Alex A

Interesting question Judging by how many koshirae have guards that are not original to that koshirae. As in stuff like seeing a saya with no space for a Kogatana but tsuba has the hole. Would say it was only the well of that would have tsuba made, guessing there would be buckets of old spare tsuba knocking about. If you find a good one that fits, why buy new. If you were having new swords made then i suppose you would have newkoshirae/ guards made. Just thoughts, don't know the price lol.

No doubt being in Japan and knowing who you know Piers, you likely can get it polished at a price that wont break the bank, hopefully. Then again, you ask yourself if it really needs it. I have a few that when i first got them i was sure i was going to get them polished up new but then you end up learning to live with them. We don't have the number of polishers you do, as you are well aware.

That lobster is done really well.

Good pick-up Piers, Like that Lobster fuchi. nice fittings and blades ok too.

What John said, In a world where there is little known, the more info the better. Sometimes come across older swords with such inscriptions, to me they are special.

Want one of those heavy duty hand cannons!

Not averse to searching for low cost value for money, hence started a thread in the members area regarding budget items. I put it in there for a reason as didn't want the elitist brigade on my back lol. Was thinking maybe folks could post stuff in there that they come across, should they not want to buy it. Assist someone else gain a good deal on something that one may not come across too often, something that has something about it. Even stated would buy such an item. Not talking about every day junk you see on Ebay. Gave that up years ago as become sick of sifting through trash and anything that was good, was the same price as what you find on dealer sites anyways. Would one make a collection out of such items and spend a great deal of money? No.

Never heard that one before. Was always under the impression that if they had any doubt about a cutting test inscription then they simply would not paper a sword.

Just thought i would add to this thread, for beginners and costs. In my humble experience of tsuba, would say $80 is a rock bottom price. So lets say you buy 150 x $80 tsuba, thats $12000. (if your lucky on something half decent) That's no small amount of money for folks with a small budget. Horses for courses, up to folks what they spend their money on, just making a point.

Can only speculate about why the swords are part of a daisho and made many years apart. Without provenance then your always going to have some doubt whether they were actually worn of cobbled together in 1920 or something. Maybe with the swords above there is a record of ownership but i would have expected that to have been mentioned as it would be a major selling point. It don't help when they are not in their used worn original state but look to be restored with fresh ito etc. Did see a daisho a good while ago now, it was only cheap as the fittings and swords were mediocre. The thing is though, they both had some wear and appeared to be untouched which kind of got me thinking that maybe they were a legit used pair. No provenance though. That's the think about antiques, once they are messed with or restored, for me it raises questions. Ps, you do find swords with inscriptions to whom they were made for, must be a daisho out there somewhere with such an inscription.

One thing comes to mind Stephen, will the sword fit if the diameter is only 3,4"? Id be tempted stick with a good thick cardboard box with a load of bubble wrap

Agree with Jean, You considered getting it done in UK?

Cool, really like it. Never heard of a 6000 year old oak being used before

Thanks Piers, genuine antique then. Another in better condition here that has just popped up. Sagemono Netsuke Antique Teppo Japanese Metal carved inro Ojime Meiji 8969 | eBay

Noticed quite a few similar on Ebay a while ago. Thought id stumbled onto something but then noticed quite a few similar. Remember asking Piers about them. Actually, the top one below needs a further look into. As in it does actually look to be a used antique. Will add that not totally convinced but know nothing about these., Japan Antique Netsuke teppo shaped inro ojime sagemono rare Edo era Original | eBay Netsuke TEPPO Japanese silver Matchlock family mark of Samurai Kamon L: 4 inch | eBay

Though rare, obviously a point has been made that they are around if one looks hard enough. I guess you don't find what you usually don't look for. Ps, Good find John, especially with a similar inscription!

Hope your sorted soon Brian. Ana looks crisp, some patina, And what Ray said about it being earlier

Aye Michael, 580 grams at 50cm. Love the shape with the o-kissaki Was it attached to a pole for the test though?(as per Aoi interpretation), the big question.

Cheers, will take a look over that one. Like Buses, you wait and 2 turn up at once.

Thanks for the replies. What i find interesting is the inscription Aoi mention, below. "We do not understand the meaning of the Inscription well, but it seems to mean that Yamano Kanjuro cut off the body with one hand." This gets me wondering if the sword was actually used as in an ordinary strike by a wakizashi with one hand, without it being attached to a pole of some sorts (as mentioned above)? Also, i ask myself why would one test a very old unsigned wakizashi ??. I guess there a lots of answers to this question. Can imagine someone owning something like a Tadayoshi Katana and wanting it testing, the prestige of owning a sword of the same time that comes with all the bells and whistles, so to speak. The bragging value, even swordsmiths of the time pushing to have their swords highly evaluated,. But an unsigned suriage wak from the Nanbokucho era?, i find interesting. Perhaps it was someone's prized possession, who knows?, could go on but can only speculate and i guess we will never know. What i will say about those inscriptions, as gruesome as they are, they always add some history to a blade. Been a long time since i read the book from Markus and have a memory like a sieve, need to read it again,

Ok, next time i bother i will do a complete write-up to earn some thoughts. Cheers

Find it amazing that folks moan about political stuff and state stuff like "post more nihonto" and not one comment at all about a sword that you seldom come across. I guess folks seem to prefer politics.

Agree with this but just thinking that finding a pair with such documentation must be rare as hens teeth. Crossed my mind looking over this Daisho, the swords were made seven years apart towards the end of the Edo period but that really dont mean that they could not have been owned as a pair by the same owner. They come with a box with a family crest, but there's that all important question of provenance. Maybe there is further documents, maybe not. A splendid pair Dai Sho : Motohira(Dai Sho:NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token)(Daisho Koshirae: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu) - Japanese Sword Shop Aoi-Art

A rarity Wakizashi: Mumei(Unsigned)(Omiya)with Saidan-mei(NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Token) - Japanese Sword Shop Aoi-Art

Be aware you might scuff the blade using another old saya.