Shugyosha

Hi Dean, I relying on AI for this so... 信盧 - Shinro " ( an alternate art-name (go) used by the late Edo period metalwork artist Hata Nobuyoshi (1807–1878) or other skilled craftsmen of the Iwama school". I've got no idea if it's genuine. One here by the same artist to compare, but they do look quite different. https://www.zacke.at/auction/lot/lot-98---nobuyoshi-a-fine-shibuichi-tsuba-with-daidarabotchi-and-wasobei/?lot=61616&sd=1

Hi Tim, This thread is running elsewhere:

Yes, it's similar to what I'd use in the west for truing up the sole of a plane. I don't know why it's described as a whetstone/ grindstone unless it's just the case that there's no word(s) more suitable in Japanese? Anyway, hopefully you'll receive what you think you've bought.

Hi Jean, it sounds about right: 鉋台 - Kanna dai - plane body 砥石の面直し器 - Toishi no tsuranoashi-ki - whetstone tool for surface flattening (sorry not the best translation but thereabouts).

Some more info here: This might help too: https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/index.php?/topic/9578-making-a-double-habaki/

Hi Tom, 明珍 - Myochin 紀宗房 - Ki Munefusa One here for comarison: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/19295/lot/42/an-iron-tsuba-by-myochin-munefusa-19th-century/

Hi Joshua, They're arsenal inspection stamps, the top one looks like the "Na" 名 stamp and the lower one is the "Ho" ホ stamp @Bruce Pennington will no doubt be along shortly with more information, also you can have a look at:

Yes, it's where the hamon tails off in the portion of the blade nearest the hamachi and comes in various flavours depending on where the blade was made. Looking at the photos just above it looks like there's some hadori covering the actual line of the hamon which might be dropping into yakidashi and this is generally a pointer towards shinto or later blades. Some info towards the bottom of this article: https://markussesko.com/2015/05/29/kantei-3-hamon-boshi-1/

Will, an alternative explanation is to turn this on its head and explore whether it's a newer tang that has suffered some corrosion in certain areas - it seems odd to partially clean a tang and the yasurimei are still clearly visible, though I would normally expect a shinshinto blade to be signed (though some aren't). The elongated kissaki could point to Keicho shinto or shinshinto time periods. The prominent hada suggests something older than shinshinto to me and I wonder whether given the hadatatsu, nakagojiri and a hint of togariba whether there isn't some Mino influence? Also, and it might only be the way the photos are displaying on my screen but am I seeing yakidashi there? It looks like there might be something on the right hand photo of the whole blade but maybe not... Anyway some things to consider in respect of a really nice acquisition.

The "scratch n sniff" tsuba.

Hi David, I think Hojo is a family name - it goes back to one of the great feudal clans. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hōjō_clan

You didn’t write, you never called.

It’s every 3 months: https://www.birminghamarmsfair.com

Hi Jon, The next one is 20th September so if you’re not rushing…

If you're intent on importing, you could also put out some feelers with the American and Canadian dealers to see if that yields any results at your price point. That would at least remove the language issue and I can recommend Ray Singer and Grey Doffin.

Hi Jon, Naturally it varies. I've had no problem in dealing with Aoi Art (be a little wary as they are high volume and so descriptions can be a off or sometimes "creative"), Sanmei and Touken Matsumoto in the past but I didn't get beyond the need to order, pay and track the delivery. I understand that Touken Komachi have good English as well as French... If it's a significant purchase you might want to see if Paul Martin would act as an intermediary - it used to be a service he provided. https://thejapanesesword.com/ Alternatively, or in addition, have you joined the Token Society of Great Britain? If you're fairly new to Japanese swords you can't beat seeing some in the flesh which will boost your learning and members frequently sell items so you might find something suitable without the need to go through the importation process and you could probably evaluate them in the hand as opposed to from pictures which can get tidied up to minimise flaws etc. Welcome to NMB and good hunting!

三輪氏命 - Miwa Ujinaga According to AI: Miwa Ujinaga (real name: Miwa Mitsugu, also read Mitsuwa Mitsugu) was a World War II-era Japanese swordsmith (tosho) from Seki in Gifu Prefecture, registered on June 29, 1940. [1] Swordsmith Details Real Name: Miwa Mitsugu (三輪貢) Smith Name (Mei): Ujinaga (氏命) Registration Date: Showa 15 (June 29, 1940) Location/Workplace: Seki-machi, Daimon-cho; later associated with the Takayama forge (Takayama Tanrenjo), producing military-issue Showato / naval swords bearing wartime stamps.

Hunting arrows would typically have a bladed/ barbed head (like the odd one above) as they kill by cutting rather than by punching a hole in the prey. War arrows tend to be designed to punch through armour, hence the lozenge and similar shaped heads. Consequently, I’d agree that these are target or practice arrows as they’re roughly comparable in shape to western heads used for target archery.

Hi Maxime, the nengo may be Keian 慶安 and, if correct, the second year would give you 1649. Lovely blade!

But if you did that it wouldn't be the Dan show would it?

Hi Max, That's a really lovely feature and a mark of the quality of the piece. I've heard two explanations for the reasons for udenuki ana (sorry if this is mentioned above, but I've not read to the top of the thread): for a lanyard to attach the sword to the wrist so it didn't get lost in the heat of battle or to attach a fine thread between the tsuba and the saya. The point of this being that, should the owner be tempted to draw his sword in anger, there was enough of a pull on the sword to give him pause for thought and reconsider the action that he might have taken spontaneously. Obviously the thread would not be so strong as to prevent the sword from being drawn should the need arose. Both of these reasons my be apocryphal and I can't reference them so treat accordingly.

Hi Luca, Luckily all the upvotes will compensate for it.

It crops up in a couple of Chinese place names too, so perhaps something related to the occupation? Another guess though.

Not sure this will be of any help in the context of a naval dirk, but: https://jisho.org/search/蘭

Hi Mark, 以地金下 Motte jigane shita… Made with “jigane” which Jisho defines as unprocessed ore or an ingot. Then the kanji “shita” meaning below or beneath which I guess may be part of the smith’s name and which probably has other readings. Hope that helps some.