Geraint

Hi Steve. Compare to this for typical Rebellion style mounts, http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?99265-Satsuma-rebellion-or-okashi-to-mounts I'm not sure that I would classify yours as this style, almost always plain iron washers for menuki and the distinctive wrap style. All the best.

Hi David. Your sword appears to have the saya from a shirasaya, a resting scabbard that the blade is often kept in. No need to find tsuba and pieces to make up, just needs a new hilt in plain wood to match the existing. Have a look at this one, http://www.nihontoantiques.com/project/wakazashi-sword-fss-707/ If you look at other swords on the same site you will see what they look like in polish but take Greg's advice and go slow. Don't be tempted to use amateurs for the work as they can so easily ruin the sword. Enjoy!

Dear L. I agree that the blade is worth some careful investigation. I suspect that the blade and saya do belong together but that the tsuka is an add on. You mention that the fit is a little off and the fittings are uninspiring. The menuki look to be pressed rather than anything else. Polish and new tsuka to complete the outfit or polish and shirasaya? Enjoy.

Dear Brian, I hate to be the one but..... Have a closer look at the koshirae. John, can we have a photo of the base of the fuchi? That would probably confirm or rebut my suspicions. All the best

Hi Donny, Have a look at this. http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/help-iding-Japanese-sword-320973/ All the best.

You have already got a Sori Yanagi daisho, or are they gimei? All the best.

Hi Axel. I wonder if this is the result of someone drilling a hole for fitting gunto koshirae? I have a kaigunto with a small hole in the silver foiled habaki where someone was a little enthusiastic drilling a pilot hole for one of the screws securing the koiguchi to the saya. Admittedly you would really have to let your mind wander to drill right through the nakago but.......... All the best.

"The Shingen normally that I see is only on the surfaces and not crossing across the edge like net ". True but none the less the tsuba you illustrate is one of quite a few of this type that crop up from time to time. CF: http://tsuba-no-bi.com/tsuba/detail/T00279/52/ All the best.

Dear Dave, I have just checked the two examples that I have that fir your criteria, both are wakizashi in full gunto mounts, one Kaigunto and one Shingunto. Both are absolutely as mounted, no swapping bits, all matching numbers. Both koshirae are a little smaller than my normal Shingunto but in both cases the blades are shorter than the koshirae would suggest. (Pictures attached.) I have no definitive answer but I have always assumed that length was dictated by the stature of the officer. I have been given to understand that the correct length for a katana is such that when at arms length the tip should clear the floor when the hand is grasping next to the tsuba, if this is the case then it would be logical that shorter officers would have shorter swords. All the best

Dear All. I'm not so sure. I am with Stephen on this one, I think we are seeing silver nunome zogan, have a look at the visible cross hatching around the seppa dai and one point where I think we are seeing the silver foil lifting a little. If so then far more interesting and not a dead Polly! All the best.

"Argentinian Malbec."

Dear Jon, This is a true Japanese sword, made in the traditional way and at first glance quite old. Did you measure from the tip to the notch on the back where the habaki starts? If this is 24" plus then you have a katana, not a wakizashi. The mounts appear to need menuki and a wrap to bring them up to speed. Go slowly and carefully and don't attempt anything yourself at this stage. The signature or mei reads Bishu Osa, this might matter as shu is an abbreviated form for the province and if your blade is Muromachi period, as it might well be, then usually better swords for this group would be signed Bizen. You are looking at the Bizen group of smiths and there are very many! Try to get some better shots of the blade, overall, tip (kissaki) and the point where the habaki comes off. We might get some more information for you. Also a shot of the tsuba, guard. Welcome to the forum and to the exciting world of Nihonto! All the best.

Dear Jose. This might be as simple as using scrap paper to line the fabric. In an age where everything is hand made even used paper is worth re using. I would be surprised if it is anything more than that. Am I alone in wanting to see the whole jingasa? All the best.

Hi Dave(?) I'll leave the stamp question for others but a couple of things that might help. First have a look here, http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm In the right hand side of the page you will find extensive indexes which might help. It's easy to start seeing things in a hamon like this but comparing it to traditional blades is usually revealing. Have a look at the oshigata and photographs of this one,http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2015/15946-2.jpg If you look inside the hadori and compare with the oshigata you should start seeing nie, they are visible to the naked eye as discrete particles. On a sword in polish if you have to start struggling to see them then chances are they are not there. Your sword is a nice example of what it is but Brian immediately identified the hamon and it is pretty typical for Showato. Hope this helps. All the best

Hi Darius, If you have not already found this it might be of interest. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/naginata.html Cracking sword, enjoy! All the best.

Hi Tony. Looks like you did very well for a first sword, you will be able to see a great deal in a sword in polish like yours. "Rather cheaply", is of course cryptic but a nice blade to start with. Enjoy! All the best.

Hi Dale, Yes I was looking at the antler tsuba. I think I would start from the assumption that any tsuba worth collecting had been made by a craftsman, and I load that word with great respect and admiration. The idea that such a person would make a tsuba off centre without noticing, or that they would then just carry on is difficult to grasp. Do you think the seppa dai is off centre? I can't say that it looks that way to me and as the tsuba shows no sign of having been remounted then these inaccuracies would bother me a lot. Hard to say much from your image or even the ones on your Pinterest board but if this is brass then all sorts of alarm bells would be ringing for me. Hope I am wrong. All the best. Bye the bye, you might like the one on this page scroll down to the last one. http://nihonto.uk/Items%20for%20Sale/tetsu%20tsuba.html

Hi Dale, What are your thoughts about the placement of the nakago ana in relation to the seppa dai? All the best.

Dear Chris. Not sure how this works in Germany but in the UK major museums are quite open to looking at things and giving opinions on them, they certainly won't give a value in the UK but they would tell you as much as they can about the piece. Perhaps worth asking around to see if they will do that for you? All the best.

Wow! Than you for sharing these and the process. All the best

Josh, check your pms. All the best.

There's always this one, http://www.aoijapan.com/kozuka-mumeiunsigned-omune-design ?

Thanks for that Grev, at least one version is Kunishige then. All the best.

Dear Grev. This is one of those repeat designs that crop up now and then, see this one, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_-_Kozuka_with_Dragon_and_Tiger_-_Walters_51768.jpg The suggestion that these are anything to do with Hirado Kunishige is one that I have not been able to substantiate, perhaps someone can help with that? The example in the Caldwell sale had hakkogake by Kanzan Sato attributing it to Umetada school. If yours is that one then the price comparison exercise might have some use but if yours is one just like it then valuation would one presumes be different. By the by the suggestion that the design is a bosun's whistle is fanciful, the roofscape idea makes more sense to me. Enjoy. All the best.

Dear MArrius, I am sure you know this but I suspect that Uwe is pointing out that this is a modern reproduction 'pocket filler', not a genuine kogatana. Interesting way the mei is made. All the best.