Geraint

Dear Khalid. So what you are looking at is a Showato, by no means is this an ancestral blade so that's that out of the window. That is either misinformation or sales pitch. Missing ito, same and menuki, easily done but at a cost, and do we assume that it has a saya? As Ed suggests not a lot more can be said from these photographs other than the blade appears to be in reasonable condition. Let us know how this turns out for you. All the best.

With regard to the idea of removing such an amount of metal the best technique to remove a mei relies on the way in which mei are cut, i.e. the punch used displaces metal rather than removing it. A skilful removal of the mei would be done by pushing metal back into the mei to obscure it rather than filing the whole nakago down to depth and hence inducing the situation that Piers relates. As is always the case the restoration that you can spot is the one done badly. All the best.

Detailed account of Ian's experience with that armour is pinned as the third thread in this Katchu section if you are interested. All the best.

Dear Ozdamri. Very hard to say much from small images of just one side, do you have photographs of the backs and the mouths? They look good so far. All the best.

Dear George. As each sword is different the chances of 'finding ' a tsuka and koshirae to fit are very, very slim. Each is hand made to fit the specific blade. Should you wish to find some fittings and commission someone to make a koshirae then this is likely to be an expensive project for this little one. Shirasaya would be a good bet in this case, they can be made with an integral wooden habaki. All the best.

Dear George. From your pictures I think the original shape has been altered but from the tang end. Forgive me if I state what is obvious to you but from your questions I am assuming that perhaps you don't know that shortening of Japanese blades is done from the tang/nakago precisely to preserve the hardened edge in the tip/boshi, which is what I think you are referring to. As Jean suggest the nakago looks long, too long. I think the machi have been moved and the nakago reshaped. Have a look at some tanto on line and you will see what I mean, I think just less than a 50p piece has been lost and you can see where the nakago swells at that point. All the best.

Dear All. The clue about the tsuba, in auctioneer speak, is the phrase, 'together with', which always implies something additional. Even at the starting bid the total inclusive of fees would be £3600, perhaps they are getting carried away by the presence of papers? All the best.

Dear Karl. In this case no, the blade is not older, it is what it purports to be which is a Seki blade from WWII. Older blades in Shingunto koshirae do not have the Seki stamp. Often older blades are shortened and the result is more than one mekugi ana but that is not what has happened here. Just to give you some idea of what is out there compare this one, albeit with a repainted saya. http://www.firearmsc...th=59&product_id=226 All the best.

Dear Karl. Welcome to NMB! First of all, you say that you are looking for a samurai blade but that this one has a Seki stamp which means that in most people's eyes this would not fit that description being non traditionally made well after the end of the samurai. As to the two mekugi ana, you are right to be questioning that, one is way out of line. Looking at the somewhat odd alignment of the tsuka, the hilt, I wonder if that has been replaced? It is quite hard to see how the nakago fits into the tsuka at all. You would probably be able to tell with the sword in hand. Given all this and that most of the fittings are missing from the saya then you certainly wouldn't want to be paying much for this. All the best.

Mokumegane has enjoyed a bit of a revival in recent years in the jewellery scene, have a look here if interested, https://www.kernowcr...ng-mokume-gane-metal All the best.

Dear Neil. I like it. My immediate thought is that I have seen images of samurai/ashigaru with strings of rice balls around them, MREs if you get that. On another thread there was a reference to small balls of rice fastened to thin twigs.... I am sure others will add to this. All the best.

Dear Johnny. Is that a yari or is it a ken? No kerakubi and that habaki shape....... Ryoshinogi yari for reference. All the best.

Dear Clive. If this was something I was looking to buy I would conclude that you are spot on with the date and that someone has swopped out the original tsuba and replaced it with an iai one to complete the set. Doesn't mean you shouldn't buy it, just a heads up to think about replacing it at some stage. If you do but it let us know how it turns out. All the best.

Dear Jone. To add somewhat to Patricius' response, with which I agree. A mei essentially has a handwriting, a style of cutting. The kanji might read the right thing but be cut in the wrong style or even using the wrong kanji, (compare the Kuni kanji with the example). Add to that, certain smiths used particular forms of mei and one that falls outside that form is a red flag. Other factors include the shape of the nakago and the nakago jiri, the yasurime, the position of the mekugi ana and the relationship between that and the mei, the alignment of the mei on the nakago and so on. Many factors to study but after you have seen amany examples you begin to get a feel for what it should look like and if you have seen, handled and studied as Ray has then your instant response is quite likely to be the right one. Note, this is all based on the nakago and mei, we haven't even started on the workmanship in the blade matching the smiths work! Probably enough for now, here is one to compare, https://www.aoijapan...izen-kuni-tadayoshi/ All the best.

Dear Adam. For useful information on flaws see here. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/flaws.html Mukade = centipede, hence many shinae close together. Given what I said above you are correct that cleaning a nakago is a bad idea. Shinsakuto would start out with a pristine nakago and over time the patina rust will grow over the metal. Given ubu nakago it is useful to note the colour of the patina, nakago sabi, but of course if the original nakago disappears due to o suriage then you are starting again. All of this is influenced by the way the sword has been cared for and indeed handled. I recall that one Masamune had what would be described as Shinto nakago sabi because it was handled so often whereas a sword that has been largely neglected may have quite serious rust damage in a very short time. It is of course very hard to judge colour from monotone on line photographs, sellers don't usually bother with this particular feature very much. All the best.

Dear Adam. In both these cases I do not see cleaned nakago. Lighting has a lot to do with revealing the true colour, the first Takada blade has a nakago in good condition but the rest of what you are seeing is a lighting issue I think. Worth bearing in mind that we are looking at a blade which is stated to be Edo period and that could be quite recent. The second is heavily suriage so what is now the nakago is, in most part what would have been polished blade surface, hence no yasurime and a very smooth appearance. One factor to consider in other cases is that a sword might pass shinsa and then have its nakago damaged but not in these two examples. Hope that helps. All the best.

Dear Tobin. An honourable intention but not one which you will be able to pursue. There are no identifying marks and tracing any living family will be impossible. Add to that few families are interested in such returns. Better to do the other thing, keep it safe and eventually restore it for your family. All the best.

Dear Benjamin. You might see here for information regarding the many different oshigata available. https://www.shibuiswords.com/papers1.htm All the best.

Dear Henry. Mat has covered your question but just some thoughts on the 'daisho', there are plenty of reasons why this is so cheap. The fuchi kashira don't match, the tsuba don't match, the rest of the fittings are mediocre at best, the sageo looks suspiciously like a length of tsuka ito, the wrapping of the tsuka looks weak, the saya are pretty scruffy and plain and the wakizashi has more flaws/floors than the Empire State building. I take it that you did notice the rust, the numerous flaws in the jigane and the particularly ugly umegane? Add to this that both swords are unsigned and have no papers. The value of this set is to stick on a stand somewhere as a decorative item for a non collector. While I agree with Matt in his last remark about the blades being the deciding factor in terms of specific values between signed and unsigned blades I tend to think that the fittings do matter when it comes to a daisho, which arguably is defined by it's koshirae. Hope all this gives you some avenues for research. All the best.

Dear Bob. The Monzino collection catalogue lists this as, "An Edo shibuichi kozuka. Attributed to Kono Haruaki (1787 - 1860) Finely engraved with a fox dancing among reeds on a river bank, looking at the reflection of a woman in the water, details in two colour gold takazogan. Signed Haruaki Hogen with kao. Ex G H Naunton Collection, no. 2181 illus. pl. LXVI Ex Clement Milward collection." Sold for a hammer price of £747 against an estimate of £500-600. The Naunton describes it thus, "K., shibuichi, intaglio relievato and slight relief inlay, a fox, changing into a woman mirrors itself in a river; very fine work, the few reeds and suzuki grass chased and inlaid gold. Signed: Shummei Hogen, with flat kakihan." I don't think I have the Milward collection catalogue. All the best.

Dear Josh. Welcome to NMB. Have a look here, particularly the PDF linked in the last post by Markus. All the best.

Dear Alex. Whatever date for the blade we end up with the saya is quite a nice one and this is an example of an older sword that has been converted for use in WWII by the addition of a hanger to the saya. It's quite an attractive sword so Rule 1, don't attempt to clean anything! Doing so will drastically reduce the value. Hold on for some more comments here and perhaps add a photograph of the whole blade with the habaki removed. Looking forward to what others have to say about this one. All the best.

Dear Jo. I'm not seeing any red flags but I am struggling to see any green ones! It is very hard to make a judgement from these photographs and if they are all you have to go on then I would be cautious. What you have shown us is an unsigned and apparently shortened blade. It may be older than Edo period but that is a bit of a catch all phrase at best. It does not seem to be in very good polish and the forging seems basic. I suppose everything depends on what you want to buy and what you want to spend. This is a genuine Japanese sword and I cannot see any fatal flaws, however there might be some when you have it in hand. You don't mention koshirae or papers, I assume that it at least has a shirasaya. For whatever it is worth if I saw this blade as is I would walk away without it. Others may see something that I have missed. Hope that helps. All the best.

Tim has supplied the dimensions and the nagasa is 32.6cms so setting aside the sunobi tanto/ko wakizashi debate it's a wakizashi as described. All the best.

Lovely tsuba Curran. I'm just waiting for Chris's big reveal. All the best.