vajo

You need the opposite side (after the tsuba to the blade). Its bigger than that seppa.

Dale there is differnce between a patinated sekigane and hot oiled or painted copper. I think that collectors know and see the difference.

Are you sure that the right one is a new tsuba reworked? There are much different spots in the right tsuba. Those iato tsuba are made from zinc alloy. It is not an easy task to make such a sukashi after the modling. And the sekigane is patinated on the right one. When it is reworked someone spent a lot of hours of work on it.

Very nice George.

Rank looks like So-Cho (Sergeant Major) would fit to the tassel.

My wife use the kurubara tsubaki for cosmetics. So fill it in such a small bottle and add choji. That small bottle lasts a very long time. You need only some drops on your blade and whip it without additives cleanex or a microfiber, whatever.

put it in a smaller bottle. Like this . Buy a better choji but not one from the pharmacy! Medical choji is not good for metalworks. When you buy sword choji it is mixed ready with other refained oil for fine mechanics. You can mix it with tsubaki 5/1 or 10/1 what you like. If you like the smell make more inside or less what you like.

You can fill a little bottle with tsubaki and put some splashes choji oil in it (more liquid and typical smell). Pure tsubaki (camelia) is very thick. A german manufactur offers a mixed camelia oil with some more liquidity (Dictum company). When using pure camellia oil, it tends to dry on the blade if you don't check on it for a while. Btw tsubaki is the best choice for kitchen knifes. That oil is food safe. You can use it for your hair, lipps, and dry skin. Tsuruta san says tsubaki is salad oil.

Our Richard George? The man with the best knowledge about photographing tsuba? I chattet with him last. He sold me a a nice tsuba. Oh dear. I didn't think he was that old. In my mind he was in 50s. He often post on facebook too. That is very very sad. My condolences.

one of the nicest boshi i've seen so far.

Before starting. There are a lots of fingerprints on the blade. Remove them with isopropanol. And oil the blade. Not the nakago!(Tang). Your sword will rust in hours with that fingerprints. Its not stainless - its carbon steel. Rust and scratches will reduce its value.

what is that?

Good question Jean The blade has plenty of decorative ha-kobore and kirikomi to prove that it is ancient and has been used.

See the signature as an addition. Its an old warrior sword. Its very old.

I like this sword. Nice itame hada and beautiful gunome midare hamon. This sword needs a good polish to see its beauty. I belive its late muromachi. Kissaki was slightly reshaped but nothing to fear off.

Unfortunately, it was 2:00 AM here. It's hard to keep track of when you have to be at work in the morning. Congratulations to Justin – that's a very good prize. Thanks also to Sam for the great show.

chinese 住 勝 䒳 仁 (Zhù shèng duǒ rén) but i think it should read "Yoshihito Sumikatsu" proudly made with Dremel.

Max your picture is not to good to judge. The color of fire gilded gold is different to modern electro plating. You must have more tsuba in hand to see the difference of all that things. There are so many possibilities for metalwork.

Max when it is painted not fire gilded or patinated it is a cast copy. Sorry. The Japanese are masters in gilding and metalwork. They didn't paint tosogu parts. Only in wartime they painted gunto parts mostly iron. Cooper was patinated with niage. Cheap tosogu from the edo period was lacquered with urushi mostly black. But this is rare to find and now some worthy.

You could buy a horse and ride down Broadway with this drawn blade, shouting "Everything for the Emperor!" It would be quite authentic, and you'd be famous instantly.

You tsuba is for me Hamamono work (Nagoya mono). Genpai war crossing uji river its a common theme. Some say work for tourists in meji times. It was very popular in the late edo/meji time. Maybe you ask if it is fake or modern reproduction? The term mass produced could hit nearly every tsuba from all periods. The price depends in quality. Those workshops made all level of tsuba. High and low quality weak metal tsuba. The second picture looks more like a modern copy to me. But i can't judge it from your picture. But some of these tsuba get papers (Kyo-kanagushi) at all. So don't worry. As long as it's not a cheap Chinese copy from a smelter. But with the current copper price, even those aren't cheap anymore.

The question is was it made by him or was it made/ changed wartime. The Koshirae is made up of parts. The Seppa are from a Type 3. But we've seen something like this before. Bring your sword to war or assembled after war? I didn't like this part.

its not leather Bruce its lacquered Paper. I have one. http://www.schmucker-info.net/letzte_stufe_gendaito.html

Me staring at the price to go in.

And why shouldn't "regular" members be allowed to offer anything anymore? They usually support the board with sales or donate proceeds.