All Activity

I believe this is: Mei (name): 継義作 - Tsuguyoshi saku Nengo (date): 昭和十八年八月日 (a day in August, 1943) Per Markus Sesko below: "TSUGUYOSHI (継義), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gunma – “Imai Ichiryūshi Tsuguyoshi” (今井一龍子継義), “Tsuguyoshi” (継義), real name Imai Fujitarō (今井藤太郎), born 1902, gō Ichiryūshi (一龍子), he studied under Kasama Shigetsugu (笠間繁継) and worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō"

Listed as WW2 Officer sword Appears to be the Large "Seki" stamp Nice Hamon Blade in poor polish As always Translation and any information is appreciated Enjoy-Thanks Steve

Hi Could anyone help with translation please? Also what number 25 on end of nakago means? Thank you very much for your help. Pav

Another mystery swordsmith. Unable to find a second sword made by him so far. Because it has no date, that rules it out as being made under army contract. @Markus

Many things produced by Bungo smiths, Yukinaga and his lineage included, are simple, utilitarian and rough. At the same time they were making higher end blades in distinctively old styles - Rai, Aoe, Soshu and Bizen. Couple of people in Muromachi Bungo produced excellent Aoe. Their Bizen is passable (kozori level), their Soshu is busy but average. Yukinaga was one of very few people in all shinto who produced quality utsuri and chikei. He made many average utilitarian blades and even his artistic blades have a tint of harshness and crispyness which some might find artificial, but I would consider those a good and interesting work and of all shinto Bungo he was probably the best. Other interesting shinto smiths are Bungo Noriyuki and Motoyuki who went full Soshu, though they occasionally copied Rai-Hizen as well. Their lesser blades have very plain featureless hada and harsh hamon like second generation Naokatsu (though obviously much earlier). The better works are interesting though not the top grade. I am not very fond of Bungo Tomoyuki or any of the smiths till mid-Muromachi post Bungo Yukihira and Joshu's generation. Their work style is however peculiar, with shifts between Soshu, Yamato and Bizen inspirations.

Signed Wakizashi – Bitchu Matsuyama-jū Kunishige NBTHK Hozon Certificate Early-mid edo period – Bitchu Province Specifications: 刃長 (Nagasa – Blade Length): 39.4 cm 反り (Sori – Curvature): 0.3 cm 元幅 (Motohaba – Width at Base): 3.00 cm 元重ね (Motokasane – Thickness at Base): 0.69 cm 目釘穴 (Mekugi-ana – Number of Peg Holes): 1 Description of the blade: A finely made mid-Edo period wakizashi signed by Bitchu Matsuyama-jū Kunishige, accompanied by an NBTHK Hozon paper. The blade is constructed in hira-zukuri with a standard iori-mune. The jigane is a tight ko-itame hada, subtly subdued, mixed with areas of flowing itame that stand out more strongly, covered by thick ji-nie. The hamon is a fine notare pattern, featuring a bright nioi-guchi with small nie, and areas showing a nijūba. The boshi flows in a notare-komi style, turning back with a slight hakikake. The nakago is ubu with a shallow kurijiri end and o-sujikai file marks. The sword comes fitted with a double-layered silver habaki and is polished, housed in a shirasaya. The blade displays some visible forging grain (kitae-ware) along the mune, but overall maintains a healthy structure and fine appearance, typical of the Mizuta Kunishige school working under the Bitchu Matsuyama tradition. See the images for a good impression of this wonderful Wakizashi, a sword bag is included in the sale. Price: €1300 Free shipping inside EU Shipping outside EU available for a small additional cost (€20–40) Shipped with UPS Express, fully insured to full value Located in the Netherlands – pickup possible Any questions are always welcome! There will be a donation made to NMB if the blade is sold through NMB.

Some of my favorite Tanto smiths on one page https://nihonto.com/category/for-sale/swords/tanto/

No real sword expert who is trying to sell you a blade would conceal the swordsmith that made a blade that they are selling. Are you talking about an antique Japanese sword you are interested in buying?

That's my belief too that patina on brass elements is artificial. To my noob eye all things looked correct but my red flag was patina. It's too uniform on all elements to be natural. I think these are the only photos I could get.Seller had troubles removing tsuka and I doubt if he could remove habaki.

Hi Catalin, Your observation that the engravings will not identify a swordsmith is correct. This is one of those blades, that due to suriage and condition, it's really hard to ID - especially from photos. You may not be satisfied with any ID we can offer - short of sending it to an expert. Muromachi jidai is believable to me. Still hoping someone else comments and offers some more insights. All the best, -Sam

Thank you, im looking for more opinions (to correct me about if it is ok for a swordsmith not to reveal his identity if im wrong) and to Confront the seller who claims to be an expert

That's a huge red flag if someone won't tell you the smith that made a sword you are interested. I'd 100% never trust that seller.

Agree. I am less and less inclined to ship blades, due to bad experiences with USPS and other shipping. See them in hand, buy them at the show, and take them home!

If a seller didnt want to tell me his swordsmith identity is that a red flag? since he didnt mention things like the swordsmith himself didnt want to reveal his identity (which is a normal thing sometimes) "highlighting that he said he takes the swords he sell from world-wide known swordsmiths and said he will not tell the swordsmith name because he is the face of the brand not the swordsmith"

4350€

Bizarrely sweeping generalisation that adds nothing constructive to the discussion……as is often the case.

The angle of the Torii could be suggesting that it has been toppled in a flood. The presence of the two small sailboats suggests we are looking at water…..but the distant perspective is a bit confusing/challenging. The fact that just some the treetops are “above water” is significant? I’d vote flood but wouldn’t bet my home on it.

Ran across this naval handle that has the same white color in one set of pictures and then a brown color in another set of pictures. I wonder if this could be this case with this sword? Shodai Kawashima Tadayoshi Gendaito Hozon - Kai Gunto for review

I would second the idea that it depicts mist rather than a flood, although I can't explain the angle of the Toriii, which looks very odd. Best, Tom

You sure it can't be a misread Nori Piers? There is a: HIRONORI 廣乘 NTS: made tsuba and kozuka. B.C. p. 428 #207 D 2215 text p. 167, shibuichi kozuka Kanzan and Jittoku with gold touches. SCE. W—146—U—10

Piers, PM sent.

I’ve checked “Sesko”…hmm, he has him as “Kitsusōshi, I’m puzzled….

The fittings seem to be correct kai gunto parts, but all the gold finish is gone, among the ito and same colors. As suggested by Kiipu it looks like they have been treated with some chemical stuff. Do you have a pic of the nakago without habaki, in the area of machi?