Ray Singer

This looks like a Sue-Bizen blade. What is the mei?

Jon, date edited above. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C5%8Droku

享禄 is for Kyōroku period. This would be the 8th month of 1529.

Thanks Chris! To sweeten the deal, will bring the Masaaki down to $1,500 (plus shipping and PayPal). The Masaaki is a healthy, and very wide blade with a large kissaki. The koshirae only needs the retention clip replaced. It also has an owner-made shirasaya and tsunagi, which is not of professional quality but sufficient to keep the blade and koshirae protected independently. I will also restate that the Masayuki and Yoshiharu koshirae are in almost best-possible-condition. Both are beautiful and well preserved koshirae with everything original and matching. Nagasa of the Masayuki is a longer than average 69.8cm. Any questions, please drop me an email at raymondsinger@gmail.com. Best regards, Ray

Typical for Tegai Kanekiyo.

Yours is dated a day in December, 1941.

Tomomaro. Please see below. http://yakiba.com/Kat_Tomomaro.htm

Kakugata tsuba - $350 69mm x 72mm x 4mm x 5mm

Last Heianjo from this group - $450 73mm x 75mm x 3mm x 3mm

Heianjo mitsudomoe tsuba - $540 76mm x 77mm x 4.5mm x 4mm

Heianjo tachi tsuba - $600 82mm x 82mm x 4mm x 4mm

#6 also sold.

Gentlemen, thank you both for the confirmation. Kind regards, Ray

The nakago is signed Kanemoto. This is a lineage of smiths who worked in Mino.

#1 and #16 sold offline.

A very different execution of these motif in a tsuba by Akasaka Tadatoki.

Thanks so much. This led me to the passage below. 松竹梅 The kanji that make up shochikubai include matsu (pine) take (bamboo) and ume (plum blossom). The name comes from the Chinese reading of the characters instead of the Japanese reading (sho=pine, chiku=bamboo, and bai=plum blossom). This combination is known as the “Three Friends of Winter.” It’s a very auspicious combination, and although all the motifs are associated with winter (or the announcement of spring in the case of ume), it can be used year round.

I was asked by a friend about the meaning of this design in which cherry blossom, plum blossom and bamboo are interwoven. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Kind regards, Ray

The second is an Echizen (no) Kuni ju Kanetane

The large Heianjo #6 is on a 24-hour hold. Any inquiries, please email raymondsinger@gmail.com. Kind regards, Ray

Beautiful sword, thanks for sharing that one Daniel. Likewise, ours are the only two Akitaka I have seen. A very talented smith. The sarute in mine is very unusual. It is triangular in shape, with wire coiled around the outside. It appears to be original, but I've never seen one like this before.

#5 on hold for a collector offline.

Please see below for dimensions. (Width) X (Height) X (Thickness at Nakago-ana) X (Thickness at Mimi) Tsuba 1: $600 - 88mm x 89mm x 3mm x 3mm Tsuba 2: $600 - 82mm x 82mm x 4mm x 4mm Tsuba 3: $420 - 76mm x 77mm x 5mm x 5mm Tsuba 4: $500 - 72mm x 73mm x 4mm x 3.5mm Tsuba 5: $525 - 78mm x 82mm x 3mm x 3mm Tsuba 6: $600 - 87mm x 90mm x 4mm x 5mm Tsuba 7: $540 - 76mm x 77mm x 4.5mm x 4mm Tsuba 8: $600 - 83. 5mm x 82.5mm x 5mm x 3.5mm Tsuba 9: $240 - 66m x 70mm x 4mm x 4mm Tsuba 10: $350 - 69mm x 72mm x 4mm x 5mm Tsuba 11: $350 - 71mm x 72mm x 4.5mm x 5.5 Tsuba 12: $240 - 67mm x 70mm x 5mm Tsuba 13: $325 - 69mm x 72mm x 3mm x 3mm Tsuba 14: $325 - 78mn x 79.5mm x 4mm x 4mm Tsuba 15: $240 - 66mm x 70mm x 6mm x 6mm Tsuba 16: $480 - 73.5mm x 74mm x 4mm x 1.5mmm Tsuba 17: $450 - 73mm x 75mm x 3mm x 3mm

Please see below for dimensions. 1. Soryushi Masaaki Nagasa: 64cm Moto-haba: 32mm Saki-haba: 24mm Kasane: 6mm 2. Shoda Masafusa Nagasa 63.8cm Moto-haba 33mm Saki-haba 23mm Kasane 7mm 3. Shinkoku Nagasa 66.5cm Motohaba 33mm Saki-haba 24mm Kasane 7mm 4. Iijima Masayuki Nagasa : 69.8cm Motohaba 31mm Saki-haba 21mm Kasane 7.5mm 5. Toto ju Minamoto Yoshiharu Nagasa 67.6cm Moto-haba 31mm Saki-haba 23mm Kasane 7mm

Ken, please reach out to me via email at raymondsinger@gmail.com. I do not know how flexible he would be, but can certainly discuss with him.