by mistake . Thanks again for your help with the translation. Ian

I am glad you liked it Brian . The blade is hirazukuri with an orikaeshimei Bishu Osafune Morimitsu , circa 1360 , I believe . It is tokubetsu hozon from memory . None of the fittings are signed Lewis Ian

Here is the first page again hopefully with the correct alignment

The attached might be of interest

I was struggling with the Japanese description of a mounting . Mr Moriyama , who is a huge asset to the Board , assisted by giving me the translation ,being Yosegane ,together with a link to the Mokumekin Museum . The museum describes Yosegane as"like marquetry Yosegane combines metals of different colors to create patterns ". Members might be interested to see an example of what I now know to be Yosegane. This sword , regretably not mine , is one of the finest that I have ever handled. I hope you enjoy looking at it . Ian Brooks

Thank you , that makes sense . Your help is much appreciated . Ian

Can anyone tell me what these characters would read when they follow the characters for fuchi or kashira . On their own they read kikin meaning contribution or donation but that makes little sense as part of a description of a fuchi kashira or tsuba