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Hi John No plaques, different school, but the same motif/theme. [No.21(page 34)] TSUBA, OMI HAKKEI, BUSHU JYU MASATOYO http://www.choshuya.co.jp/0705/thanks_info.htm http://www.choshuya.co.jp/0705/34/omi8_kei.jpg Steve

Hi John An almost identical tsuba, same plaques, but different mimi was on was eBay back in June 2007. The eBay tsuba was NTHK papered, 75 points, to "Ichijo Group" in 2001. Steve

Hi Sencho Apologies.. The correct volume is indeed VII. The search: Frank Brinkley Japan, brings up all the available volumes of the Arts of Japan. Also found an alternate source for the letters/log-book of William Adams, the Gaijin Samurai; The log-book of William Adams, 1614-19, with the journal of Edward Saris, and other documents relating to Japan, Cochin China, etc. Edited with introd. and notes by C.J. Purnell ([1916]) Author: Adams, William, 1564-1620 http://www.archive.org/details/logbooko ... 00adamuoft Steve

Hi All An alternate source for this book is at; http://www.archive.org/details/texts type in the search : Frank Brinkley Japan The item for this thread is volume 8 -------------------- FYI There are also an interesting reads in the following books ; Report on the analysis of various examples of oriental metal-work, &c., in the South Kensington Museum and other collections (1892) by Wingham, Arthur London, H.M. Stationery Office. http://www.archive.org/details/reporton ... 00wingrich Catalogue of specimens of Japanese Lacquer and Metal Work, exhibited in 1894 - London: printed for the Burlington Fine Arts Club http://www.archive.org/details/catalogu ... 00burlrich More Queer Things About Japan, Author Douglas Sladen Contains he original letters of the English pilot, William Adams (1613) - The first Gaijin Samurai! (http://www.archive.org/details/morequee ... 00sladrich) Steve

Hi Martin The finish on your tsuba may be ; IBOTARO Chinese Wax, (tree wax) a wax made from natural sources. Lightly dusted on tsuba surface as a protective coating for iron plate. ref : Haynes Auction Catalog, No. 1 Nov 1981 - Glossary Here is a thread from the carvingpath on its use; http://www.thecarvingpath.net/forum/ind ... wtopic=694 "Ibotaro, a wax which imparts a fine gloss, is made from the secretion of an insect that infests the ibota plant." Steve

Interesting copyright article from the NY Times ("All the news that fit to print") archives, dated March 22nd 1891. SWORDS FOUND IN Japan; RICH OLD DECORATIONS THAT ATTRACT CONNOISSEURS. THE AFFECTION OF THE Japanese FOR THEIR WEAPONS -- WHERE THE FINEST COLLECTIONS MAY BE SEEN -- A FEW OF THE MOST VALUABLE ONES. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.h ... 94609ED7CF I found the section on kogatana and the polite method of leaving a calling card very amusing. Enjoy.

The picture that I uploaded hasn't appeared ! Perhaps this time?

This tsuba in its leather pouch travels in my jacket pocket. I find the this particular tsuba very tactile, it is my "worry tsuba". It had its wonderful patina when I acquired it, but no doubt the oils from my hands and the rough side of the leather inside the pouch "help" the patina.

Has anyone come across this mei before? Late Edo? The theme is from the Tale of the Heike. Minamoto no Yorimasa is about to shoot down the Thrush Monster aka the Nue. (A beast with the body of a raccoon dog, head of a Monkey, Tigers feet, and a Serpents tail) Shinchu, Katakiribori carving. Shakudo zogan on the bow, arrow and hat rim. Shakudo Hitsuana and Fukurin. 6.6cm x 6.4cm x 0.4cm The previous owner read it as; 栄 村 作 Hidemura Saku The first kanji eludes me, the second I read as; 材 sai Thanks.

Hi Reinier This websight has a long article on Japan, it covers people, language, literature, art etc... http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Japan There is an interesting section on the Japanese view of art vs the western view. There are cross references to sword furniture and the Japanese aesthetic. As well as some examples of manufacturing techniques, inlaying of metals etc.. Here is a small section ; "There is a radical difference between the points of view of the Japanese and the Western connoisseur in estimating the Japanese merits of sculpture in metal. The quality of the Point of chiselling is the first feature to which the Japanese viewer directs his attention; the decorative design is the prime object of the Occidentals attention. With very rare exceptions, the decorative motives of Japanese sword furniture were always supplied by painters. Hence it is that the Japanese connoisseur draws a clear distinction between the decorative design and its technical execution, crediting the former to the pictorial artist and the latter to the sculptor. He detects in the stroke of a chisel and the lines of an engraving tool, subjective beauties which appear to be hidden from the great majority of Western dilettanti. He estimates the rank of a specimen by the quality of the chisel-work. The Japanese kinzoku-shi (metal sculptor) uses thirty-six principal classes of chisel, each with its distinctive name, and as most of these classes comprise from five to ten sub-varieties, his cutting and engraving tools aggregate about two hundred and fifty." Stephen

There is a piece for sale on eBay that has characteristics that I have never seen before. http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-sword-Tada ... dZViewItem The top two pic's in this montage show what look like blisters. Is this an example of umegane(Inlaid Steel) or is the blade "tired". Thanks.

On the topic of eBay scams. I had a Yoshinao shin-gunto for sale on ebay last week (which never made reserve) Among the many emails I received regarding the item was a very strange one from xxxxxx in Moray,United Kingdom. Here is the message with the abuse edited out. ******************************* Thank's to the forum we already know you are a scam, you xxxx: red-hot.at/webalizer/fonts/eBay.monitors/cgi-eBay/checkfraud/scammer-FORUM/beware.buyer.html GET A REAL JOB OR SOMETHING.... ******************************* Of course human nature and curiosity leads you to open the link and see what is being said about you. What opens is what appears to be a legitimate eBay log-in screen. Needless to say if I had entered my ID and password it would have been - GOTCHA! When it comes to security the Web is still in its infancy and can be likened to the US Wild West, only there ain't no sheriff in town. Be careful out there.

Hi Simon Still undecided as to whether I should have it polished. Under the right light I can discern the hamon with very pointed waves approx. 15mm between peaks. If I have the piece polished, I will update with pic's. Thanks again all.

Appreciate the feedback. So it seems that it may read ; ruttannaso haffumen to - lieutenant Hoffman's Knife? My gut feeling is that the tanto was produced at the Shrine for sale to IJA personnel. It was probably extremely late war production, the war finished and thus the tanto never made it to final polish. The blade has good proportions and weight, 3mm munemachi tapers to 1mm at the nakagojiri. Approx. 5.5mm at the shinogisuji The habaki is plain but heavy solid silver(?), mekugi-ana is punched, not drilled, from left to right. Painted kanji on the left side of the nakago which is very faded. An allied occupation war souvenir, acquired by a Lt. Hoffman(?). Thanks All.

Hi Here is a little more info, don't know whether it helps or not. The blade seems to be in the smiths pre-polish stage, i.e. it seems never to have been sent to the final polisher. The inscriptions are quite rough to the touch, the displacement of the steel from the chisel stamping is very evident. A previous owner has added a crude edge, and it is not the work of a professional polisher. Thanks.

I recently acquired a mumei showa tanto in shirasaya. It came in its original silk bag (somewhat stained and soiled) which has the mitsu tomoe mon of Iwashimizu hachiman-ju. The shinogi-ji is chisel stamped; Left side : 滅敵 Metsu Teki - Destroy Evil Right side : 石清水八幡宮 Iwashimizu hachiman-ju It is the katakana script on the shirasaya that I am having trouble with. I have managed to transribe the individual characters ; ru shi/tsu ta n/so na so/n to ha shi/tsu hu/fu me n/so to But what does it actually translate as? Would appreciate the opinion of more knowledgable collectors. Thanks.

Hi Koichi A copy of "Swordsmiths of Japan 1926-1945" which I had purchased from someone in Australia has just arrived after 2 months at sea! There is reference on page 16 to an Oshigata no. 106 which appears in the previously published "A Guide to Showa Swordsmiths" The kanji is exactly as you read them, 酒向兼茂, although Fuller & Greory interpret the same kanji as "Sakumuki Kaneshige". Thanks Again.

Hi Bill I believe that, loosely translated, it means first and second grade. F.Y.I. Aoi-Art has three tanto's by this smith for sale. item Tanto#8 - Hideaki, August 1931 - JPY 450,000 item Tanto 05066 - Toshihide, February 1937 - JPY 450,000 item Tanto 06266 - Toshihide, August 1942 - JPY 650,000 The last is not in the "Tanto" section, run a search for "Toshihide" and it appears.

Hi Leroy There is a thread somewhere on this site in which a poster mentions that the NBTHK has refused to paper a piece made from Mikasa steel, and also that the NTHK has papered Mikasa steel pieces! Confused? Me too. Run a search for Mikasa. From the Mikasa guns Hideaki made 229 swords, 973 "grade Ko" dirks with blades inscribed ; "the fate of a Japanese Empire is decided by this battle" which was Admiral Togo's flag message to the fleet when the battle began. He also made 451 "grade Otsu" dirks made that had no inscription on the blade, the dirk listed on eBay is one of these. Check out this website for details of Hideaki and Mikasa steel. http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_002.htm

Hi Koichi, I had hoped that it was a sloppy rendition of ; 兼義 (Kaneyoshi) 河合 義文 Kawai as listed on Dr. Stein's web site. Your reading of Sako is spot on, still unsure about the Shige/Yoshi kanji. Many thanks.

Would appreciate help with this mei. I bought this piece recently, its an undated showa crew gunto. I read the last three kanji as Kane Yoshi Saku, but the first two elude me. Thanks.

Thank You both. As a seperate but somewhat related issue. Someone has listed on ebay two seperate lots of kanteisho (fittings and swords) for sale, the seller is listed as being in Hawaii. http://myworld.ebay.ca/unryushi/ Are these types of sale common?

I was browsing on ebay, had entered "NTBHK" as a search which produced six items, some were NTBHK and others NTHK. This particular one caught my eye, because the NTHK papers do not look quite right. There is no seal overlapping the photo and origami and the kanji looks "wooden" it does not have a free hand flow. http://cgi.ebay.ca/WAKIZASHY-era-KOTO-1 ... dZViewItem Do my eyes deceive me?

Thank You Koichi I purchased this blade under the impression that it was Kaneaki, the seller sold it as and I also read it as Kaneaki. Live and learn. Checked Toko Taikan, only one Gendaito Kanetsugu listed p.95, however the kanji for tsugu is not the same. Slough has Imai kanetsugu p.71, but yet another different kanji for tsugu! Dr. Steins Showa Oshigata has two Kanetsugu's "Seki Ju Kanetsugu" and "Masagawa Kanetsugu", same kanji as Slough but by a different hand (Nakirishimei?) Perhaps the reference to Mt. Shiun is about Ritsurin Park? Well whoever the smith was he forged a very nice blade. It is in original polish with a few minor pits and nicks, but they should blow away at the next polish. Here are a few pictures.

Would appreciate help with this complex showato mei. The blade is dated - 2605th year of the Empire [1945], 2nd Month [Feb 11th] Lucky Day. Its the mei side which eludes my very limited knowledge and reference library. The left column I read as - ?, kane, aki, kore, saku The right column - ?, shu, ?, ?, yama, ?, ?. Thanks.