Iain E

Tsuba 282 arrived safe and sound Grev - many thanks - perfect service as always Iain

Hi Grev, just seen the post - having seen your Tsuba before hand I'm very impressed with Mikes work here. He did a great job on repairing the lacquer damage on my saya as well - Top bloke.... Iain

Thank you for the link, it was an interesting read.... Iain

Hi all, Just thought I’d share a couple of pictures of a Tsuba that I purchased from Grev’s sale. Iron and inlayed gold, Nara school, circa 1800. I intended to take some photos of my own but decided to use Grev’s originals as they are so nicely shot. Iain

Big thanks to Grev for the time he took in getting a Tsuba that was right for my Wakizashi (both in size and style). If anyone is wavering about making the trip to see him & picking one or two out, I can thoroughly recommend making the journey. I've learnt more in an hour or two drinking coffee and looking at his awesome collection that in reading up on the net Just what this forum is all about.. Iain

Thanks for the replies guys, leads being followed up :0)

Good day everyone, Hope this is the correct area.. Its time I had a shirasaya made for my wakizashi, Does anyone have any recommendations for getting one made here in the UK. Not sure how safe it is to post swords through the Royal Mail nowadays (some of the companies seem to exclude them from the items they carry) so if it was possible to get it done locally to me it in the southeast or London area it would help. Thanks all, Iain

Thanks to all for the replies, again I've learnt a lot. Nice to end the day knowing more that I did at the start.

Hi Everyone, Have a few general questions, which I hope are not too dumb about the shape of this late edo Tanto. On the subject of shortening blades – I’ve come across a Shinogi Tsukuri Tanto on a well-known dealer’s website and was wondering about the Hamon and the way it ends on the Ha-Machi and nakago. Given it seems to be “running on”, (sorry not sure of the correct expression) coupled with the Shinogi form is this blade Machi-Okuri or suriage. Or is there no 100% rule that the hamon ended up gracefully close to the Ha-Machi But, if it has been altered in some what would that mean that the mei would also then be a later addition to the blade, did smiths or their pupils therefore mark blades they reworked, or is it just plain old gimei ? The blade length is 20cm so I’m assuming there is a significant length removed it started life as a wakizashi. Blade length : 20 cm Sori : 0.15 cm Width at the hamachi : 2.30 cm Kasane : 0.46 cm Would be interested in your thoughts... Many thanks Iain

Thanks for the replies all, will do some research. Still cant make my mind up on the Menuki, they are metal, but cant see what the core material is. Just to small for my eyes... cheers Iain

Thanks for all the replies, this blade has already taught me a huge amount and I think there is still a lot more to learn. Really appreciate the help from every one and the various PM’s as well. Iain

Hi all, Wonder if anyone could cast their eyes over the following Menuki, Fuchi and Kashira please. They came with the blade and Tsuba that I recently posted, so were not sold as any specific vintage. I suspect from what I can see that there are not old, but wondered if anyone could confirm if they are based on any particular school or design and a rough idea if they were made last week, last 10 years or sometime earlier. I'm starting to write up a description of the sword, so it would be useful to put a few words of detail in to describe the fittings. The Menuki is slightly odd, the inlay pattern looks to be done (painted ?) on some sort of cloth or material, but the ribbing in the photo was only visible to my eyes under extreme magnification. I haven’t seen anything similar so far in my reading up of Menuki, but I’m aware I know very little in this area. Is there a name for this type of design Many thanks Iain

Just took a look under a descent light and I think it's just a trick of the camera making it look worse. It's right on the line where the rear of the Habakai meets the front of the tsuba, so I'm guessing the mark may have been caused by that somehow. Never seen a tsugi-nakago in real life though so hard to know how they look..

Hi all, Is it possible to get some help in trying to place this Wakizashi, I’m really a beginner in all this, but have been told that its possibly Shinto period, late 17th century, perhaps Mino Den by someone with more knowledge than I, however the more I read on the forum and the few books I have, the more I reaise I’m only really guessing. My take on it is as follows: Hamon is Midare / Gunome - is there a specific name for this style? Jihada: masame / itame – I think Nioi / niedeki (see photo - Nioi are the large particles you can see?) Mune: ihori Dimensions: Nagasa (length) 52cm , Sori Curvature 1cm, Nakago length 13.7cm, Kasan (Thickness) approx. 0.6 at the Machi, Mihaba (Width) 2.7cm I'm not sure if its been shortened at some point in time. It was hard to photograph the boshi, but it does turn back and I think its Midare-komi It’s in a reasonable state of polish, but does have some light scratches and a few very small grain openings Nakago : shape is I think Funagata , with the end being Haagari , the file marks are hard to see under the rust but I think they are Taka-no ha. One think that does intrigue me is the green dot on the Nakago, it’s in the same place on both sides, and is solid, I’m guessing it’s possibly a filled MEKUGI hole, although its hard to see any clean circular indentation there & looks like it maybe as old as the surrounding patina underneath - , but why would it be green - Is this a common practice somewhere? The surrounding rust doesn’t look like it’s been disturbed and the green material (not sure if its painted or lacquered metal) looks old, One thing I have learnt is that it’s really hard to get good photographs – so hats off to all those who regularly post top quality ones on here. These are taken with a couple of regular incandescent lamps as daylight is in short supply in the UK at the moment, not sure how this influence appraisal of the Nakago patina? Thanks all - Really appreciate the help to improve my knowledge and description of the blade. Any ideas on the school / vintage would be really interesting. Iain

Thanks guys - out of interest what gives it away in the photos ? Just had a close look with a magnifying glass and think I can make out what may possibly be small casting flanges on the really small holes, although the rust in there make it hard to be sure without cleaning it out. Any thoughts on date - modern piece, or Meji / Showa etc ?

Hello all, Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this Tsuba, I've been told it maybe Owari school, possibly 17th Century? is there any significance to the pattern / design. Quite a straightforward Tsuba compared to many on here, but it would be nice to know something about it. thanks in advance.. Iain

thanks Paul - that matches my thoughts Hi kunitaro, that's an interesting observation, do the enclosed photos help on that theory at all ? the only questionable ware I see from the latest pictures I now have (Beyond the comments above) is in the picture "RHS 4" below, but I think this is just a grain opening, but I'm not sure if it being in the Hamon is more of an issue - I seem to read conflicting opinions on that across the web on how serious this is on the value. cost is around 240,000 yen all in for the blade with its koshirae etc, which I didn't not think originally was too bad for a Hozon papered tanto of this period from a dealer, however any thoughts on the effect of it possibly being Machi-okuri and the possible later addition of the horimono would have on the price? I hadn't meant to turn this thread into a "is it good value question / should I buy it? " but all opinions welcome as you guys have a lot more experience than me & I'm always keen to learn, preferably before pressing the button ...... Iain

Hi all, Received some more photos from the seller last night which I’ve uploaded below. The sword has a couple of kizu that I haven’t seen in the photos before – in my eyes they don’t really spoil the blade with its age, but I’m curious if someone more experienced can identify them. (Given the limitations of the photographs) They are the small black dots in the photo. Is this a forging issue as a result of impurities / carbon deposit (is this termed a fukure ? - sorry but I don’t know if that is the correct word for this) or more likely to be remnants of old rust pits that haven’t fully polished out. It would be good to learn the difference. Thanks, Iain

Thanks Guido, wise words and something that I've always tried to follow - . It does indeed tick all the boxes in your first paragraph and from my limited experience the price is inline with the condition. The premium for hozon papers and a purchase from a reputable dealer is a worthwhile addition. I guess like so many collectors though I have an eye on the future not to spend "the kid's inheritance" badly.... Fortunately mine appreciate nihonto and historical items / Militaria in general so i know it will go to a good home and not just be flipped onto the market at the first opportunity.

Many thanks to everyone for the replies. I live in the southern UK, so although we do get some odd weather I guess it’s not too extreme. The blades are all stored in a central heated house ( our yearly indoor temp ranges between of 10-30 odd degrees). I have a wakizashi that has some smaller openings than this, but that doesn’t seem to have changed much over the couple of years that I have owned it. Good to know it a fairly stable type of flaw… storage is in shirasaya and they are always oiled post viewing etc. so hopefully well protected for future generations. Much as I’d like to have a small collection of close to perfection Art Swords, I’m quite comfortable with a small amount of "issues" in the ones I have, as long as they are not serious or at a risk of deterioration. It’s great that one can call on the advice of collectors round the world & I thank you all for this… Below are a couple of more pictures that I have received this morning (much clearer) As suggested it is part way hidden by the habaki. there are also some of the entire blade itself. All comments are welcome, especially if they can tie down the date of manufacture or smith a little more. Many thanks again....

Hi Paul, thanks for the quick reply. From the info from the dealer I have its dated as mid muromachi and described as UDA school, with the following notes: "Representive craftmen are Kunifusa (in O’ei era, 14~15c.), Kunimune (in Bunmei era, mid 15c.). Their style is “Yamato-den” add “Soshu-den” taste, it seems clear Ji-nie like a Masamune" - I presume this means the exact smith is unknown as there is no signature on there....

Good morning all, I’m wondering if it would be possible to ask for some thoughts on the following photos. I am contemplating the purchase of a Tanto to add to my very small and humble Nihonto collection. Its middle Muromachi period (So aprox 500 years old) and exhibits the Hamon and activities that I’m looking for. It is however an internet purchase (all be it from a reputable dealer in Japan) and has NBTHK Hozon papers – so at least I’m relatively at ease with the description of its age / authenticity etc. The seller has highlighted the ware in the picture, which is something (with my limited knowledge) I’ve not seen in the area of the mune before. Is this kind of Ware a common occurrence in this age of sword as a result of its age and period of construction and therefore acceptable or is it something that is best avoided. Out of interest how stable are grain openings in general in a blade that is not going to be re-polished - are they likely to deteriorate over the mid to short term (this is assuming the sword is stored correctly with no wild changes in temperature and humidity ?) The blade also has an engraving on each side, which is again something I’m not too familiar with, any thoughts on its quality? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Iain

Hi, I brought my Katana from him some years ago, very nice guy & very patient with me asking all sorts of questions (it was my first purchase) He's usually at the London Arms Fair with a great collection of things i can't afford Iain E

Hi all, also received the email yesterday, i didnt reply as it may just confirm my email account is active & wind up with yet more junk mail. Iain