Bugyotsuji

No, I mean the one in Tyler's first post above compared to the example shown earlier by Bruce above. (By the way, Masahide changed his name to Amahide in old age, I believe.)

The koku seals look quite different.

How sure are you, as a percentage? (PS I watched someone buying a fairly good-looking tanto with a Muramasa Mei yesterday for US $500.)

川島山本? Kawashima Yamamoto? The alignment is correct, Alex, but I cannot see much in that shot without spending some time enhancing it at this end. Can you take two or three shots at different angles and under differing lighting conditions? Thank you.

TAco you can use the word ‘blade’ which covers almost everything!

If you want to narrow it down. Some of the early western guns in the Bakumatsu.

I have no excuse. Just a quick look and that was it. :headbang: Something like this but I cannot yet find an exact match.

Interesting kozuka. One thing must be said though, that this is not a Tanegashima. It's probably a muzzle-loader, maybe even rifled, but a later percussion-cap gun, to be fired from the shoulder, possibly an imported gun with that decorative butt. Also the mechanism seems to be for a left-handed shooter, a rare object.

Interesting idea, Tim. Since the Kikusui story and subsequent mon involve both chrysanthemum and flowing water, I wonder if a (broken?) water wheel would support the convention equally by the suggestion of water? (Rusu moyo)

Nothing is over Nothing is over until the horizontally-challenged lady bursts into song.

There are so many moving-goalpost differing renderings of the characters for 金重 Kinju/Kaneshige presented above that there must be at least one authoritative work or study on this Mei out there, if not several. My feeling after reading through this entertaining and educational thread, is that the quality of the work itself must be the arbiter. If you enjoy the obvious quality of your blade, you have a fabulous study piece there Dee, at a bargain basement price. And remember too that many people seem to be happy to collect gimei pieces, that there is a market for them. Perhaps it is the inherent romantic or exciting possibilities that titillate the senses? Take courage! Congratulations!

At the bottom it says 'single hitsu', which must have been added later. We can imagine the shape of the original sea sponge cucumber a little (but not a lot) better without the cut-out. It's almost as if there are three shells, barnacles (?) but why do they have holes in them?

Sadly I have to agree with the opinions here. The signature too is typical for one of these netsuke-like-objects (NLO). Remember, though, if you did not pay too much for it, you can actually use one of these to hang something from without fear of damaging it, and many people will even compliment you on it! One word of caution regarding the person who sold this to you. It is possible that they did not know much when they bought it, accepting whatever they were told, and happy to make a buck. Not all dealers are experts, most are still learning on the job, and some (not all) are even happy to be educated. A few years back I bought a neat little dragon Netsuke, but when I took it home for a really good look some faint mould lines between the legs showed that it was pressed resin. A month later I took it back to the same monthly market, and the dealer was more than happy to give my money back. Mr Maehata, salute! We've been good friends ever since and I have bought several things from him subsequently.

The outline of an army helmet. Maybe showing the complete take-over of the railroad/railway down through 南京 Nanjing out to 上海 Shanghai and onward… (?) Might be interesting to narrow down the possible date of this!

Japanese stars (most all heavenly objects except the moon) are traditionally portrayed as circular dots, not the five- or six-pointed things we draw. The first tsuba (love the shape) could be showing the night sky, with reflections in water below.(?)

Where did you get it John, and how do you know it’s Japanese? To me it looks like a seal set (black and red) but with (post Edo?) western powder-flask influence.

Some similarity with this kiritsuke Mei on a Dōtanuki spear. (The number 28) https://www.e-sword.jp/yari/2210-4040.htm

It could be a variant Kanji, or just badly written. Could be a variant of the following, 鐫 This is ‘carve/cut/chisel/engrave in metal’ (Horu, Sen). As in 作、造、刀 etc. Myōchin Minbu Ki Munesada 明珎民部紀宗定 Cont. From the Shin Kacchushi Meikan by Sasama Yoshihiko

https://en.m.wikiped...g/wiki/Imai_Kanehira These describe Imai (Shiro) Kanehira 今井兼平 of the print. https://www.japanesewiki.com/person/Kanehira IMAI.html

So with the two names, work backwards and decide which is more likely, based on other known signatures within the same time frame. Ask yourself also if there would be any benefit to changing a Norimune Mei to Norisada? (If that stroke was added later either deliberately or accidently.)

Nice find! And how many arrows does he have sticking out of him?!

Cutting Mei with those deeply angled cuts or slashes which was in fashion up to WW2 creates problems. Although I suggested Norimune, I can now see Norisada as Nobody suggests above. 宗 vs 定 …and there does look to be that bottom left-to-right finishing stroke underneath, leading to -Sada. (Unless it’s just a scratch.)

Ah thanks. Yes, Norimune (Norisada?) as suggested on the other thread.

Thanks guys for the running commentary!

Two or three angles and light conditions would make the job easier for people, but I tend to agree with 則宗 Norimune.