ROKUJURO

Andy, welcome to the NMB forums! Without being pedantic, it is a WAKIZASHI. You should do the right things (read here in the respective forums) to stop the active corrosion on the NAKAGO. On the photos, the HAMON looks like those of oil-quenched blades, I think. If I am correct, you probably don't want to invest much money for a traditional polish. Anyway, it is a decorative military item.

Chris, the HITSU-ANA is probably closed with lacquer. That is a traditional way to do.

rsen (please be so kind to sign all posts). the first thing to learn is the NIHONTO vocabulary so that you understand what is meant. It is an exciting subject once you have the bug, so be happy to dive into an interesting new world!

Grimes (is that your name?), to perhaps identify the maker of the blade you could have a small part of the blade (called 'window') polished to see at least HAMON and HADA. How thick is the blade near the MUNE MACHI? How big ist the difference with the thickest part of the NAKAGO? That may give you a rough idea of how often the blade may have been polished and how much metallic substance was lost. In the end $ 600.-- is a lot of money for a blade in this condition, and the mass-produced military mountings do not justify the expense.

Josh, at first glance this weapon does not remind me of a Japanese blade. From the photos I cannot see a KATANA shape or a clear SHINOGI. However, on some of the photos there might be a hint to a hardened edge. With a Rockwell testing device, you may have that tested. If this really once was a Japanese blade, I think it is ruined now. But as Christian wrote, this might as well be an historically interesting European weapon. Please compare with 'Bauernwehr' or 'Langes Messer' of the late Middle ages.

Francis, Nice! Looks like a SUKESADA KATANA blade in ITOMAKI no TACHI KOSHIRAE. Measurements? Your own estimation?

Ford, apart from my preference of round TSUBA, this is a marvelous piece! In some people's eyes it may lack grandiosity as the design is quite 'reduced to the max', but for me it is just that what attracts me. Chen, your beautiful MENUKI mice are very probably rats - no reason to call for the pest controller!

Stuart, Straightening a blade is difficult! Especially mono-steel blades (no traditional composite construction) need very careful handling and knowledge of their manufacture. Traditionally made blades are straightened with a special three-point vise-like device to prevent flexing and over-bending.

He is listed as selling from YOKOHAMA as well as from New York at the same time. That is called 'bilocation'. Marvelous!

David, I am sorry, try that one: http://www.sanmei.com/contents/en-us/p1531.html. It is the first blade on the site of SANMEI (Wakizashi signed Chiku-shu-ju Onizuka YOSHIKUNI). In general, you will probably receive no MEI confirmation here, as it is very difficult to base an opinion just on photos. As you can read here on NMB in so many requests of that type, the features of the blade have to confirm the smith and the time it was made, and the signature is a nice extra if it is correct (which very many are not). In this case YOSHIKUNI was a well respected smith of the early EDO period who was copied many times. So keep that in mind when you search in the internet for genuine YOSHIKUNI blades and OSHIGATA for comparison. Please be so kind to sign all your posts with a real first name plus an initial, as is requested here.

Chris, there are several SASANO books, but I don't remember having seen similar TSUBA in one of them. Maybe with some data (measurements) and informations (do you see TEKKOTSU?) we can try to find a school. By the way, nice TSUBA, I like them.

David (is that your name?), did you compare the signature with those of papered blades? There is one on http://www.sanmei.com/contents/media/T115819_W7590_PUP_E.htm

Brian, in most cases NAKAGO-ANA are not drifted open to size as this would cause the SEPPA-DAI to bulge. As far as I know, traditionally made openings of forged TSUBA were chiselled to size. Later in EDO times, a fine saw was used with a thin wire, oil, and diamond dust as abrasive.

If my memory still serves, I think I remember a thread on NIHONTO photography here on NMB by a professional. Brian will know.

Does not look like military.

Is that where you live?

Pluto, please be so kind to sign all posts with a real first name plus an initial, so we can address you politely. And please do not give your KO-WAKIZASHI to an amateur who will very probably ruin your blade with his polishing attempts! Have a professional have a close look at it. You have KUNITARO-SAN in Amsterdam who is a member here!

Very nice, Peter! I would like to see pictures of your other rooms!

Mike, the decision is up to you of course, but go slow with it! Have a renowned expert (Japanese trained polisher) have a close look on it first! A blade in this condition might have issues (HAGIRE, WARE, burnt in a fire etc.) that are very difficult to see! It could well come out as an interesting blade with nice O-GISSAKI, and if the workmanship confirms an authentic signature you may consider having it polished. The quality HABAKI and the decorated SAYA (not so much the TSUBA) may suggest someone cherished this WAKIZASHI - probably a wealthy merchant and not a SAMURAI. Think of the costs you will have to face (polish plus SHIRA SAYA, possibly new HABAKI, paperwork, freight charges, handling agent...) and of the market value after all that.

Sean, nothing supernatural - I have been studying the subject for almost 40 years now and I am still a beginner. You have to look at many good samples, compare, read books and articles, visit expositions and museums, go to club gatherings and - if possible - travel to places where you can expect to see high quality. It may be a long way, but it is fascinating and rewarding.

Sean, it depends on what you want to collect - and why. If you are interested in SAMURAI culture and Japanese arts and crafts, then a handforged blade like the first could be the way to go. The second blade is probably a mainly mass-produced (partially machine-made) military asset with a certain historical value. The important part is your study of the subject. By reading here at NMB and good books you should achieve a level of knowledge which enables you to identify what you see. Then you can buy with (a certain) confidence.

What a wonderful piece of art came out under the 'protective dirt'! High quality, saved by Ford's magical hands!

Chris, you have to know what you have and what your idea of value is. When you put it up with a price, you will get the appropriate response! I like this TSUBA and I would buy it within my budget limits!

Chris, it has similar design elements, yes (ITOMAKI), but is not the same iron and not from the same hand and period. It may even be from a different school, I think. But it is a nice one; I like it!

Petr, it is certainly not a military blade! As Geraint said, SOSHU province is a possibility. This may come out as a nice one if properly restored in Japan!