Old Japanese sales catalogue of Samurai swords?

[Calimero]

Hello Together! After a very long absence, I would like to turn to you once again with a question. I have here an old Japanese book of handmade paper that acts like a sales catalog of a dealer or a manufacturer of samurai swords and related accessories. Am I correct in my assumption? Unfortunately, the book is very poorly preserved!

 

Greetings   Calimero  

[Calimero]

[PNSSHOGUN]

Thanks for sharing, these show special Tachi mounts rather than anything military related, so it may be far older.

[Calimero]

Hello PNSSHOGUN!

 

Thank you very much for your kind reply. Maybe someone else can write something about it? What is "Tachi Mounts"?

1 hour ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Thanks for sharing, these show special Tachi mounts rather than anything military related, so it may be far quite old indeed. 

 

Greetings Calimero

[Jussi Ekholm]

I believe the book you have is a copy of Shūko Jisshu (集古十種) and yours is the sword portion of the book set.

[Calimero]

Hello Jussi!

 

Thanks for the message. Is it a "Shuko Jisshu" a manufactur or a dealer? How old is this book?

 

Greetings Calimero  

[Bruce Pennington]

I cannot say the significance of tachi mounts in centuries past, but during WWII, they were used for presentation swords.  Mantetsu factory workers reaching 25 years of service were presented swords in these mounts:

 

[Brian]

This is very unlikely do be anything to do with sales or a catalog.
More likely just a book about Japanese swords and the parts etc. They have been printing books like this for centuries. Never seen anything from way back that had anything to do with a shop or selling.

[Kiipu]

As indicated by Jussi, it is the weapons & swords section of 集古十種.  You have volume 1 of 3.  Below is a link so that you can download the missing volumes for your reference library.

集古十種 : 兵器・刀劔

[Calimero]

16 hours ago, Brian said:

This is very unlikely do be anything to do with sales or a catalog.
More likely just a book about Japanese swords and the parts etc. They have been printing books like this for centuries. Never seen anything from way back that had anything to do with a shop or selling.

 

Hello Brian!

That was also only a guess from me! Sales catalogs or offer catalogs of blank weapon manufacturers or dealers in this kind gave it for example in the German language area very frequently. For example, the catalogs of the company Eickhorn or the company WKC. 

 

Greetings   Calimero

[Calimero]

9 hours ago, Kiipu said:

As indicated by Jussi, it is the weapons & swords section of 集古十種.  You have volume 1 of 3.  Below is a link so that you can download the missing volumes for your reference library.

集古十種 : 兵器・刀劔

 

Hello Kiipu!

Thank you for the link but I don't think I need it. I have other books of which I now assume that they are the two volumes 2 and 3 you mentioned. See photos. Can you confirm this? Can you tell how old these 3 original books are approximately? Unfortunately, I can not read and speak Japanese. 

 

Greetings   Calimero     

[Kiipu]

Yes, you have the complete set of  一 volume 1, 二 volume 2, and 三 volume 3.  The National Diet Library gives the date as 19--.  So it was probably published in the 明治 Meiji or 大正 Taishō eras.

 

I do not mean to be a piss ant, but all of your pictures are upside down and I am getting dizzy!

[Calimero]

14 hours ago, Kiipu said:

Yes, you have the complete set of  一 volume 1, 二 volume 2, and 三 volume 3.  The National Diet Library gives the date as 19--.  So it was probably published in the 明治 Meiji or 大正 Taishō eras.

 

I do not mean to be a piss ant, but all of your pictures are upside down and I am getting dizzy!

Hello Kiipu!

 

Thanks for the information regarding the age of the 3 book volumes! I'm sorry about the photos, but with me on the PC they are right around!?

 

Greetings    Calimero

[Calimero]

Hello!

 

I have another little book from Japan here. It also seems to be very old. Can anyone here say which book this is? It has about 170 pages. If more photos are needed then please let me know. 

 

Greetings     Calimero

[Bruce Pennington]

Flipped pics so Thomas doesn't loose his cookies!

 

[Jussi Ekholm]

I believe your second book would be 掌中新刀銘盡大全. Unfortunately I am not sure of proper romanization for the title. You can see for reference the book sold in Japan: https://www.jauce.com/auction/e451479965

 

I think this book is focused on Shintō (新刀) period swords. Based on what Japanese sites write in description I think the book might be from 1867 (慶応三).

[SteveM]

10 hours ago, Jussi Ekholm said:

掌中新刀銘盡大全

 

Shōchū Shintō Meizukushi Taizen