ROKUJURO

Greg, we have some experts here, but you will not get a certification with photos alone. The sword has to be seen in-hand, and the signature is only a part of the process. If the features of the blade are in line with INOUE SHINKAI's work, the signature will confirm its authenticity. As Uwe has already found out, the signature on your blade might no be authentic. As I said, this swordsmith is a famous one, and there are many faked MEI found on blades. This does not mean that your blade could not be nice and a pleasure to look at!

No, the mountings do not help. The handle looks like HANDACHI style and a bit too long, the TSUBA is probably civilian, but not related to the blade. Good photos of the blade (tip-upwards) without HABAKI may help an assessment. If the blade (measured on the back/spine from the notch to the tip) is shorter than 606 mm and longer than 303 mm, it is a WAKIZASHI.

Hi Gregory, welcome to the NMB forum! Good photos, although a darker background is still better for the contrast! The signature reads INOUE SHINKAI - you almost got it. That is a very famous name among Japanese swordsmiths, and it bears the risk of it not being authentic. This has to be checked by experts which could mean sending it to Japan for certification papers. How is the condition of the blade? Post some more photos if you like! The NAKAGO photo with the date is upside-down.

Raphael, can we please see a photo of the MACHI (=notches) of the blade just above the NAKAGO? In some images I get the impression that they are not on the same level. Please use a dark, non-reflective background and a dark room with spotlights. As you can see, the contrast is not good enough in the above pictures to show the HAMON well.

Hi Scott, welcome to the NMB! Your sword looks like a civilian blade signed KANETADA, dwelling in partly military mountings. The TSUBA is nothing of any value (cast copy and moreover in bad condition), the FUCHI is not military, I think. A nicely focused photo (on a dark, non-reflective background) of the NAKAGO without HABAKI would help.

Indeed the blade seems to bear a false signature (GI MEI) and added date. There was another (authentic ?) signature before which was erased or made illegible. The signature may be wrong, but it could still be a nice blade. Please sign all posts with at least a first name plus an initial so we could address you politely. It is a rule here.

A SUNNOBI TANTO is basically up to a SUN (30,3 mm) longer than a TANTO (303 mm). In former times, measurements were probably less precise in Japan (than in the West), so there might have been variations and different interpretations.

Stephen, there are indeed historically important items of great age in this field which are valuable even if their respective condition is not good. But these are blades that are very rare and really very (800 + years) old. In these cases, condition issues can play a minor role.

The red lacquer in the BOHI (fuller) is not rare. It was often done on YARI for different reasons, one of them being to conceal forging flaws. Otherwise, your YARI seems to be signed HEIANJO (old name for KYOTO) no JU.....It could well be from the early EDO period, but age is not as important as quality and condition. Generally, a signature is not always reliable to say something about a blade. In your case, you don't know what happened to the blade as the rust is concealing all features it might have. It could even have been in a fire which would make it almost worthless.

Stephen, welcome to the NMB forum! The MEI is best posted in the TRANSLATION section. What I can see is a SANKAKU YARI in very corroded condition. It is red rust which should be removed by a traditionally trained polisher (TOGISHI). In Australia, you could check with Andrew Ickeringill for possibilities and costs. In the meantime, you could apply oil with low viscosity to slow down the corrosion.

Yes Piers, unusual indeed! YAKITE technique is exclusively applicable to iron TSUBA as far as I know.

https://japaneseswordlegends.wordpress.com/2015/10/01/the-heshikiri-hasebe/

A CHATO is more a formal replacement sword as you are requested to have no weapon on you in the tea ceremony. It just completed your wear in the SAMURAI era. A BOKUTO is a solid wooden swords for training (it comes in different length from TANTO to KATANA) or defence. There are plain and (rare) decorated versions of it.

HAMON looks etched indeed. The full-size/length photo does not help. Please use a dark background, don't shoot photos at an angle (better from right above) and present photos as cut-outs. You can remove the HABAKI with a piece of hardwood and a small hammer. It is important to show the blade without HABAKI, so we can see the MACHI.

It is a typo - it is NYUDO (= Buddhist layman).

Chris, unfortunately, the sword does not help much in this case! Unless you send this TSUBA for certification to Japan, it will be difficult to say if it might be genuine as there are so many copies of KANEIE (not Kanei). A way to come closer would be to look for certified examples in books and online and compare.

That is a bit less than the actual gold price (24 Kt).

The photo is not well focused, and a dark background would be better, but it looks like CHOSHU no JU TOMOYUKI

Rohan, are there really collectors who are so poor they can't go regularly to Japan for exhibitions? I cannot imagine that!

"SAMURAI", with the sharp edges, this looks more like an individually made SEPPA (no plural!) to me than like a TSUBA (no plural - Japanese nouns do not have a plural form). Please sign all posts with at least a first name plus an initial so we could address you politely. This is a rule here on NMB.

....all except the TACHI.

James, we have a special TRANSLATION section. If you post there, you will likely get the best help as the NIHONGO experts will look there. It is very probably not a signature, so no relation to the smith - in most cases.

I have made the best experience with Kelly Schmidt: kschmidt1127@gmail.com

These are exclusively TACHI?

Piers, that one looks really early! These are mostly called SAOTOME style, but perhaps made by the BUSHU ITO school.