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A beautiful Akasaka tsuba for sale Video & more info here: https://tsubashi.com...tiful-akasaka-tsuba/ Iron, marugata, depicting three geese flying under the clouds in the moonlight. An elegant design reflecting the popularity of Akasaka-style tsuba throughout Japan in the Edo period. Two hitsu-ana The style of design is very similar to the second generation Akasaka master Tadamasa. Number “872” written inside nakago-ana indicates this tsuba have been part of a museum- or large collection. Asking price: $745 (or best offer) Mei/signature: Mumei School/province: Akasaka Period/age: Edo Measures: 7.55 cm x 7.15 cm x 0.40 cm

I have 3 blades with possible signatures. I will add the pictures below posts. I just it more for my knowledge, i like them all and don't plan on getting rid of any of them. I believe the first is Amahide Fukumoto. The others I am not sure of.

Hi, I am the proud owner of the Kanetomo , I had been after it for over 14 years , from its original owner who put it into Halls auction. It changed hands from Colin to our mutual friend Kevin. I did a deal with Kevin earlier this year and it is now polished . I’m very pleased to say it has turned out perfect not a blemish.

well, there is the in-person route. What Paul Martin used to do for the U.K. and perhaps someone like Paul Kremers can do in the future, if economical for him.

Got it

Did not see Ray’s response in translation section before I answered.

I believe it translates to: Soshu Saburo Masamune

Hello, It’s a genuine sword that has just been overcleaned and overpainted with a modern reproduction knot from the London uniform company… Paul..

First off, welcome! Here is a great blog article on the topic of Horimono Sesko - Horimono Based on your blade it seems that on the first image you have the bonji sitting above a gomabashi (the 2 lines which represent chop sticks used in Shinto shrines) and also a Tsume or "claw". The bonji does appear to be a representation of Fudi Myo but I'm no expert. The other side appears to be Shin no kurikara (detailed dragon around a ken) as well as another Tsume underneath. Hope this helps! I'm sure other, more knowledgeable people will also be able to add much more than I can on this topic!

Soshu Masamune. This is gimei (a fake inscription). The paper is a torokusho, a sword license which does not authentic the mei. http://www.jssus.org...nese_sword_laws.html

Hello. I am in need of help with understanding the markings on an O-Wakizashi from the first half of the 1600's. Is the Bonji atributed deity Fudô-Myôô (不動明王) ? And does the dubble lines mean to serve or servant? Servant of Fudô-Myôô? Is it right that the other side show a battle with Dragon King Kurikara and Fudô-Myôô?

Entrusting swords to parcelforce within the UK transforms me into a nervous wreck anyway. I’ve had all sorts of problems. Give the potential values involved and the damage to our nervous systems I guess it makes sense to shoulder the responsibility ourselves and maybe either deliver in person or meet halfway. At least the risk is removed….thats a worthwhile result. Of course not so easy in larger countries.

That’s not really an issue, the bigger problem is restoration. Sending swords to Japan has now become a lot harder.

Thank you very much Piers for the photos and the video, it’s a real pleasure, the hindsight for some Teppo is impressive. Your Tanto is splendid, I love this color, very captivating. Thank you for sharing.

Hello all my friends! You all know I appreciate a “little controversy”; it is a great leaning experience! Actually, I have been thinking about this particular “rust” subject for a couple of years, but a post from another member on a current thread led me to this. It is about rust (corrosion) on iron (hand forged) tsuba. As I am only a “low end” collector of tsuba, I have purchased (over the years) several rusted tsuba. They are still much appreciated, have a good home, and I learn from them! I have attached several pictures of a few of my rusted tsuba. What has always interested me is that the rust seems to have attacked a large part of the surface of all the tsuba shown. Yes, sometimes the rust has “eaten” away at a particular area, but the rust (as I stated) seems to cover a large area (on both sides) of the tsuba. Does anyone have any pictures of were the rust on their tsuba has only “attacked” a very small area of the piece? I don’t have any tsuba that show that pattern of rust (corrosion). Thanks! With respect, Dan

That's not what I collected at all from the article posted above. There is one mei example which contains Bizen and is suspected to be a work of a student. Even the 2 vs 3 stroke "naga" kanji could have been a student emulating the work of Ichihara under the master's guidance. The most important part of the article is: "Therefore each blade must be judged on its own merits and not simply on its signature." Nothing else really matters until the quality of the blade is determined and if it reflects that of the master (Ichihara) or one of his students.

With all respect to the OP - but this is a cast tsuba. The surface of the tsuba is showing small pitting, the lines and carving are far too evenly soft. But the thing that convinces me the most is the seppa-dai area and how it was worked. The tagane-ato punchmarks are not well-defined and too soft. Please compare this to other papered and known examples, they will not show these features.

Good information guys so if the bizen is added chances are it was signed by him not a student and maybe it’s a better quality sword maybe 🤔

https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/NAG296 Looks to be this smith. Signed various mei, some including Bizen, some not. Ichihara Nagamitsu has a bunch of good information on the smith. This tidbit seems to be important when judging his mei: "Ichihara Ichiryushi Nagamitsu often carved mei using an unusual style of Kanji for the "naga" character. "Naga" is usually written with three horizontal strokes to the right of the top vertical stroke. On many Ichihara Nagamitsu blades the "naga" Kanji is written with only two horizontal strokes. It is my belief that this is a "trademark" of Ichihara Nagamitsu and an important kantei point in distinquishing his blades from those of other swordsmiths who signed Nagamitsu during this period. However, there are several Nagamitsu blades known signed with a standard "naga" Kanji which may be a variant and from the same forge as the others (see oshigata "T" and "V") and perhaps carved by a student or assistant. Much has yet to be learned about the blades of from the forge of Nagamitsu. Given the number of variations of signatures (mei) found on Nagamitsu blades, combined with the quantity of blades known, it seems unlikely that they are all the work of one lone swordsmith. It is likely that Nagamitsu had a number of students and assistants who also produced blades at his forge and who signed sword blades on his behalf. Therefore each blade must be judged on its own merits and not simply on its signature." Edit: Just saw that Brian posted much of the same information before I did!

Ichihara Nagamitsu was the wartime Gendaito smith, average to good quality wartime swords. https://www.japanese...rdindex.com/naga.htm Whether he added the Bizen location to his mei or not, doesn't really change anything really. Maybe...just maybe....it indicates one made by him instead of his students, but that isn't 100% foolproof. I guess the longer mei are a bit more sought after. But each sword would be judged on its own merits, quality varies.

If I had extra money for it, I would buy it in a heartbeat. I really like that one.

UPS? or the others. Just to add, there doesn't seem any slow down with knife dealers. Sold 4 to a dealer at the arms fair a few weeks back. Im assuming when he sells them he wont be travelling around Britain delivering them in person.