Geraint

"Step away from the tsuba, hands behind your back and step away!" All the best

Dear Ed. I had some success a while ago with kodzuka mounted as cutlery, the same approach might work for you. A jar of very hot water, pop the kodzuka into this but leave the blade out, give it a minute or two to heat up and then put the blade into a vice, wrap some cloth around the kodzuka so you don't burn yourself and slowly but firmly pull the kodzuka. You may have to repeat a few times. Hope this works for you. All the best.

Not convinced about the groove but I love the hada! All the best.

Hi Sylvain. It's hard a hard life. The gyaku takanoha yasurime might help pin things down as they are not all that common. From what I can see, and you only show one side of the blade, this is not nagamaki zukuri, it is just that the yokote has become obscure, I think it had quite a large kissaki which might point to the later smith that John suggested. It is hard to tell from the images but some of the corrosion at the monouchi looks quite deep, you probably need the opinion of a polisher as to whether it can be saved. What is the other side like? All the best.

Dear Ted, I have noted a significant number of blades sold by Aoi Arts which have two sets of papers; one the older papers that yours has and a second, more modern paper, which none the less arrives at the same conclusion. I think Arnold has a valid point, equally I think Aoi Art were being careful when they suggested that the signature was unreliable, especially for a first generation mei of a highly regarded smith. Would it change the way you appreciate the sword to have a new paper? Financially it might change the market value. It's hard to resist the lure of having a blade by a famous smith, it's also hard to resit the urge to prove that you have scored by snapping up an unregarded treasure, that's how we work as humans for some reason. Does the sword, as a blade and setting aside the mei, shout, "Quality!" You have it in hand and will see much more than we can even given Tsuruta san's oshigata. By the way am I the only one who would like to see the koshirae? All the best.

I think he already has, that's where the image came from.

Dear David, If you want to confirm or deny our suspicions then can you remove the habaki? Compare the habaki with your swords that you know to be genuine, if you can't remove it then worry, if you can and the machi do not line up then also worry. Can you see any features in the blade like hada or hamon? You might post photos of the fittings if you are using them to confirm the origin of the sword but the habaki is a dead give away for most Chinese fakes. Not too long ago I viewed a sword at an auction and from four feet away I would have handed over the cash, it wasn't until I looked at it in hand that I spotted it as a fake. The copies are getting better all the time, especially with regard to the fittings. Hope this helps.

Neil that looks great! An alternative style of wrap which has been lacquered rather than painted I would suggest and really nice ishime lacquer saya, what a nice thing. Have a look at this for styles of wrap and you will find this, http://www.tsukamaki.net/gallery1.htm A really nice style of mount, I'm curious as to the blade it houses. All the best

Hi Neil, Great to be sharing the discoveries. Hate to disagree with Ken but I wouldn't make a judgement based on two mekugi ana, it might be a simple as a second one drilled for a new mounting. So, the nakago jiri looks well finished, often suriage blades have kiri jiri, straight cut, but not always. Two mekugi ana and do I see the remains of a hi in your third photo? Do you see any change in the thickness of the blade, looking from the back, just above the machi? Whatever we decide about its origins it looks like a nice find in nice koshirae. Enjoy!

Hi Jason Your yari would usually be described as a makura yari or pillow yari, or as a kago yari or palanquin yari. As with most things Japanese classification is not an exact science and it is quite possible to find small yari mounted as full sized polearms. It is just possible that the mark in your third image is the character for Shimosaka, compare to the signature here, http://www.nihonto.us/SHIMOSAKA%20SUYARI.htm. Your yari would be Edo period, I can't pin it down to any more specific time. Hope this helps. All the best

At least they only did it to a Showato.............

Hi Neil. Nice find! Any chance of some more photos including the bare blade? All the best

Dear Steve. You have probably already looked at these but try this post, about three down for the full blade shot, http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/15304-shinto-wakizashi-in-red-gold-koshirae-nbthk-hozon/ And for your interest this one, http://www.nihontocraft.com/Three_Shinto_Cutters.html I'm not sure I see anything that would make me think this was not the 1600's one. Enjoy! All the best.

Dear Bojan. I can't ell from the photo whether this is some sort of skin wrapping or a lacquer texture technique. If is is a wrapping then the seam would usually be on the back and often marked by a thin line, is this so for yours? All the best.

Better than that Jean, he forged it two years before he was born.

Dear Grev. I note that everyone is going down the photo route, may I put in a vote for an oshigata? There are several benefits to this process and it is something I would encourage you to have a go at for yourself. I do mine with very basic kit, a variety of pencils, rubbers cut to shape, several old fashioned phone books and a great deal of patience. The process makes you study the blade as nothing else does and at the end of it, albeit after a few goes, you have an attractive thing which when framed is not only a great way of displaying your sword but is also a great reminder when the time comes for you to pass it on to it's next custodian. If you do decide to have a go I'd love to see the results. All the best.

Dear Neil. I think that Joe may be suggesting that the script is not sosho. Gordon, you headed the post with a reference to an old tsuka, Ray has posted a link which illustrates an old tsuka, I think this one is just plain worn out. All the best.

Dear Dale, Please allow me to be the first to point out that you need to add your name to your posts. Oh, and a picture would be nice for this one. Looking forward to it. Al the best

Dear Stu. This link will tell you more, http://www.shibuiswords.com/tsuba.htm#nagoya There is not a great deal of information out there that I have been able to track down, be glad if anyone else comes up with something. All the best.

Dear Donny, Not, I think, from Ian's reference but from the Tokyo Museum collection. Kudos to Ian for spotting this one!

Dear Mark, This does look like a nice find. What makes you conclude that the hi are ato bori? I'm curious. All the best

That's a very pretty little shinshinto yari Grant. Given it's age perhaps the nakago has not been cleaned? Enjoy.

Dear Stu, You might also look up Nagoyamono. Have a look at this one. http://www.nihonto.us/NAGOYAMONO%20TSUBA.htm All the best.

Hi All. Just come across this and thought you might like to see it if you haven't already. http://www.samuraisword.com/nihonto_c/Hozon/Jumyo/index.htm I wonder if they were associated at one time? Just in case you miss it, scroll down for the description of the koshirae and the signature of the artist on the fuchi. All the best.

Hi Neil, Whoever told you the sword was Soten may have miscommunicated. Soten is a school of tsuba makers and I couldn't comment based on your pictures. We will all want to see a view of the whole sword with the tsuka and tsuba removed. Please do some shots and give us some more measurements. A full frontal picture of the tsuba will also help us to give you more information. Looking forward to seeing what you have got. All the best.