Tanegashima

The mei is scratchy and poorly cut, definitely gimei.

The Taxidermy Horses with riders are simply fabulous, reminding me of the Samurai Mannequins in the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Regardless of the mei, its not an unattractive nihonto, and would display well for a collector wanting a Handachi koshirae?, the Nagasa looks long. But not for me, I've been there a long time ago.

John, thankyou.

Thankyou yes I realised Barry had cropped and enlarged one of the images, and I was joking when I said is it one of yours, so its a gimei, I thought the mei was not well cut. Its not for me, but I it posted out of interest as a discussion piece. Even famous horologists were faked! Theres no end to this trickery if theres money involved, it spoils it for the collector to have to be so careful when buying anything old.

One of yours Barry?

I saw this nihonto come up for sale signed Shinano Kami Nobuyoshi ( Echizen ) and wondered what this smith is rated? I wont say anything derogatory regarding this piece, but it maybe of interest to other collectors of nihonto.

Some photographs of the IJN Submarine I-14's clock. There were only 3 of these super submarines built, Yamamoto wanted 18, the cost and nearing wars end prevented this. The technology was so advanced the Americans refused access to the Russians and sunk the vessel after they had gathered all the information. Such a shame to destroy such a superb Submarine, it should have been preserved for future historians to enjoy. There's a lot of interesting achived history on these submarines in Google. I corresponded with the Vets son, who sent the provenance letter, he told his father who was in a nursing home of my preservation of such an important historical piece. I had the clock restored by a horologist I know, it runs for about 2 weeks, the kanji on the dial plate says wind every day I think. I have a lot of documentation and photographs relating to the history of this clock. At least I have saved it and enshrined its history!

Barry, pity about the firearms registration number stamped into the barrel. Honestly what a shame, surely this is not a registration firearms requirement for these guns in Australia?

Ian can I see your Norishige please? I have a clock from the IJN Submarine I-14. One of only 3 built. Fabulous history.

Hi Ian Regarding your comments on the mei on my ex Lt Gen Akinagas sword, you didnt miss out on anything of value. Before I bought this word I compared the mei with the one in Fujishiros book, it was way off being made by him. Also the colour of the Nakago was chemically treated, aged to look old but had no pitting or rust on it. It wasnt thin. I prob should have kept the sword, but it always worried me being a fake and being almost Naval, from what I have read regarding Akinaga, I could not see him owning that sword. As you would know senior officers carried more than one sword during their campaigns and there have been documented cases of them handing over someone else's sword at the surrender. My interest over 30 yrs collecting the arms and armour of the samurai, wasnt just nihonto, there is so much more to collect associated and used by the Samurai. The Matchlocks as Barry would know I actively pursued examples to buy. My father had a superb Matchlock pistol which was lacquered with a gold Tokugawa mon. I know where that went, but the owner has passed away, so it too has gone in the feudal mists of time. It was good of you to give credit to Donald Barnes, not Rodney Bellars for that collection. I wonder what happened to the rest, my enquires have hit the wall of silence. Nigel Willey

What is the mark caused by?

Yes Gimei. Its buyer beware and do your homework about all aspects of what you buy.

Its a fake, I owned that sword. And the provenance is not stated, because that's what attracted me in the begining.