Geraint

Dear Piers. I only have three and they are the result of a distinct lack of focus in my collecting, primarily swords but some armour, more recently tsuba and fittings and, as I came across them these three. One which I bought last year and you were kind enough to help me with on this thread, And just one more that I have had for some time. Pictures attached . I think that for me they are just one more aspect of a fascinating culture. All the best.

Awww, proper job, me ansum! Well if you ever get back home you de knaw wher wee'm to! I might pop that bit in the translation section and see if anyone can throw some light on it. Thank you for all your help Piers. All the best.

Well that bit gets more and more interesting, I had no idea that Chinese craftsmen were employed to do this. So looking forward to pictures of the pistol, perhaps after it has been exposed to the searching gaze in your exhibition? As ro making, well I have returned to my first love, have a look here if you care to. https://www.instagram.com/geraintwilton/ Thank you again for all your help with this little fellow, he is rather a nice change to my Sakai guns. All the best.

Thank you Piers, that's interesting as just about the only trace of decoration left is this mei and a few tiny traces elsewhere. I'm sure your restoration will pass the test of all but the keenest eye, have you posted pictures of your pistol? As a maker I have found that most people don't look with educated eyes and the ones who do are to be treasured. All the best.

Hi Piers. Was hoping you'd pass by. Thank you very much for the information, I found most of the kanji but struggle to make sense of the reading. The 'white' writing on top of the breech is silver nunome zogan so they would take a bit of rubbing off. Can you make anything of it? Hi Barry, taking my theme from a t shirt I saw, 'When a man says that he will do something then he will, there's really no need to remind him every six months.' All the best.

Thanks Brian, and yes, one or two bits to make but the slots for the flash guard are in very good order so that will help. Another thing on the 'to do' list! All the best.

Dear All. Well I saw this in some rather mediocre photographs but liked it and pulled the trigger, (sorry, pun fully intended). So today it arrived and as is often the case it turns out to be rather better than I had expected. Barrel length is 585 mms with a bore of 13mms at the muzzle, I haven't even tried to remove the bisen yet. Internal spring lock.. Silver nunome key fret pattern around the muzzle and silver nunome inscription near the breach. Signed as well and rather clear, I'm working on the kanji but with tanegashima I am rather reduced to transliterating so any help would be appreciated. Anyway,here it is. All the best.

Dear Fred. Saku means made by, so, ' in Bizen province, Osafune town Kiyomitsu made this.' All the best.

Dear Piers. I think Mark might have been hoping that he had translated the mei successfully..........? All the best.

Just saw this and wondered if it might be relevant, https://www.aoijapan...ord/2024/24054-2.jpg All the best.

Well, museums are funny places and we sometimes give their descriptions more credit than we should simply because their code of reference is much different to our collector code. My guess would be lead ategane corroded to a white soft surface, compare here, https://www.research...-1910_fig2_276594062 All the best.

Dear Alex. Is it the fact that there are only two kanji on the nakago that is bothering you? As John has said, the NBTHK paper states that it is a katana with the mei of Kunimune and then in brackets they ascribe it to Uda, which means that the sword carries the two kanji for Kunimune and that they have attributed it to the Uda school. Does that help? All the best.

Dear Mark. Absolutely correct, given a proper polish, however given the very little we have to go on my suspicion is that this has had some rather less than traditional work done to it. All the best.

Dear Jeremy. While I too would have guessed that this is a wakizashi at a glance, the tape alongside the blade in the first image suggests a nagasa of something like 27.5 inches. Not so short as it seems! Thomas, assuming your tape is in inches then this makes it a katana. Looking forward to some more images. All the best.

Dear Joseph. It might just be me but with your blue additions I can't see any yasurime, perhaps that's why nobody has chipped in. If what you can see does not correspond to kesho in any meaningful sense then it may be that the sloping lines are not yasurime at all, lines caused by polishing perhaps? Can't see much but it does look from this as of the tanto has seen some polishes. If in doubt call it kiri. All the best.

Dear Jean. Forgive me, are you referencing Tochibata tsuba? https://www.Japanese...ibata-sukashi-tsuba/ All the best.

Dear Jimi san. This is I think the first time I have seen sukashi inside the nakago ana! All the best.

Dear Tom. You have missed the point, the transcription you were given is exactly correct. The information that Oli has given you is the more extensive data that is available regarding his history. You have a signed wakizashi with quite nice mountings and a history in the Bungo Takada school. Lots of information available about the school. It seems to be out of polish and so the detail you will be able to pick up might be limited. Look carefully at the kissaki and work out what you are seeing. All the best.

But different information Bruce.

Dear Steve. Confusing, isn't it? Hannin is one of three levels of official in the colonial administration that Japan set up in territories that it acquired in the early 20th century. In common with many such colonial powers these were quasi military in that they had swords assigned to them. Hanin is a junior rank, Sonin is Emperor approved and Chokunin is an Imperial appointment, so the suggestion is that yours is the lowest of these ranks. The pattern is very similar to the Navy dress sabre of around the same time, hence the comment, but Navy swords have different scabbard mounts, yours does look like a colonial type. European style is because post Meiji restoration Japan modelled its armed forces on what were seen to be successful European militaries and this included uniform and sword styles. Early years is because these European styles were essentially in use up to the 1930s when more traditionally Japanese style swords were introduced. Hope that helps. Yours does not have any of the usual decorations on the ears of the hilt strap. All the best.

Dear Joseph. If the crack is sharply defined, almost geometric then be concerned. If it meanders then it might well be a forging lamination that you are seeing and no cause for concern. All the best.

Dear Colin and Dan. Well thank you for the enthusiasm, not much else to see but here goes. The tsuba is hardwood, the remainder fairly light. At least you can see some hada and the groove down the ridge is quite good. All the best.

Realy like the koshirae on that one Dan. Here's mine, nagasa 415mms and mumei. The koshirae is carved and stained wood. A late tourist piece I'm sure but I couldn't resist it. All the best.

Dear Hannah. I love this assignment, it opens so many doors! Here is a link to a well known collection of tsuba which might be of interest, http://jameelcentre....ection/7/10237/10373 There are many others available but this is a good start. I would not say that family mon were very common as tsuba or tsuba decoration, as you will see if you browse the collection in the link. The mon on your tsuba is of the Tokugawa family, (I see that Piers has done that bit of research for you), a name you will quickly recognise as you study Japanese history, however it is also widely dotted around on all sorts of goods made at the end of the Edo period, and indeed later, for export so you should not place too much emphasis on this. There is one other possibility which I will try to find for you. In a collection, I believe in Germany, is a complete mount for a sword that is European but made in the style of an enameled short sword. This is a very long shot but I will see if I can find the photograph. All the best.

Dear Jesse. Have fun with this thread if you don't already know it. All the best.