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Roderick, please don't believe this story! It is just a joke. If a SAMURAI wanted to write his last will in the TSUKA, he would have to destroy it first, as mentioned above. This is no "take-apart" item, so this makes no sense! It is absolutely not rare to have a non-signed NAKAGO, and a blade "in excellent condition" will never have rust spots or blood stains on it.

Frankly, the "last will and testament" bit sounds like bull$%@# to me. Sometimes a random piece of paper was folded up and used as a spacer to tighten things up. Could be a shopping list or a page from a book. Nothing of any consequence. I'm betting that's what it was.

Heianjo Fujiwara Kunishige Jumonji Yari Nagasa: 18.8cm x 14.3cm wide

I translated this sword on Facebook not long ago. My impression is that it is signed Bishu Osafune Kiyomichi.

Piers, I am always enjoing the input I receive by this forum, and I don't mind a "look beyond my plate's rim" (German saying similar to 'thinking out of the box'). So there is no need for apologies - you are stll on the list!

Thank you so much guys for your participation! Fuchi goes to the highest bid and invitation for a beer/whisky to all others who bid when you visit the Rheingau

Looks like the exact same guard Dale posted, relisted three years later by an online dealer. Cleaned up beautifully, but a much higher price this time (10x ) I wonder how many times it changed hands from 2019 to 2022.

Before: After: a soak in mild detergent, wash with microfiber cloth, some light scrubbing with very tiny modeling swabs, a little work with wood toothpicks, and rubbing with the 99% alcohol and the tiny swabs, I think it came out ok. I really tried not to overdo and figured any dirt remaining needs to be there.

Jean, apologies from here too. Dale, Glen, further apologies. Sssshhhh…. I saw my Bizen Suruga collector friend and asked his opinion. He was busy curating an exhibition but took serious time to discuss the pros and cons of the photo I showed him. A lot to learn! Sadly it was only later on that I discovered that I had shown him the wrong photo, 🙄 duh, :headbang: the ‘drawer handles’ one in Dale’s post above (which he said were more likely ‘Kasa’ hats.) Please cross me off your list of friends.

Gendaito: Tsukamoto Ikkansai Okimasa Saku , Kigen 2601 Nen 8 Gatsu Hi ( August 1941). Blade length :67.7cm , Sori: 1.7cm

I was wondering if anyone saw anything like this before..I'm sure there must be a reason for this ugliness but I couldn't come up with anything...

I suppose that katakiriba blades only have a "shinogi" on one side.

Sorry Brian, I am unable to read the MEI. It is probably not HIRADO, and it does not look like a 'normal' nicely and evenly written MEI, but that may just be the photo. Others with better reading skills will perhaps find out what it is. When you make new photos, try to avoid having you shadow fall on the TSUBA. Have some light from the side.

They are on the fittings and not on the blades. Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal 東京第一陸軍造兵廠 usually just used a yamagata M partial inspection mark on the blades. The final inspection mark will be on the fittings. When you factor this in, one will see that they made plenty of swords.

Looks like two names written on the handle, but its hard to say 1. 伊ト囗囗　Ito-something, but its not one of the normal ways to write "Ito", and the characters after that are illegible to me. 2. 北村囗囗　Kitamura something. Both Itō and Kitamura are very common family names in Japan.

IF the sword is genuine (those mounts are horrid) then I expect they were made in the field to replace destroyed ones.

As promised - a little follow up 😎 Based on your valuable input I confronted seller with all the discrepancies that was inconsistent with the auction information that he had provided in the original listing. Seller “fell flat on his face”, and without any fuss admitted that the sword and Saya was not from the Edo-period. Then he gave me an alternate offer and price reduction if I would have the courtesy to cancel (opt out on my purchase) through the auction house (online auctions have a window for regretting a purchase). In short - when I had my initial payment returned from auctioneer, then I could just pay him the sum that he and I had agreed upon, and we would both save the auction fee. All our communication was performed through the auction houses own communications platform, and therefore visible for their internal customer support 😂 I refused the transaction, and the sale was terminated as the auction house confirmed that my claim was valid. The sword was returned to seller. Sword and Saya was fine, and in good quality - but all in all it was not what I was looking for. Seller will now have to deal with whatever sanctions (exclusion or fine, or maybe nothing) that the auction house finds to be appropriate. @Brian donation to NMB (#349) in appreciation of both your work, the platform, and the invaluable information gathered through the members willingness to share their knowledge. Thank you 😎👍 /Soren

At minimum, it may be purporting to be Sue-Bizen (late Muromachi period). But the mei has an unusual appearance, I would suggest having it validated at shinsa to confirm the authenticity and time period.

Bishu Osafune Kiyo ? (tough to read upside down). Not a gunto; an earlier blade. Grey

It would be strange to record your last will and testament in kanji on the inside of a tsuka where no one would ever see it unless the tsuka was destroyed in the process of discovery. As Yanchen suggests, much more likely to be something the sayashi noted for assembly purposes….imo.

The conversion programme from type 32 to type 95 gunto will have left a lot of hilts spare. I will stick my neck out and suggest that this is a factory made or semi official trench knife/dagger.

Thanks Jonathan! It's clear there is a threaded end of a nakago there. The holes in the nuts, as well as the slot of the screw show a little boogering. That leaves us at least 2 choices -1. Blade was factory made this way, but sword was disassembled by previous owners, or 2. Handle was disassembled in the field to remove original blade and insert current blade. No way to know, but I'd lean toward choice 2. I still don't see a G.I. creating and threaded nakago end like this, but I don't know European blades. Maybe it's possible they had some with such nakago ends.

I looked at it MANY times and walked away many times (just to give me time to decide). Too many things to look at, then I start to calculate how many purchases I can make, then if I get this I can’t get that. It really is the best kind of torture. I missed out on a couple tsuba I was interested in because I waited, but such is life. It was a great show and there was more I wanted than I could afford ALWAYS!

Ah geez Bruce. As curious as I am, it is so well put together that I don’t trust myself to reassembled it to how it is now. I suspect it is some sort of European blade. I compared it to my type 32 Ko and it is a completely different blade construction. I think the defining characteristic of the blade is the ridge line. It seems to originate from the spine of the blade instead of straight through the center.

Just for your interest Jonathan, here is an oshigata of a Shimada blade signed the same as yours (not dated). SUNSHIU SHIMADA JU MIKAWA NO KAMI SADASUKE. This one was in Type 98 Army mounts. I sold it about 1982. Regards...

that was a nice neat example of a late tompo, sorry for you it didnt sell. i bet the iron rang like a bell

駿州島田住 = Sunshu Shimada ju 参河守源貞助 = Mikawa no Kami Minamoto Sadasuke

Tea Ceremony theme fuchi-kashira

Bizen Osafune ju Yokoyama Sukekane A day in February 1862 debatable o-tanto or ko-wakizashi Nagasa: 33cm Mt Fuji hamon

Gendaito : Kurihara akihide . Made in showa 19 (1944) length : 63.3cm, sori :1.4cm

One of my favourite Kai Gunto (Navy Sword). A 65cm Komiya Shiro Kunimitsu, no date no stamps. This Gendai-to exhibits the features you would expect in a sword this highly rated smith, including abundant NIE. The SAYA is finished in the rare matt finish, the fittings all have matching numbers, and the VERY rare securing lanyard is still attached. It is my belief that his descendants are making knives today using the Shiro name.

I used soft brass flat buttons and a thick string to secure the buttons to the padded backing board, the buttons pass through the wide base of the nakago-ana then slide up to the top - when the box is moved I have a thick pillow between the lid and base to stop any contact. The guards on the base are mounted so that they hang down when the box is lifted by the handle so basically their own weight holds them in place. I bought a brass handle to match the box fittings so it can be carried like a suitcase. It was a very well made cutlery canteen with torn interior so it was good to give it another use. I don't expect to use it for long term storage it is more for a portable display rather than taking two dozen kiri boxes to a fair or exhibition.

You can always make your own boxes or at least recycle something suitable. I just up-dated an old [1937] cutlery canteen into a display/transport box- I found there is a weight limit to what you can comfortably carry - even 24 iron guards starts to add up the weight [box and guards 7.5 kg / 16.5 lbs]

Kurihara Akihide with dragon horimono by Akitada. Tanto Kurihara Akihide saku Keitei Iwakami Kinsaburō kun Shōwa Jyūninen ichigatsu futsuka

Mark, Thanks for your time and hard work to make the show a success! It was a fine show. Dan K.

I would like to thank everyone who attended, set up, and supported the show. From my perspective it was a great success. Tables were at an all time high, attendance was near record, off just a little from the best year, but maybe due to lingering covid issues. But all in all i think things are getting back to normal. One dealer who has set up in Chicago many times over the years, and has set up at shows for 20 years said he had his best show ever, anywhere any time. Another one said he sold out by late Saturday. It seemed people were actively dealing and everyone seemed happy with the results. Next year i plan to be in the big ballroom upstairs with unlimited space to expand so i hope the future will be bright. FYI dates for next year are April 28-30, 2023 so mark your calendars and make plans early to attend. This year tables will not be an issue as i will be able to fit all who want to come. Special thanks to Grey who always is a big help and my sister and mum who stepped in to help as i had a grandchild a few days before the show so my usual staff were unavailable.

Hi guys, Mark and I just took in a bunch of swords new to the market and a couple dozen kodogu also. If you're going to be here at the show be sure to stop by our tables for a peek. Going to be a very active show, I think. Grey

Yanchen - The shinsa process is exactly the same as in Japan - the personnel are exactly the same as in Japan, they will just be in Burlingame this time around. No one should get us confused with the NBTHK - we are much more a collector focused organization, in every instance we attempt to provide attributions to particular smiths, including generation and time period, we do this even if an item is rejected for some reason and ours are the only paper that includes the attestation "Shoshin" stating that the article is genuine, this is legally binging in Japan which means that we can be sued if we are not absolutely correct, this is why our standards and our fail rate are so high, making our papers the more valuable choice for the researcher and collector. -tch

Come on - do I really have to increase my own bid? Okay - let’s do it: 120 Euro ;)!

some of you saw this Tsukamoto Okimsasa on another member many years ago. I am happy that this beautiful sword has found its way to me. Oite Fujita Shi (no) Tsukamoto Ikkansai Okimasa Saku. a lucky day in December 1942"

I thought it would be a good idea to post a few old pictures of mine where I highlighted the considerable differences between Type 95 swords. The original thread is gone and buried somewhere and this seems a natural place to re-post, since it is an educational thread intended to assist newer members of the community. Small differences may appear to a novice to be a tell-tale sign of a 'fake', but it is important to consider the sword as an overall before passing any judgement. There may be several 'issues' with a sword, but that sword will still be entirely genuine. There may be no obvious or apparent issues, but the sword may be a well made reproduction and aged into a fake. There is an overall 'feeling' to swords that I have previously mentioned which I can't really explain. It is just something that you get with experience and exposure to a large number of swords. The components of 95s were made by several subcontractors, so expect there to be differences there. Quality varies throughout production and subcontractor, so expect differences there (none more so than Iijima). Materials used in construction changed, so expect differences there. I'm sure was turn-over of workers and some degree of the process was manual, so expect differences there. Stamps changed so expect differences there (there are several distinctly different Kokura 'cannonball' stamps). Colours/shades used in paint changed, so expect differences there. Swords were refurbished, so expect changes there. My point being that there is no perfect checklist to identify a fake so you must be very aware of that before you start to label a sword, especially when it is a sale that a stray comment could derail. Sword components from various subcontractors are not universally interchangeable and it absolutely is possible to tell when a sword used mismatched components. Stegel often points this out, not just because of his extensive records, but because of his extensive experience. I can pick Polish replicas because of experience, not because of some inherent design flaw. The attached photos should be a reasonable demonstration of some of these differences. The main observations I'd like to point out are; Bohi depth, width and termination vary considerably Blade serial numbers vary considerably in font, uniformity, depth and location Quality of the cast tsuka varies considerably, as does the design Colours vary considerably Kissaki vary in size, definition and pitch We could get into greater detail, but that would result in a huge post and that is not the intent. This is also not intended to be a chastisement or to discourage attempts at authentication, but an encouragement to be thoughtful in appraisal and consider a sword as a whole, while keeping in mind the many nuances of the Type 95.

A nice sword by Yamana Minamoto Tokiyoshi dated Meiji 1890 and specially made for Sagawa Akira. In good early Type 94 mounts with Sakura release button.

A 1944 (Amatsu) MASAKIYO. At that time he was the head swordsmith for Izumo Seiko. This is a high-grade Gendaito example, signed "Yakumo Amatsu Masakiyo Saku", Yakumo is a village in Shimane Prefecture.

Well the results are in ....Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ....38 bids US $910

And they will probably be on my table. Grey

For some reason over the last decade, or so ( I'm being facetious ) hadori has been incentivized. It fits in with selling photos, so love to see it in hand.