ROKUJURO

John, congrats for the purchase! It looks quite impressive and healthy, but I do not see AYASUGI HADA (not 'AYASUGI HAMON') clearly enough to vote for GASSAN. Perhaps with better photos it would be more convincing.

Mike, as you may have read here on the NMB, the signature only confirms the specifications of a blade (or a TSUBA). Any judgements will be difficult with these photos and the condition the blade is in. Even close in-hand inspection and good light may not be easy and result in a safe KANTEI. The TSUBA could be anything, it has no relation to the blade or it's age. It is like a tie to a suit. My recommendation is that you preserve the blade by oiling it from time to time (read the chapters on care and treatment here on NMB), REMOVE the oil before putting the blade back in a SAYA, and show the items to a knowledgeable expert, perhaps on a club gathering or a show. The damages are bad but in my opinion could probably be 'repaired' by a good TOGISHI - of course not without loss of material. What could you do yourself right now besides this? You could start a research as to the signatures, find originals an compare. Good luck and courage!

Mike, the TSUBA might be signed YAMAKICHIBEI, just a guess. However, it doesn't look like a typical one. The blade may be older than WWII. The MEKIGI-ANA is drilled, but the patina of the NAKAGO looks more like late EDO, as far as I can see from the pictures.

Sage, thank you. As Adam already explained, we are/I am interested to learn about the process. If I allowed myself a question, it was more a doubt about my own knowledge and capabilities than to challenge your explanation (which is perhaps not he same as Ford's). I am a full-time bladesmith with some reputation and experience, and without even thinking to see myself on a level with Ford, I think I know a little how steel behaves under the hammer. As a training and for a better understanding of the subject I have forged a number of TSUBA, again I do not see myself as TSUBAKO! When I wrote ...'If metal is hammered down to a thinner plate it normally stretches out in all directions unless you 'push' it in a special way'...I gave one of perhaps several explanations myself, and it would have been interesting for me to hear the Master's comment (in English, not in Japanese!). Sage, should you ever wish to take classes at my forge in Germany, I would be happy to show you in practice what my question was.

Ford, thank you for your elaboration. What is that in ancient Egyptian, please? :D Probably AOKA KAMAE means 'train hard and you will understand one distant day', but I had indeed the same question as Adam and I really would like to understand if the large SEKIGANE was a technical necessity or a stylistical solution with maybe a background of a school. There is no critics behind it, I like the TSUBA and it's execution is marvelous. I always appreciate your generosity by allowing a look into your manufacturing techniques.

Is that really so? If metal is hammered down to a thinner plate it normally stretches in all directions unless you 'push' it in a special way. Usually you would end up with a smaller NAKAGO ANA, at least this is my experience. I would love to read Ford's comment on this point!

Pete, allow me to add a comment from my point of view. Owning a 'piece of history' requires some responsibility. Perhaps you heard about the reactions when a Japanese billionaire announced to take his famous Van Gogh painting (was it the water lilies?) with him in his grave when he died. It was his painting, of course, bought for a mere 110.000.000.-- $, but it was (and I hope it still is) a unique piece of cultural and historical value, and as such belongs to humanity. In my sight objects like these - and be it even a beaten-up WAKIZASHI bought for some small money - deserve respect and preservation, and maybe some research to find out their history. We do not own these, but we are allowed to hold them for a while and admire and protect them. Not looking at it's present condition, there was a lot of skillful work invested in it's production, and even if this blade was not made to be a JUYO, we have to respect the maker and his work. So it matters a lot in my eyes what one does with his collected objects of history or arts.

Jean, thank you for your thoughts which may be helpful to many beginners. I am sure you developed your ‘rules of thumb’ over long years of studying and collecting, and as we all know, experience can not be transferred from one person to another nor being learned from books. My personal experience in this field is that when I dived into these vast and deep waters some 40 years ago I had almost no money, but many swords and TOSOGU seemed cheap in relation to today! I had no real knowledge, so I bought what seemed to be nice in my uneducated eyes and what was affordable. Looking back I can say that I did not make too many mistakes (which has to do with the low level of my purchases), but learned a lot from what I was able to hold in my hands for a long term study. Now I have a different look at the items on the market, and I feel that it has become much more difficult for beginners, not only more expensive! There are so many modern fakes which we did not have in the mid-seventies! They are easily identified by educated collectors, but may deceive beginners. So I think that your recommendations make sense but are only applicable when you start to collect on a relatively high price level. Many new collectors are probably not able or willing to do so. But this is the same as in most collecting fields. If you were interested in old classic cars you would get the recommendation never to buy a restored car if not all replaced parts were absolutely original and genuine. So you have a threshold where you find your new hobby starting at € 50.000.— (or the double, in $ or GBP). The alternative would be a cheap old car on which you work on weekends and with some luck end up by really driving it (which may be the greater pleasure for some collectors). In theory, practice and theory should be the same, in practice, they are not….

Perhaps MORITA?

Ford, thank you for this exciting report! It is certainly not the same as looking over your shoulder in person at your workshop but it helps a lot in understanding techniques and getting an idea of how much experience is involved. I will immediately go down in my forge and make large numbers of these, and then sell them on E-Bay as HALLAM UTSUSHI at low prices..... :D

Watch out for special items: No. 1138 is a SHINSHINTO KATANA by MASAHIRO dated 1944....

The parts remind me of the KODOGU on an AIKUCHI (SAYA and TSUKA). Could they be for a similar fitting system?

Matt, usually it is difficult to understand what Christian wants to express (I have been tempted to help him out one time or another!) but I think he only meant that you got quite nice TSUBA at a very low price - for an amount which he usually spends for his weekly errands which is probably a humble sum. Certainly not a negative remark, I believe!

Matt, I wished I had a friend like that! Nice SUKASHI TSUBA. The first looks like pine needles to me with possibly a fruit like persimmon. Is that a MARU MIMI? Then it could be AKASAKA. The second one might be a HIGO theme. I would love to learn about the provenience and school from the expert members here. I like both, good buy at that price I think.

Bob, are you sure about the KO-ITAME HADA? Are there any HATARAKI to be seen? It looks like a machine grind, the photo doesn't show details, but maybe it is these old glass eyes.....

Florian, je vais essayer: It could be SASHU no JU (X) YOSHI SAKU. The (X) is too difficult for me. Nice TSUBA, by the way! I have seen it elsewhere, have always liked it!

Does not look too bad, I think. Maybe a Japanese blade, having been beaten up a little and suffered SURIAGE with a hacksaw. The 'MEI' looks like an attempt with a screwdriver to deceive beginners. Probably more good photos are needed to reach safer ground.

John, I would have liked to help but I just received 25,5 Mio. US $ from a former Minister of Nigeria, so unfortunately my account is full!

It depends on what should be done, who does it, and how is it done. In the correct meaning of restoration one would just save the original look of an item without changing the intended appearance. It is not making it shiny and looking 'new'. In many cases competent restoration will just remove dirt and active coorosion and prevent further damage for a while.

Chris, photo upside down, no details shown, and complete lack of competent information.... Online bidders might find this a little scarce.

Stephen, have a close look at the HABAKI - it does not fit. Seems to be split as well.

It's probably a gift for a shrine. Their blades sometimes don't have MEKUGI-ANA, this TSUBA lacks a NAKAGO-ANA which means it was never meant to be mounted. Perhaps it is noted in Guinness's books of records? Edit: forgot the :D

Christophe, nice collection and very nice furniture, thank you for showing! Seems you have a good source living in Japan! Your quiver is standing upside-down, by the way.

Kurt, I won't comment your polishing attempts, but I want to mention that the cross section and the SUGATA of most TANTO are quite different from what you have got. As Brian wrote, you would end up with an American TANTO. If you are experienced in forging, why not make one yourself and leave the WAKIZASHI alone?

David, the following I extracted from WIKIPEDIA:....Gorintō (五輪塔) ("five-ringed tower")...