All Activity

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

Dear Charlie. Not wishing to derail the thread but I have always associated nanako over honzogan with the Sano school, no? https://jameelcentre.ashmolean.org/collection/7/10237/10384 All the best.

The shinsa team is on the right track; they want to be able to control the work before turning their attention to the mei. As I always say, if the work doesn't match, don't look at the mei, but if it does, study the mei closely. As for what the previous owner said, I take it as a selling point, not a true truth.

Its not a break. But a common place to where the joint was originally placed. Look hard and its very common place for the joint to be make during manufacturing. I would say the brazing as just being weak over use

Who on earth would fake a jumyo. Hahahaha. Its a mei normally taken offf Hahahaha. They dont have a respected reputation

Looks like a fairly clean break. A good weld would fix it nicely, and hold. Please send pics of the blade when you have the chance!

Thank you Piers. It looks like someone tried to remove the breech screw with no luck so I think I will leave it alone. I didn’t see anything else under the barrel but maybe I expected any other marks to be as clear as that one. What other pictures would be beneficial? Again as always thank you for your quick response and help. Mike