Itomagoi

No. 1 and 4 is sold. Donation goes to NMB.

600€ + shipping.

https://buyee.jp/item/jdirectitems/auction/e1202919591 Perhaps this could be an interesting example of this type of mini sword. Gassan Hada! Only wealthy families could afford something like this.

1. 75€ 2. 85€ 3. 60€ 4. 75€ 5. 50€ 6. 45€ 7. 35€ 8. 40€ 9. 40€ 10. 20€ + shipping. A donation will go to the NMB.

5. Ø69,3 x 3,9 mm Price: 100€ + shipping

4. 73,8 x 72,5 x 4,3 mm Price: 130€ + shipping

3. 69,5 x 68,8 x 3,8 mm Price: 140€ + shipping

2. Ø71,8 x 4,3 mm Price: 120€ + shipping

1. 72,2 x 69,8 x 5,3 mm Price: 100€ + shipping

Just in time for the New Year, a sword by Kojima (Taro) Kanenori from January 1930. In four years, it will be antique :-). He was the younger brother of Kojima Kanemichi and was born in 1907. That means he was just 23 years old when he forged this sword. He became an independent swordsmith in 1931. I hope you like it. All the best for 2026!

Thank you very much, Piers and Uwe.

Hi, can someone please translate this Mei on Tsuba?

Is Hidetsugu mentioned in the Gassan Chronicles? Can soneone help?

The sword has now been sold to a very kind person. Please move it to the archive.

Hi, I am trying to get information about the WW II tosho Takahashi Hidetsugu. Unfortunately, my research has not many results, so I wanted to ask here if anyone has any further sources about Hidetsugu. https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords8/NT332037.htm By Markus Sesko: HIDETSUGU (秀次), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Ōsaka – “Naniwa-jū Takahashi Hidetsugu – Fuyuhiro nijūsan-daison” (浪花住高橋秀次・冬広二十三代孫, “23rd generation Fuyuhiro”), family name Takahashi (高橋), he counted himself as 23rd gen. Fuyuhiro, jojo-saku kihin-jōi (Akihide), First Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941). By Chris Bowen: He did study and live in Osaka under Gassan Sadakatsu. He is known to have inscribed a blade saying he was from the Fuyuhiro line, which seems odd if he was a relative of Takahashi Sadatsugu, the first living national treasure who studied under Sadakatsu as well, as neither Sadatsugu nor his brother, Yoshimune, are known to have been affiliated with the Fuyuhiro group. I can’t confirm that he was a relative of the Sadatsugu/Yoshimune family- Takahashi is not an uncommon family name. He was a respected smith during the later war years and based on work I have seen, quite competent. I do not believe he himself had students during the war. I found no records indicating he worked after the war as a smith. I'm curious to see if we can add anything else. :-)

Thank you Volker and Malcolm. If you wish you can make me an offer 😉

10. 62,9 x 57,3 x 4,6 mm Price: 90€ + shipping

9. 85,5 x 84,6 x 4,4 mm Price: 140€ + shipping

8. 84,7 x 83,7 x 5,0 mm Price: 130€ + shipping

Tsuba no. 5 is sold outside NMB. Anyway, 40€ goes via PayPal to NMB.

This sword is now on hold. 😀

No. 4 is sold.

Tetsujin, which translates as “the iron man”. The artist, whose family name was Aoki, was a martial artist who founded a dojo in the Kanda district of Edo. His family was known not only for their martial arts skills, but also for their skills as iron craftsmen who made both swords and tsuba. The Aoki family continued the lineage of Enmei Ryu (a martial arts style), which was also known as Enmei Jitte Ryu, Tetsujin Jitte Ryu and Tetsujin Nito Ryu. Incidentally, Enmei Ryu was the style that Miyamoto Musashi originally studied and which was founded by his grandfather.

3800€ + shipping