Tengu1957

Katana in Naginata shape Teruyoshi started out as a fun Smith but showed skill as a sword Smith. His clan asked him to switch to sword making to help rearm the fief. On his grave market it states he made 200 Katana and 200 Naginata for his Lord. The test cutter was a documented Samurai who did test cutting on the side.

Dated 1839 , also a Tamashigiri dated 1839 by Yamada Asemon Gosaburo YoshiToshi. Hozon paper. TaiTai through the chest with one stroke into the Dotan at Denma execution grounds. Yoshitoshi was the head of the Yamada family and was also the Bakufus official sword inspector , the only non Honami to ever hold the job.

2nd generation - 26.5 inches Hozon paper Kinzogan Mei Tamashigiri - cut through 2 bodies The 1st generation worked with several Shinto smiths and test cutters to provide test cuts.

I am working away from home, when I go back for Thanksgiving next week I will do that.

OK , thanks I will add to existing posts for the rest. These are part of my collection.

Do you mean to keep adding on to a single post ?

I am away from home so I can provide images of the blade when I return home next week. 27.5 inches Tokubetsu Hozon paper Signed Fujiwara SukeChika Tsukura More Dated 1673 , on the same side as the date it states Taira shigeHaru Shoji Ken - this is most likely the Daimyo of Sanuki Provence - he eventually lost the fief due to mismanagement Watshida ke Tame Tenpo winter 1830 Goro Shigemichi a retainer of this clan was requested to do Riokaruma , cut through the hips into the mound

I am away from home right now and can get an image of the sword when I go home at Thanks giving. Shinshinto Masamitsu from Hiroshima The sword was made for a Samurai Ogawa Tachibana MasaChika in Tempo 5 Mentions made with local steel In Tempo 6 it was taken to the Senju execution grounds and tested by the famous Tokugawa executioner Kubi Kiri Yamada Asaemon ( head cutter Asemon ). Cut through the hips into the dotan or mound. 68.1 cm looks like a Hizen blade in suguha.Tokubetsu Hozon paper This cutter was said to have decapitated more than 6000 people in his career.

Kashu Kanazawa junin Fujiwara Nobutomo - 3rd generation 1. Kanbun kinoe tatsu akiwakige iri dotan Murai Nagaaki + Kao ( autumn 1664 cut in half at armpit ) 2. Enpo kinoe Tora natsu Kasane do iri dotan Okada ShigeNaga + Kao ( Summer 1674 according to M Sesko's book this is where a decapitated body is buried to the hips with legs out , a live person must hug the corpse while both bodies are cut in half diagonally. Hozon paper

I think it's a rarely understood area of Nihonto. To see how the Bakufu , the swordsmith , and the tester interacted is interesting. Many of these Mumei pieces were given as gifts by higher ranking Samurai because they were thought to be better than they were.They are also more available now than 25 years ago.

Mumei Katanan 28.5 inches Shimada school , circa 1500 Kinzogan Mei - Sasa no Tsuyu - means like dew glittering on a bamboo leaf. Other details about the cut test no included but this means " the blade cut well like dew falling off a bamboo leaf"

Yes , they have passed shinsa

Harima

Here are three examples of test cuts by Nagahisa. Two are from a daisho made by shodai Tadakuni , both have two body test cuts done on the same day. The other is from a Mumei Wakizashi that papered to Bungo Takeda

This is the personal Kao of the tester. He is a documented tester , see Marcus Sesko's book on Tameshigiri.

Mumei Osuriage Katana 72.4 cm Hozon to Bizen sue Koto Kasanete futatsu do setsudan Yamano Kajuro YasuHisa + Kao. The waves of the 4 seas is an allusion to the No play Takasago. YasuHisa is the first name used by HisaHide son of Yamano Nagahisa. Two body cut

Mumei Katana papered to Ishido Korekazu 1st generation 28.5 inches, Choji hamon Two body cut by Hitomi Denbei ShigeTsugu Dated September 1667 Please excuse the poor images

The armor is supposed to be Bakamatsu with the Kabuto being older by 50 years or so

Here you are.

I just acquired this armor. The Kabuto is signed Myochin Munenaga and is heavy. The O-doshi is done in deer hide. I would like to learn who may have been ordering armors from this period. I assume like all armors it would have been costly so not a low ranking Samurai.

These two items need identification 1. Bullet holder as a Sagemono , this came from a Japanese collection of matchlock goods. Sold as described but I'm not sure. 2. Woven basket to hold bullets. Came off an armor I have as described by seller but not sure

Powder flasks (3) one with attached compass with Japanese numbers/symbols