DirkO

Couldn't this be a kata kiri ba that's been polished down and thus removing the shinogi? By the looks of the bonji it had it's fair share of polishing?

Hi Jason, A good site to help you figure them out yourself is: http://www.jssus.org/nkp/index.html Then go to Tosogu Kanji -> Tosogu Kanteisho

Jason, if it's yours, how come it's also for sale on eBay? http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-Japanese-Katana-Samurai-Sword-/230633499472

I have one that's called Dewa sanzan shinko~ to Gassan to~ko~ (The Religous Practices of the Three Peaks of Dewa Province and the Gassan Swordsmiths) which I would recommend. Shown in the catalogue are: 13 ko-gassan blades (one photo, others are oshigata), 13 blades by Gassan Sadayoshi, the founder of Osaka Gassan (one photo, others are oshigata), two blades by Sadayoshi's students (oshigata), 15 blades by Gassan Sadakazu (nine photos, rest are oshigata), 6 blades by Gassan Sadakatsu (all oshigata), 12 blades by Gassan Sadakazu II [sadaichi] (ten photos + oshigata), and 3 blades by Gassan Sadatoshi (all photos).

It's from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiri_sute_gomen

a form of toran-ha ? to compare from Mishina Kenji's site: http://www007.upp.so-net.ne.jp/m-kenji/oshigata/shinto9.html

Hi Steve, First of all : Welcome! Seeing you have a lot of basic questions (which is normal when starting out), maybe a good place to start would be the FAQ at the top : http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/faq.html Here you'll find a recommended booklist and some good tips to start you off.

Most probably a stylised Fudo Myo-o

It's from the polearm terms book from Hawley. Picked it up a few years ago from Satcho for 15USD. All terms also have their kanji, but it's Easter and I don't have time to look them all up

These might be of interest ...

I agree the Knutsen book is quite pricy, but still one of the best book in English re polearms. The hawley book can be had for a fraction of your estimate : http://www.bugei.com/150-Japanese-polearm-terms-23-prd0.htm

Two books come to mind: Japanese polearms by Knutsen 150 Japanese Polearm Terms by Hawley

Hi Rymunn, Would it also be possible to have some overall shots of the actual blade?

If the original pic is correct, couldn't the poor chiseling be down to the samoji mei? Although I must admit that for a blade this age, the nakago patina is worrying to say the least

Hi Hatanaka-san, I only knew 十 as Jû, so thanks for the clarification I've read somewhere that it's more correct to use 'third month' instead of March, but I can't remember the reason for that.

After rotating and mirroring the mei: I think I can make out the date partially: 昭和 ?? 二 年 三 月 Shôwa ?? Ni Nen San Gatsu So 3rd month of 1927. In the "??" I think there might be 2 kanji there : ? 合 (? HARU) but I can't really find a zodiacal date that corresponds...

I bought these menuki a while ago to be added to a koshirae. They are Goto (Manzai theme http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzai) and the seller(Imazu-san) thought even maybe Renjo. The koshirae I'm having made is a roiro koshirae with simple white samé and black horn kodogu. Obviously I know these aren't perfect menuki and they have some flaws, but I chose them because they look dynamic and offset nice on the white samé. Any insights or remarks on these menuki are very welcome seeing I'm not that big on fittings.

Here's a Echizen no Daijo Fujiwara Kunitsugu I used to own (sold it a good year ago, sacrifices must be made if you only have a small collection) - nagasa 53cm, but I especially liked it for it's unusual shape

Hi John, You can find more info here: http://www.jssus.org/nkp/japanese_sword_laws.html It's a very informative article by Mr Guido Schiller (also a member here).

:D well I got the date, that's a start...

Just a quick lunchbreak attempt at the date : 文政五年九月日 so a day of the 9th month of the 5th year of Bunsei? Could be well off though

A good week ago there was also a Sadakazu tanto for sale, with original box and everything. Sold for the buy it now price of 6600 USD within 24 hours....

He also has a newsletter to which you can subscribe. I personally am really envious of his Norishige tanto

Welcome! PM sent