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Piers here are a couple pictures of the overall gun that you requested. The mark on the bottom of the barrel is 9 3/4” up from the Breech screw and is pointing toward the muzzle. I took a better look at the bottom of the barrel and there dosent appear to be any other marks. It is all smooth with some light rust. Also a couple pictures of the pan and vent hole. If you need anything else please let me know. Thank you for all your help. Mike

Hi Charlie. May ask you a favor? Can you add the romanji reading between brackets beside the names in kanji? I am still struggling with kanji and this will help me follow your interesting posts. Thank you in advance. Regards Luca

Hi Bruce, I believe the mounts are Kyu Gunto maybe type 19. Very basic

Gimei wouldn't be pappered. But yeah blade really was popular as its creator.

There’s a Japanese expression, ‘Oni ni kanabō’ 鬼に鉄棒 Giving a metal club to an ogre means further enabling someone already fearful.

Sebuh, I can’t see anything that would convince me to buy that blade. Other than it being by a big name, what is there to like? It may be Aoi’s photography or rather scanning, but it looks completely lifeless and devoid of anything that would appeal to me. Furthermore, I don’t like the obvious shintetsu on a Shinto blade for a start and that’s the real killer for me (leaving aside that I know that it’s not a big deal in Japanese circles and that I’ll never be spending that kind of money on a sword). Whilst I know that good blades often go to shinsa to confirm the mei, why only TH papers? It’s a big name after all… but I’m a cynic. What are your thoughts?

Wazamono ranked kaji, but only tokuho. "Kotetsu's swords were known for their great strength and their ability to cut through helmets. However, Kotetsu's swords were often faked, and they were so well faked that even Kotetsu himself is said to have not been able to tell the difference. When presented with a fake on one occasion, he is reported to have said "The blade is mine but the signature is not." Shintetsu?

Very impressive, cant remember ever seeing one here before, thanks. Glad I've never ever had to ship one, can only imagine it may have been bit of a dilemma.

seconded. at $170,000 USD, it is quite pricey......

Its Shinto, note the masame in the shinogi-ji and have others have mentioned, has Kanbun sugata. Looks a decent sword.

It's easier to sell a Jumyo gimei (chu-jo) than a big name.

Thanks Gerant - it seems I misread a book, which specifically mentioned 霞象嵌 instead of the general nanako over hira zougan. Edo kinko is still somewhat novel to me, yet.

I don't have much to add to what has already been said, one of the best insights I've ever read... full of excellent content (Almost inaccessible to ordinary mortals) the quality of the photos is superb... I honestly have no suggestions for improvement... I can only say thank you and look forward to the next article. Giordy

Never seen such an umbrella. Should you have pictures of such an umbrella, i would learn something new on an every day usage of tsuba.

Yes indeed! It was probably mounted for a pole arm. Thank you for your kind words....

松竹梅 Shō-Chiku-Bai, the three symbolizing New Year. (Not sure where they got ‘Masa’ from!) Different museum staff recording at different times. Dale, you could be hired and passed around from institution to institution!

Was this mounted in WWII fittings, or with a leather cover? The hash marks are normally seen on WWII gunto, and will match stamped numbers on the rest of the fittings. Yours is a bit unusual as it looks like "5 4 10".

Your painting is Japanese, most likely late Taisho or Showa and squarely aimed at the souvenir market. The scene is a typical idealised tranquil depiction of a village with a Torii and pagoda hidden in the trees. Such artwork was produced in large quantities but due to their fragility, most have fallen to pieces or faded out by now. Yours looks in good shape.

Or perhaps and umbrella?? I have seen an identical 'style' on a member's tantou tsuba. BaZZa.

I learned so mutch reading this! thanks a lot!! a few commentaries : Maybe I'm romanticizing but I was touched by an untold story of father and son's relationship with mutual admiration forged in steel for centuries between Mitsutada and Nagamitsu. Each one recognizing the master in each other. This type of publication is not only an important intellectual contribution to our, as well intellectual (let's not be afraid of words), field of knowledge. It's moreover a step to save objects of art. Let me explain myself : Nihonto will not survive without people taking care of them, there is a lot of pieces to take care and our community could decrease in Japan and out of Japan as well. Your generosity and the form of work you produce should convince more people to join us. Nihonto field has to be as welcome as you are. Nihonto need it! That's an impressive work, and one day, I hope being myself able to contribute like you and other here, but I knows it will take years for me. If you allow me a question, that's an impressive production, for how many time are you working on it?

Hi Shaun, the scene looks more Japanese than Chinese. Is there a signature at the bottom right? PS Where are those photos stored? There are several easy ways to downsize photos, including using the menu inside your phone camera.

There is a Mitsutada tachi in the latest YT video from Paul Martin @8:10

The bore is 0.59" which is 1.49 cm, around 5 Monme, originally an army long gun. Many of the crudely scratched numbers will have been notations for the workshop artisans. Can you get overall shots Mike of the gun from the right side and the left side? Might help narrow down where it was made? An angled shot into the pan with vent hole visible might be good too. Do you know exacty where that Yama 山 kanji is located? The underside of the barrel is smooth otherwise?

What to make of this? Same image used for two tsuba - both about 5 mm difference between height and width, so which description is correct? From Cornell University. https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/9359/tsuba-with-design-of-plum-tree-raised-rim https://emuseum.cornell.edu/objects/9362/fourlobed-tsuba-with-design-of-plum-pine-and-bamboo--rai?ctx=32b8d7f61e2cbb8afc86a61a47e816b23292c641&idx=26