ROKUJURO

The red lacquer in the BOHI (fuller) is not rare. It was often done on YARI for different reasons, one of them being to conceal forging flaws. Otherwise, your YARI seems to be signed HEIANJO (old name for KYOTO) no JU.....It could well be from the early EDO period, but age is not as important as quality and condition. Generally, a signature is not always reliable to say something about a blade. In your case, you don't know what happened to the blade as the rust is concealing all features it might have. It could even have been in a fire which would make it almost worthless.

Stephen, welcome to the NMB forum! The MEI is best posted in the TRANSLATION section. What I can see is a SANKAKU YARI in very corroded condition. It is red rust which should be removed by a traditionally trained polisher (TOGISHI). In Australia, you could check with Andrew Ickeringill for possibilities and costs. In the meantime, you could apply oil with low viscosity to slow down the corrosion.

Yes Piers, unusual indeed! YAKITE technique is exclusively applicable to iron TSUBA as far as I know.

https://japaneseswordlegends.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/the-heshikiri-hasebe/

A CHATO is more a formal replacement sword as you are requested to have no weapon on you in the tea ceremony. It just completed your wear in the SAMURAI era. A BOKUTO is a solid wooden swords for training (it comes in different length from TANTO to KATANA) or defence. There are plain and (rare) decorated versions of it.

HAMON looks etched indeed. The full-size/length photo does not help. Please use a dark background, don't shoot photos at an angle (better from right above) and present photos as cut-outs. You can remove the HABAKI with a piece of hardwood and a small hammer. It is important to show the blade without HABAKI, so we can see the MACHI.

It is a typo - it is NYUDO (= Buddhist layman).

Chris, unfortunately, the sword does not help much in this case! Unless you send this TSUBA for certification to Japan, it will be difficult to say if it might be genuine as there are so many copies of KANEIE (not Kanei). A way to come closer would be to look for certified examples in books and online and compare.

That is a bit less than the actual gold price (24 Kt).

The photo is not well focused, and a dark background would be better, but it looks like CHOSHU no JU TOMOYUKI

Rohan, are there really collectors who are so poor they can't go regularly to Japan for exhibitions? I cannot imagine that!

"SAMURAI", with the sharp edges, this looks more like an individually made SEPPA (no plural!) to me than like a TSUBA (no plural - Japanese nouns do not have a plural form). Please sign all posts with at least a first name plus an initial so we could address you politely. This is a rule here on NMB.

....all except the TACHI.

James, we have a special TRANSLATION section. If you post there, you will likely get the best help as the NIHONGO experts will look there. It is very probably not a signature, so no relation to the smith - in most cases.

I have made the best experience with Kelly Schmidt: kschmidt1127@gmail.com

These are exclusively TACHI?

Piers, that one looks really early! These are mostly called SAOTOME style, but perhaps made by the BUSHU ITO school.

Justyn, I did not find much in Klimt's biography, except a mention that he might have been influenced by works of OGATA KORIN.

I can understand that. The question is, how much Klimt was influenced (like the impressionists) by Japanese art.

Dean, KANEMOTO does indeed look much different when printed: 兼 元

Colin, unfortunately, this world is not perfect. But we can strive to make it better! Collecting TSUBA looks like a good way!

Juan, welcome to the NMB forum! YARI are thrusting weapons. Cuts and sweeps are done with a NAGINATA.

The Dutch archer is signed YOSHIKAWA I think.

No, it is quite slender. This is the MIHABA if I understood correctly.