Bugyotsuji

No Dan, I was answering John C, now on the previous page!

https://www.google.com/search?q=麻の葉模様&client=safari&hs=pXHq&sca_esv=8713684b3b83c52b&hl=en-gb&udm=2&biw=390&bih=699&ei=47Vbat-JG-6BhbIP2OjluAg&oq=麻の葉模様&gs_lp=EhJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWciD-m6u-OBruiRieaooeanmDIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB4yBhAAGAcYHjIGEAAYBxgeMgYQABgHGB5I2UhQyxlY1ENwA3gAkAEBmAFPoAHIA6oBATi4AQPIAQD4AQGYAgqgApkDwgIEEAAYHsICCBAAGIAEGKIEwgIIEAAYogQYiQXCAggQABgEGAcYHpgDAIgGAZIHAjEwoAfkDbIHATe4B5QDwgcDMS45yAcOgAgA&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img That one is of course Asa no Ha moyō

(Tsunahiro)

Usually (often) there is an indication like 二重巻張　on one of the barrel facets as to how it was manufactured. You have only provided one photo where all I can see is an 8 (八) bottom left, which is probably an order or batch number. From what we can see though, it’s a good solid octagonal x-section barrel, so probably of standard construction. Steel plate folded around a core bar for a set bore size, which is then wound in a red-hot double or triple helix twist. Hope to see an overall shot some time.

Hi Jon! Some information coming up… for your friend. Watch this space! Later. Tell the new owner to check out a map of Takahashi (in Okayama today), formerly the Matsuyama Domain ruled by the Ishikawa, and later the Itakura Daimyo. Takahashi City is overlooked by the fabulous little Matsuyama Castle. The district and street names reflect its feudal history, including Ishibiya-Chō where guns were made. The Mei reads Takahashi Ishikawa Chūzaburō Saku 高梁忠三郎　作 Probably mid-Edo period, mid 1700s, the lack of a lower name suggesting he was the founder of this line. The ‘buku’ pan repair was commonly done in Japan with well-used guns, blackpowder flash being corrosive to the iron pan, so my first and strongest inclination would be Japan. It is cleanly done, so possibly carried out abroad by someone who had discovered the old process, but I would be somewhat surprised if it was.

We believe you…

The hakogaki says ‘Kagami-Shi’. Surely the kanteisho which must have come later does contradict Kanzan, well maybe it adjusts his judgement.(?)

Used to have this one until the previous owner said he wanted it back!

Dale, central top right must surely be Yoko-Ito-Gata, in contrast to central bottom left Tate-Ito-Gata, ‘Tate’ and ‘Yoko’ being directional measurements.(?)

Agreed, AI going off the rails there. Russ’s ‘South American’ seems more likely to me too.

Hi Marc, please see your messages.

Ah, from the back they do resemble udenuki no ana! Art and function going together… (?)

While on the subject though, I would like to add this tsuba to the thread. Iron, flat, tōshō 8.5 x 8.3 x 0.25 cm

The cave in Max’s interesting tsuba above (which goes through to the other side) gives me the impression of a clever design feature to suggest for example Mt. Horai, rather than a functional element. (Can we see the other side, Max?) I have one tsuba with a figure hiding inside a 3D cave, but the cave does not have a rear exit!

Just ran a search on the Japanese web but nothing earlier than the Enomoto Meiji blades mentioned above came up.