ROKUJURO

Just for the terminology: What you call 'Seppa' are TSUKA (= handles)

....and all photos made on a plain dark/black background, in a dark room with spotlight!

Konrad, it is a counterfeit, not a replica. Good replica are more difficult to identify; they are made close to the authentic items. This one above is very easy to spot in case you have seen a certain number of swords. It is all a matter of experience, as so often in life!

....and you will not get a genuine hand-made Japanese sword for $ 200.--, so this may also be an indication.

Justyn, certainly a good memory item!

Yes, it does mean No. 4

And another one, probably not by one of the NOBUIE:

Calabrese, congratulations! A very nice MUNEKATSU TSUBA with OMODAKA leaves and a KOZUKA HITSU in gourd shape! The surface might have been treated with something water-repellent, but I don't think it is disturbing. What you see as damage is the result of a YAKITE technique, produced intentionally for a WABI SABI effect! All very good!

Kogitsunemaru.

It is not cast, and it is a TSUBA in HEIANJO style, probably using an older (early EDO) TOSHO style TSUBA as a base for testing or trying to apply some embellishment.

Not really. The gold value may be less than the artistic and cultural value in some items, depending on the artist.

I did not think of it, but it's probable.

TWB, please sign all posts with your first name so we could address you in a polite manner. It is a rule here . Your TSUBA set is quite interesting although I think I see some patina issues, but that can be fixed. What you see as a GENNO hammer on the first TSUBA is in fact a forging hammer. GENNO are different:

Hi Bruce, that may well be. It is the same in the world of archaeology where they created their special vocabulary, not looking at the "normal" established terminology. I feel that situation must be confusing for new collectors, and for me, the question arises who should learn the correct terms?

Matt, that may well have been in the distant past. Do you have any evidence for that? The actual definition is: " A dirk is a long-bladed thrusting dagger It is most famously known as the traditional sidearm of Scottish Highland clansmen and officers, serving as both a formidable combat weapon and a symbol of cultural honour....." A dagger is undoubtedly a two-sided thrusting knife. There are indeed dagger-shaped bayonets (Switzerland) but the one shown above is not one of them.

Tony, it's funny that you are saying that! In the knifemaker's language, an unusually thick knife (some customers seem to like that) is mockingly called a "sharp prybar"! With that KASANE, I would have expected a MIHABA of 50 mm!

It is not even a dirk in the correct meaning. Dirks (or daggers) have 2 cutting edges. What might help in this case is seeing the NAKAGO of the blade. Hopefully, it is not riveted.

We would like to help Tony with a convincing assessment, but in this case, I am reminded of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. With these images, we are just discussing shadows on the wall.

With a blade that seems to be off "normal" by so much, I can accept any speculation. With a KASANE of 12,7 mm (really?) and a likely hand-painted HAMON, it can be anything.

I think that'a a bit of an exaggeration. What about five times?

Brian, that would be called 'learning', and that is not good as it is different from what people are used to? So a sword with a TACHI MEI, worn as TACHI, is a TACHI, but a military sword with TACHI MEI, worn as TACHI, may be called KATANA because many militaria collectors are not familiar with the terminology? The opportunity to learn new things is one of the main characteristics of this forum, at least for me. It is a "cloud" of competence, of specialized knowledge and information. Should we really exempt or spare people from learning? And how do we transfer facts and knowledge then? Just a few thoughts that came up....

Collin, this is not the "FOR SALE or TRADE" section for you! Please post your sales offer there, preferably with photos made on a PLAIN DARK background for good contrast. To repeat: This is a TACHI, not a KATANA.

Dale, do you believe the broken TSUBA above was cast? I am not sure. Cast TSUBA break easily, but not all broken TSUBA are cast.

Now that you are saying it....and even with a hand-painted HAMON!

Tony, you have succeeded in posting some of the worst blade photos I have seen so far. Please try again with a PLAIN DARK background. And look at your photos before posting. In case you see nothing, we will also see nothing. And is that really a KASANE of 12,7 mm? That would be outstanding!