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Showing content with the highest reputation on 11/10/2020 in all areas

  1. Can be found on Kai Gunto as well:
    3 points
  2. Hello, Nice tsuba ! I would said the sun on the first face and the moon on the second face.
    3 points
  3. Inletting the slots on a lacquered Saya sounds like a recipe for disaster. Best to have a new Saya made than destroying an original.
    3 points
  4. Don't have it in hand yet, and there are no papers. I have a guess what school it is based on a previous acquisition. Any and all thoughts as to the school or maker will be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Bob
    2 points
  5. The moon in water, as both reflection upon and motif for spiritual teaching, also has a long history in a number of Koryu (Old School Martial systems). Probably the best known example attributed to Miyamoto Musashi doesn't even have the moon displayed pictorially, just powerfully executed Kanji. 戦氣 Sen Ki - War Spirit 寒流帯月澄如鏡 Kan-Ryuu-Tsuki-o-Obite-Sumu-Koto-Kagami-no-Gotoshi "The moon in the stream on a cold winter night appears as clear as a mirror."
    2 points
  6. 専賣特許(専売特許) Exclusive Patent 飯田式錠蓋 Iida-style locking lid 出願中 Patent pending
    2 points
  7. One more.... so far they all have different numbers stamped, probably like seppa numbering, used in the initial fit outs?
    2 points
  8. John is absolutely correct, as is Barry. You can't repaint the Sistine Chapel. John
    2 points
  9. As John says, found with Gendaito or older blades. The darker example has a YASUKUNI smith blade, and the red coloured has an old family blade. My guess is that they were probably owned by non-combat senior officers, as the painted soft wood saya would be impractical in battle and weather. The fittings found on them are usually higher grade as well.
    2 points
  10. Ishimeji 石目地 maybe? Try looking up the term in Sesko's book, Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords.
    2 points
  11. The finish is considered an upgrade. Someone paid extra money for that. The higher-quality seppa support the idea of a high-class gunto. I don't own any metal saya covered with leather, so others will chime it, but your looks to be pretty immaculate, protected by the leather.
    2 points
  12. This discussion could go on the Arsenal Stamps thread, since it's strayed considerably from the titled topic, but there are some collectors that are quite interested in koshirae, so I think it deserves it's own thread. There are a number of blades that have alpha-numeric numbers stamped on the end of the nakago, and I've started this thread to document the practice, and where possible, identify the reasons for it. Posts by Ray Singer and Chris (Vajo) on the "Show Us Your High Class Gunto" thread (http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18610-show-us-your-high-class-gunto/page-7) have revealed two gendaito made by two different smiths that are fitted with near identical, high-quality fittings, and both are stamped with numbers of similar style on the same location of the nakago. I've also recently come across a Mantetsu stamped in a similar way with a number that matches the numbers stamped on the tsuba and seppa. The fittings are high quality, though not the top-quality of Ray's and Chris' examples. The 3 indicate that the numbers on the blades were put there by the koshirae manufacturer/fitter and not by the smith. Ray's: Chris': Mantetsu:
    1 point
  13. I'd do what Steve says: get it in the hands of someone skilled to seek their professional opinion on authenticity.
    1 point
  14. The other possibility that i find plausible is an authentic blade obtained by an enthusiastic but unskilled amateur, who "polished" and mounted the blade badly with junk fittings, and then passed it to the OP.
    1 point
  15. As Christian says, probably early Edo, it’s probably had a suriage which is out of keeping with a gendaito - no reason to shorten a modern sword. If you imagine some added to the blade you might end up with a Kanbun sugata and the tang patina is definitely in that ballpark colour-wise.Nothing like the clean steel on a modern blade. I’d suggest measuring the space between the mekugi ana will give an indication of the original nagasa. .
    1 point
  16. I would say If Late edo is not correct its early edo. And i think the kissaki is ok. And i wouldnt worry about the tsuka if it has a tight fit.
    1 point
  17. It turned out wonderfull David!
    1 point
  18. I don't know, George. And actually, now that I'm staring at them again, I remember that both #1 & 3 are the same stamp (different blades). Someone had earlier identified the symbol as the "flaming jewel." But significance unknown. But I've put them together for a better look.
    1 point
  19. I suspect there is a brisk market for such in Japan. You get a nice display without the hassle of licensing a blade.
    1 point
  20. If you hunt this site you will find a thread about having new mounts made, with progress pics. Otherwise I suggest buying a knackered saya and taking it apart as research, and post pics here.
    1 point
  21. Aoi Arts just added a Mantetsu to their inventory: here. Attaching the picture here for posterity.
    1 point
  22. Stegel, I have seen that loop on quite a few swords without the Iida latch. Pictured is one of my Iida latches with the number, 147, which matches the other fittings. I think that the individual components had to fit precisely, so I am sure they were made in individually fitted sets. Love the Kai with the latch (and the red toe nails!).
    1 point
  23. Excellent find! Thanks for sharing it Trystan.
    1 point
  24. Thanks all for your answers, this is very informative. Neil, I'm stunned by the koshirae on your 2nd picture: what a beauty 😍
    1 point
  25. Here's an Army one, notice the second mekugi position in the handle not being used (1st pic)
    1 point
  26. While transferring files after a computer melt down, i came across these, i'm sure i've posted them before, but thought i'd add them here also. It seems there this latch method was not reserved just for Army use, the Navy got to use these aswell. I found these posted on a forum some 5 years ago Edit- found the forum , it was Gunboards.
    1 point
  27. The thing in the water is definitely a crescent, representing the reflection of the moon on the water. Another eyxample from Varshavsky-Collection: Best, Florian
    1 point
  28. Awa shoami? Rounded off squarish shape. Matching hitsu ana. Western Japan feeling to the rendering.
    1 point
  29. I would go for a boat I've never seen the mon in that position and there are waves!
    1 point
  30. It is most often found with good Gendaito or older blades.
    1 point
  31. Dan, you will have to open the SAYA completely, which will require new lacquer work.
    1 point
  32. Thanks Thomas, this could be it. From Sesko's: Will try to find pictures to confirm. Edit: Found a similar koshirae here 👍
    1 point
  33. Gordan, do one step at a time! Have the HABAKI dismounted first - if it was really brazed on, the necessary temperature for brazing may have damaged the blade beyopnd repair. Should the MACHI prove to be not aligned, the blade is very probably not of Japanese origin. There is no such thing as 'UMEGANE filing' unless you have a hole in the KAWAGANE. That is the work of a good polisher.
    1 point
  34. I think that it would be easier to create a new saya.
    1 point
  35. Another thing you can try. I doubt it will work on same as here, it is obviously age that has done the damage. Today, I wanted to clean some dirt on a cream colored ito. I used isopropyl alcohol on a rag. It removed the grime completely and dries almost instantly, preventing wood soaking. You could give it a try.
    1 point
  36. These are two of my favorite blades. Not exactly high class gunto mounts, but top notch smiths and both with a nagasa of at least 27”. Top - Imai Sadashige. Bottom - Tomita Sukehiro.
    1 point
  37. Maybe nothing to do with the price of fish, but a blade of 15 cm or over would need registering with the Japanese local education authorities. Often the length of a blade will be shortened in order to fall just inside legal. 14.9 cm is a slightly suspicious indicator of this.
    1 point
  38. yes, "kaji" 🔥 is a very appropriate term for Kiyofusa's work!
    1 point
  39. Too much wine color?? Not enough contrast as green or cream perhaps ? Dave M.
    1 point
  40. Nr 7 for me. Yellow and red makes a nice combination.
    1 point
  41. Hi Axel & Jean, Masaru Emoto is 20th / 21st Century. The popular reference may come from a late Edo period publication called "Hokuetsu Seppu" Snow Stories of North Etsu Province, a kind of Encyclopaedia compiled by a merchant called Suzuki Bokushi in 1837. Hokuetsu Seppu contains studies into Snow crystals by Doi Toshitsura, Daimyo of Koga. He wrote a book called Sekka Zusetsu (A Study of Snowflakes) in 1832. How apt a title for today........🤪 https://dl.ndl.go.jp/info:ndljp/pid/2536974
    1 point
  42. The Japanese army had problems with getting enough swords, and relaxed their original specifications somewhat. They also had sword buying drives where they bought them from the general public in Japan, and accepted blades shorter than regulation. The pdf below explains it in more detail. gunto call up 12-23-2017.pdf
    1 point
  43. The sword is a family heirloom, rather than a newly-made arsenal sword. The bearer had military mounts made for his family sword. There are many such short swords repurposed for military use. They are often erroneously referred to as "pilot's swords", with the assumption being that pilots would use shorter swords, but I think this site has disproven that claim fairly comprehensively. The inscription (the ones in blue are written by the cutting tester) 乳割土壇払 Chichi-wari dotanbarai 天保十年二月日於江府作 Tenpō jūnen nigatsujitsu oite Kōfu saku 会津住元興 Aizu-jū Moto-oki 同年十月二日於千住神谷清治試之 Dōnen jūgatsu futsuka, oite Senjū Kamiya Kiyoharu tamesu kore Cut across the chest Made in Tenpō 10 (1839) February, Kōfu Moto-oki from Aizu province/city Cutting test performed in the same year, October 2nd, at Senjū, by tester Kamiya Kiyohara So the swordsmith Moto-oki made this sword in February of 1839, and someone had it tested by cutting it across the chest of a cadaver (probably) in October of 1839. I didn't find this tester's name in Guido's list of famous testers, or anywhere else on the internet, so it looks like the tester is someone lost to history. It also looks like the tester didn't have room to write everything on one side, so he continued on the other side, which is slightly unusual. The longer sword is a typical military/arsenal blade.
    1 point
  44. 0 points
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