Bugyotsuji

おそらく造（おそらくづくり） 短刀にみられる造り込みの一名称。横手筋が刀身の中程にあり、刀身の半分以上が切先とされた、反りの深い異様な造り込み。武田信玄が所持した島田助宗作の短刀にはじめてみられる。刀身に『おそらく』の文字が刻まれているところからの命名であるが、その言葉の意味は各説あり定かではない。 According to this despite many theories, no-one is quite sure what it means.

Haha, got several 'likes' on the previous page, for which grateful thanks, ...but as of this evening not one person has 'liked' the signature! What would Freud say about that? ("Go see your sword teacher!")?

You're right, sorry!!!

Hamon: Notare ni Gunome Midare Boshi: Sugu, ko-maru Nakago: *One mekugi ana. Kanji below that is fuzzy. (Something) kiri. In the notes section, from the top: "Yamashiro no Kuni. Genroku koro (= about)" *Three!

Roald & Patricia Knudsen's view on the matter:

Regarding the distinction between Kama sickles as weapons or otherwise, the Knutsens have an interesting description from p. 62 in their "Japanese Spears, Polearms and the Use in Old Japan". (See next page for attached photos.) Now I am wondering if the latest 'Jingama' above might not be more properly a 'Kamayari'... but the Japanese do love to come up with new variations and cross-breeds.

Oh, and a picture of the young lady?

One source says this prolific smith made 1,700 swords in his working life; the big Meikan quotes rumours of 1,670. The latter number (as a date) coincides roughly with the early Edo period (Enpo) when he was active, but he only lived to 45 years of age. Even starting at 15 he would have had to have made more than 50 blades a year... ie one a week for 30 years; how could this be? At the age of 38 he switched styles of Mei, starting a rounded form that someone had taught him. That was in Enpo 3. This kama is dated Enpo 4, so at 39 yrs old, and within a year of initiating his famous squiggly script. Six years before his death. From overwork? Talking of squiggles, there is one at the top of each side of the nakago. Pre-pre-Raphaelite, avant garde-ish... Known as the Yokozuna of the West, he ranked with Kotetsu in fame. Toramba clashing waves hamon were said to have been invented by him. Can we see any examples in this little blade, I wonder?

Jay, Goto were possibly the most famous school of Kinko 金工 metalworkers. You can find out about each individual on 'family' trees, in print or on the net. Occasionally you may find a name that has not been recorded.

The name Fuzui is ended at the bottom with a personalized Kao 花押 mark. The last one looks like iron, with gold and silver zogan inlay.

Phoenix design tsuba. Goto Shichibei Kiyoharu. A short description of what kind of tsuba. Grants Hozon status. Heisei 21. Recognition authority name on the left is cut out of the photo.

New addition on the right. Solid brass, oh and this head was hexagonal in crossection, unlike the first one. In the shape of a 'Kakeya' sledgehammer, maybe like the one used for breaking into the Kira residence during the Uchi-iri of the 47 Ronin. .

In my travels around antiques markets I occasionally find a further example of something that I remember being very excited to find the first time around. Two weeks ago I was rummaging through a dusty box of rusty old tools. Suddenly I spotted a little green-patina brass hammer for knocking in/out Mekugi pins. Keeping my face straight I held it out and asked how much. Cheap as chips! He did not seem to recognize what it was for. I think I paid over $100 for the first one I found about 10 years ago. These little hammers are not the ones we can buy nowadays with a screw-in pin, but a much simpler type with a flat handle and an oblong head. Might give it to my sword teacher in appreciation for his infinite patience with me over the years. If he accepts it then I will know he likes it. Years ago I gave him an old working box from a Japanese swordsmith's forge with "Yari" written on it, an unusual old Kanji form. "No thanks", he said, and I learned a lesson in humility. He must have not wanted to clutter up his new house with a dirty old box. Even my wife agreed that it had been a stupid present. I like boxes...

LOL, Brian. The polisher who did the other one could well be allergic now! Good thought though...

The friend I was mentioning above. Apologies if this is a repost.

That one is described as a Kappa, whereas it is probably a Karasu Tengu!

Francis, most Japanese cannot read Mondo, which was written　主水, then add 正 'sho' and you're there. It's missing Fujiwara 藤原 But the last two are Masakiyo 正清

Was the Bonhams's one signed, Jelda? (A friend bought one last year and sold it just yesterday, so expect it to bubble up in the market somewhere in due course.) A fine thing to own. Congratulations on yours!

Finally the Mei. Not for the faint hearted, and not easy to get the shots.

The blade itself polished below the shinogi line is in need of some TLC but it has several areas of interest in it.

The saya is kept on with a mekugi through the hole in the back of the blade. There is a further proper mekugi through the haft and nakago.

Overall 164cm. Blade edge 11cm, (14cm front to back). Red lacquer saya, and iron ishizuki. Pole and fittings all slim elliptical in cross-section.

Photos should be appearing here within the next 24 hours. (G'night folks!)

Quick update on today's sickle. It has been giving me a tingle all day, from the moment I set eyes on it. There was a bit of a bidding war, but I think people could see I was going to ride this one wherever it took me. Follow the inspiration! Hit the books this evening, and after nearly three hours of cross-checking it looks like 津田越前の守助廣　延宝二二年二月日 (can't find the spoiler option), which is much earlier Shinto than I was expecting. The final key will be to make sure it is not gimei, ie to see if the hataraki and Mei are typical of his work, in others' opinions. He started using flowery rounded script at the beginning of Enpo. I have checked against Fujishiro and the signature looks good for the date, so it's either fine as is, or a very good forgery. But since the Japanese don't treat Kama seriously, why would someone bother to fake such a Mei? Sounds like I am trying to convince myself? Just trying to keep all options open! Who, me, prejudiced?

A little birdie told me that the one helmet Ian refers to above is in a museum. Even if Jiri's above is by Ichiro, that is no bad thing because he is a genius who will be increasingly recognized in future. Already he has so blended into the historical fabric of traditional Japanese metalwork that few can tell any more. Another little birdie told me that whatever you paid Jiri, it was very close to the bone for the dealer.