Sly

Here's another Kuniyoshi print, from my collection (sorry for the reflection on the photo). Triptych : Wada kassen : Yoshihide Sōmon wo oshi-yaburu: Asahina Saburō Yoshihide breaking down the great gate during the revolt of the Wada against the Hōjō. Publisher : Yamaguchi-ya Tōbei. Censor: Kinugasa-Murata Date: Rat 6, July-August 1852 Ref. : Robinson T. 281 I like very much this triptych in its composition. We can feel the movement and power of Yoshihide...

Hi all. For those interested in sudare-ba hamon of the yoshimichi school, there is currently a nice example available on the tokka biz website : https://tokka.biz/sword/yoshimichi12.html Pretty nice polish which emphasis it !

I've forgotten to mention how it works : you have to send the blade to him. He will registered the blade to the customs, then will submit the blade for a shinsa to any organization of your choice (NBTHK, NTHK). He will charge you a (very fair) commission for this and then send you back the blade with the papers. In addition, if you want to have extra services (ie. having a new habaki or a shirasaya, or polishing, etc.), he could ask to some traditionnal craft workers he knows.

Hi Rob. There are several westerners (english speaking) settled in Japan who can do it for you. On my side, I've always passed through Paul Martin, who lives in Tokyo. You can contact him from his website : http://www.thejapanesesword.com/ Or directly at thejapanesesword@gmail.com A lot of members of this board know him and I assume would recommand him. Best,

Nevermind. Still good shots. Thanks Uwe !

Give it to Ford Hallam...

Thanks for posting Uwe. Interesting for some of us, like me, who have never been there. It helps to figure how it works. Do you have close up pictures of some blades ?

I would pass my turn on a such tired blade Christian. Moreover, nothing interesting regarding the fittings. Hopping that a polish could rehab the blade is risky. Yes, the price is low. But it's just what it's worth. Not an hidden treasure for sure.

For a first tsuba, this one is quite nice. If you like inlays, just go for heianjo tsuba !

Simon, would you post an overview picture of the kabuto itself ? It might be interesting !

It was 1 000 000 ¥

The seller doesn't use the term "meito" to describe this sword. It was just my thought. Lance, thanks for the article of Markus, it's very comprehensive (as always with Markus). It seems that the term "morning storm" has been used for other swords as well. Ray, if Darcy is right in his article, this Naoe shizu blade is a meito, but not a meibutsu. Interesting.

Hi Guys. I have noticed a naoe shizu katana on touken Matsumoto website. Mumei attributed to Kanenobu. There is a gold inlay with the kanjis "朝嵐" "asaarashi" or "Morning Storm". https://www.touken-matsumoto.jp/eng/product_details_e.php?prod_no=KA-0237 Is this the kind of blade which is called a "mei-to" or is it only a term used for the most famous blades ? Sly

SOLD

My condolences Jean. I know that Riesling was more than loved by you and your wife. May he rest in peace in the paradise of cats.

More photos...

Whatever Soten artist it is, he did a good job. Congratulations Charlie, IMHO your Soten tsuba quality is above most of what we currently see in this school. Sly

More photos.

Hello. I'm offering to sale this Ko-uda Katana. O-suriage mumei, Nanbokucho period (1333-1392). Nagasa: 63,4 cm Motohaba: 3 cm Sakihaba: 2,2 cm Motokasane: 6 mm Sakikasane: 4,5 mm Shinogi-zukuri, Iori-mune, Chu-Kissaki Tori-Sori Sori: 0,8 cm Itame hada mixed with masame, ji-nie, chikei and shirake utsuri. Suguha hamon in ko-nie-deki, sunagashi and kinsuji. Boshi ko-maru, with kaen, kaeri fukai. Nakago o suriage, 3 mekugi ana. Double habaki with solid gold. Shirasaya with sayagaki of Michiro Tanobe Sensei saying "[The blade] is ō-suriage mumei and dates to the Nanbokuchō period. It is interpreted in a deki that sticks to the forging traditions of the home province of this school, Yamato" (translation made by Markus Sesko). NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon. Price : SOLD Feel free to PM me for any question or more photos.

Patrick, Have a look at this thread : http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16069-signed-seishu-shakudo-tsuba/ Seems to be the genuine tsuba. Meiji period.

Hi Grev. Just an idea about the ana : I see the shape of an oni face...

The translation of the description in french of the tsuba is simply the following :"Iron Tsuba in openwork with patterns of dormice among golden grapes, signed OMORI KIYO-CHIKA" The auction's house has also written that a similar model can be found on plate 754 page 168 of the book "Japanese Art and Handicraft" by Henri L. Joly and Kumasaku Tomita. Maybe someone of the board has this book in his library and could go a little further for you...

Hi Chris. I've seen a similar motif tsuba in an auction sale in Paris (april 2015). It was signed OMORI KIYO CHIKA. As a reference, the auction's house mentionned a similar model in Japanese art JOLY/Kumasaku page 154 N°768. The link is the following for the sale : http://www.thierrydemaigret.com/html/fiche.jsp?id=4944580

I missed a bit of time to post the pictures with the appropriate legend (before/after). Sorry for that guys. But most of you got it without any help. I'll repost an appropriate picture with the comparaison before/after steps in the same photo, so as to be easily comparable from one step to another. And indeed like you Brian I think that this Soten tsuba is a good quality. It's weird that this one has'nt been signed by the metalworker, especially when you see that most of the poor quality soten tsuba are signed (gimei ?).

Steve, John, Thanks a lot for your help ! I was sent the pictures by the auction house, so I don't have better pictures, sorry. If I understand well, this is not a sayagaki describing the blade, but a sayagaki describing an offering to someone, probably from a Japanese officer during Mandchourian occupation.