Nobody

Lastly, maybe good news. It seems that "Ryusen sensei (teacher 龍泉)" who carved the Horimono was Takahashi Sadatsugu (高橋貞次) himself. He had been the teacher of Keith Austin and was a living national treasure. According to the info on the web page below, Takahashi Sadatsugu inscribed his mei as follows; "高橋貞次作", "龍王子源貞次", "真鍛龍泉貞次造", "龍泉入道貞次造", etc. http://www.samurai-nippon.net/V-200/ http://joho.ehime-iinet.or.jp/syogai/ji ... ml/043.htm

The mei reads "Seki ju Kanematsu Kazunori saku (関住兼松一則作)". Kanematsu is a common family name. See the 6th smith on the list below. http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm

Hi, So called Chinese repro; Though this is not a pleasant movie, this may answer your question.

The mei is; (Seki ju) + (family name) + (smith name)

It appears that Enju Taro Nobushige (延寿太郎宣繁) presented his sword to the Emperor of Showa in 1928 for the Emperor's enthronement ceremony. However, any sword smith could present his sword for the ceremony if he wished, and the Imperial Household Agency at that time would not refuse the offer.

Omote: Ryusen sensei horu kore (龍泉先生彫之) = Ryusen sensei carved this. Ura: Showa san-ju hachi nen (昭和丗八年) = 1963 Oite Matsuyama (於松山) = at Matsuyama Nobuyoshi (延嘉)

The smith's name on the nakago is Nobuyoshi (延嘉). Thanks to ToShoW, I found who Nobuyoshi (延嘉) is. He is late Keith Austin. His another mei was Nobuhira (延平). http://www.ncjsc.org/article_keith_austin.htm (He came to Japan in 1961. Its year of the database for Nobuyoshi saying 1938 must be a typo.)

I agree with Mark. Seki ju Yoshida Kanekado (関住吉田兼門). FYI: Kanekado (though the writing is a little different) http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/kanekad2.jpg

How did you know that it was signed "ENJYU TAROH NOBUSHIGE"? The smith's name on the nakago is only Nobuyoshi (延嘉).

milt would say "Zeit und Raum existieren nur in unseren Köpfen".

No, I do not have any idea. I think that it is not a specific structure but only an image. Just my thought.

I think that the motif is "Itomaki (糸巻)". It means a spool. examples of Itomaki-mon: http://www.otomiya.com/kamon/kibutsu/itomaki.htm See the lower left tsuba on the following page. http://www.museum.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/ ... u/t_6.html

I am fluent in Nihongo without doubt. :D But surely NOT fluent in Eigo. Myochin (明珍) A school name of armor makers, Kamakura period – Bakumatsu, Made Kacchu (甲冑), Gusoku (具足), iron products, tsuba, etc. According to the genealogy of Myochin family, “Izumo (no) kami Ki (no) Munesuke (出雲守紀宗介)†in Kenkyu era (建久: 1190-1199) of Kamakura period was the 1st generation and the lineage continued to “Shikibu Ki (no) Munesuke (式部紀宗介)†22nd generation (ca. Genroku (元禄)), although the matter cannot be believed. Even only about tsuba making, there were many makers who professed themselves Ki clan (紀氏) and chiseled individual mei as “Mune+something (宗某)â€. A mei of “tenka ichi Myochin saku (天下一明珍作)†is known on a iron bit with Gyoyo-mon (杏葉文) which was designated as a Juyo-bijutsuhin (重要美術品) in 1939. And works with two letters mei “Myochin (明珍)†are known as iron ornaments, bits, tsuba, and so on in late Edo period.

It reads "Seki ju Watanabe Yoshitake saku (関住渡辺吉武作)". The name apperars on the following list. http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm

The date is 昭和拾四年十二月 (= Dec. in 1939). As for the name, I am unsure but I think that it could be an art name or a nickname of a colleague.

See this thread. http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessagebo ... php?t=1204

It says something like this. "Have a drink. I wish you health." from 善布坊 (Zenfu-bo, or Yoshinobu-bo???......seems art name) タコ (octopus) 一杯やる, 元気で......善布坊 (善有坊???)

It may be "Manji gan nen hachi gatsu (万治元年八月)". = the 8th month in 1658

I also saw the Sadakatsu yesterday and checked my bank balance. :lol: But seriously, it is really beautiful. I think that it may be a copy of Masamune. I attached a photo of Mumei Komatsu Masamune (小松正宗).

Hi, IMHO, the tanto seems to be a souvenir which was bought around Iwashimizu-Hachiman-gu. I think that the sayagaki means a name and his rank of a soldier who bought it and wrote the sayagaki by himself. That may be "Lueutenant Hafment". But I am unsure about English names. It may be Huffman, Hoffmann,....? Anyway, something like that.

Yes, it might be. Actually, at first I thought that. And again, I cannot deny Tsuguhiro. :?

I think that the mei reads "Kawazoe Teruhiro (川添輝廣)". But I do not have any idea about the smith.

I had realized the faint writing on the photo. It could be "五鉄錬". I heard Myochin usually wrote 神道五鉄錬 on his works.

Hi, 筑紫 can read Chikushi. But "Tsukushi" is more proper reading when it means the province. And Tsukushi (筑紫) included Chikuzen (筑前) and Chikugo (筑後). BTW, 筑紫 is pronounced as Tsuku (筑) and Shi (紫).

Hi, I think that the mei reads "Shoshinshi Kanemune (正真子兼宗)", and that Shoshinshi is an art name of Kanemune. FYI: Fukumoto Kanemune http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/kanemun3.jpg