Bugyotsuji

The original question was "Why is saving for a sword taboo?" Wouldn't that question be illegal in a court of law? A loaded question like asking, "Have you stopped beating your wife, yes, or no?" Personally I got stuck at that point. Is it taboo, and who said so? Or is the word 'taboo' here tongue-in-cheek? Am I on the spectrum?

Wow, very good! Yes it is mitsumune, and Soshu but not necessarily later Soshu. Not Hiromasa, but very close. A hint lies in the fact that nie are present, apparently, when nie disappear with Sue Soshu.

PS Those of you who know the answer for some external reason, please hold schtum for a bit! Than Q

Yes, Lewis, 1 shaku, 2 bu. Sadly I do not have the blade here with me, just random shots from the phone memory, so overall view is not possible for some time yet. Here is the nakago on its own, (+ all I have of the blade). Nakago

Just curious to see what can be gleaned from this sun-nobi tanto blade. The blade is mumei but has clear NBTHK paperwork, although described officially as wakizashi. (No hints to start with, unless someone asks for particular information).

Unless I am mistaken any local Kasuga shrines were simply extended branches of the main Kasuga Taisha in Nara.

Thanks Tom. I ran a search on 'Kasuga Sha' and 'Hoki', and the following came up. Note that 'Sha' may just be a simplified form of 'Taisha'. They all seem to link back to Kasuga Taisha. https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=297&q=伯耆春日社&cvid=05a5e38fecc840088ea873209c3df477&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOdIBCTE3NDAwajBqMagCALACAA&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=TBTS

PS As you will be aware, artisans quite often changed the way they signed, depending perhaps on the nature of the particular work, or what period of life they were in. They might change one or more kanji, or take on their master’s name for example. This can complicate the picture, requiring further thought and study.

https://www.kasugataisha.or.jp/en/about_en/ Tom, does the inscription on the nakago actually specify Kasuga Taisha?

Not a company but an individual ‘kinkō’ metalworker, possibly even of two or three generations. Although prolific, many of these pieces may have come back to certain dealers and collected together over the intervening century. Incidentally I found several different-kanji Yoshiaki artisans, (all sound the same in English, but not the same person) but one -aki using the same 明 character also shortened the left radical, to simply two dots in that case. Pic follows.

Agreeing with Colin (Matsunoki) above, sadly, a NLO. (A somewhat better quality Netsuke-like object. Young, so fine for actually wearing today!)

At a quick glance it is giving me a feeling of marine ivory, but that's just one opinion. It could be elephant ivory cut from the outer layers in such a way as to to hide any Schreger angles.

On the label, 髙橋伊八, Takahashi Ihachi, no?

There is no further information Yuliyan, except that it is designated 'Hozon Token', and the length of the blade is given as: 一尺八寸二分半 "1 shaku, 8 Sun, 2.5 Bu".

There are plenty of Yari Tanto, (Ken too) but I do not recall having heard the specific expression of Tanto Naoshi, or even Yari Naoshi. Hira-zukuri? Kikuchi yari tanto were also produced though, many in Kyushu. I wonder if that is what he was referring to?

Hi John, Uwe above seems to be correct, so I simply gave him a like. Why? Well, many artists would make a subtle change to their signature. 明 should have a 日 on the left but it could be that the choice of 口 was deliberate even if not grammatically correct, i.e. artistic license. At a glance most people would read that Yoshiaki anyway. The clincher would be if you could find other examples signed in the same manner with faint or absent cross bar, but two is already pretty definitive IMO. 草野吉明 Have you checked out for example Kusano Yoshiaki? https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/198238

By extension, the Kusa kanji may be a Mon, for a family name such as Kusanagi.

While reading these posts I have to keep going back to check what the original question was. Now I am feeling that if you have extra cash, one should invest first and foremost in an old-age pension, ...and if you then still have extra cash, from selling the family silver etc., try not to spend it on wild parties and other stuff, otherwise your sword-purchasing options will be limited. Priorities.

Sounds like luck of the draw as you say Jeff. Once something flags up, it gets passed around for authorization but no-one knows what to do, and no one is willing to take responsibility for a decision. You have to keep asking, telling them clearly you have the money and you are willing to pay, (otherwise it could end up on a back shelf).

What is written on the blade is 豊臣秀吉 Toyotomi Hideyoshi, 1556(?)-1598, for whatever reason, though I am not sure what that first date refers to. As others have said above...

Did they stop using Osafune in their Mei? This is something I hadn't considered! Although there were serious floods during the 1500s, during which old Fukuoka Castle was swept away together with many smiths and their workshops, the Yoshii river itself even changing course, Osafune as a place for making swords has continued on to the present day. What I had heard was that when the traditional smiths were washed away, the Sukesada stepped in and finally gained ascendancy in the area. (Edit, thank you M for the explanatory link above, which I have just read.)

Interesting idea, Bruce.

https://www.e-sword.jp/wakisashi/1810-2005.htm Later (Taisho 10) Kanenori using a Kuyomon.

Superb article, Anthony. And you have set a tiny flint, ready to roll!

Anthony, welcome indeed! What a wonderful and unique collection! Thank you for sharing these. Each one was surely a Daimyo’s ‘must-have’ latest fashion accessory, a Netsuke with a utilitarian purpose, and a what a great talking point! Were they treasured in a special box, or worn and used as a lighter? I wonder whether there are any written records of their actual usage? That example is not just nice but gorgeous.