Tengu1957

O Suriage Tachi NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon with attribution to Kokubunji Suke Kuni late kamakura Sayagaki by Mr Tonobe 69.2 cm He was originally from the Ichimonji kei in Bizen of which his Father was also a sword smith Sukekuni then went to the Bingo Mihara group to live and work Rated Jojo saku The Koshirae has menuki of the Hosokawa clan Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me

As a person who collects test cut swords I would say without a NBTHK paper all test cuts are suspect. If it's on a big name blade without a paper then it's a high chance it's fake as well. The test cuts were very expensive so it doesn't have to be a big name on the sword to be true but why would you want a legit test cut on a gimei sword ?

The image on the stand has the sayagaki , if I click on it you can enlarge it. He wrote a lot on the front and signed it on the back

Nambokucho O-Suriage Tachi NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon to Shikkake school One of the 5 schools of the Yamato Den 71.2 cm with a 23 cm Nakago. This would have been a massive Tachi before O-Suriage . Solid gold Habaki Sayagaki by Mr. Tanobe : This sword is O-Suriage museum.The omote shows an itame mixed with Nagare and Madame. The ura side features some ji-nie.The hardening in suguha is nie- laden and is interwoven with uchinoke and got sure, and the hakikake in the Boshi. We reorganize the characteristic features of the Yamato tradition the connected gunome that appear in places resemble doe-yakiba ,with that this masterwork can be attributed to the Shikkake school. 2021

I'm not sure why it was used , it doesn't look like anything recent. I assume it was done the last time the shikoro was remounted.

Your right Uwe I quoted in incorrectly

Myochin Iehisa O-Boshi papered Tokubetsu by the armor society late Edo Myochin Ietsugu Akodonari I posted in error previously in the wrong place. Momoyama jidai. Usually Haruta did this work but this is a Myochin who worked in this style. Many thanks to Nick at nihontoart.com for selling these to me

Kabuto with Akoda Nari shape 62 plate Koboshi signed by Ietsugu of the Myochin school ( 1800+ rivets of descending size ). Russet iron with Menpo. I think it may be of the Momoyama period or even a little earlier. I like this shape quite a bit. Many thanks to Rick Ricupero at Nihontoart.com for selling this to me.

Please see close up of Nakago

Koto Katana with Edo period Tameshigiri Bizen school O Suriage Katana 27.75 inches or 70.5 cm in typical Bizen school temper circa 1550. NBTHK Hozon Edo period Koshirae with matching copper Koshirae and sea cucumber style Tsuba In gold it states : Enpo 4 of Heishin 11th month 16th day November 16 , 1676 Tomita Yaichizaemon Jo Shigetsuna Ni Do Ochi , cut two bodies in half Shigetsuna is listed as a known tester in Marcus Sesko's book "Tameshigiri" . It's not common to use Koto blades for test cutting. Many thanks to Nick Ricupero at Nihontoart.com for selling this to me

Great sword !!!!! Nick is a great person to do business with always has very interesting items.

They hand guards fold forward , when you draw the sword they pop out automatically. You have to fold them forward while holding them closed. It's a spring mechanism.

Thanks Ray , I shouldn't have went from memory

Shikomizue - sword cane Wakizashi - signed Yamato Daijo Fujiwara MasaNori Ubu ,worked circa 1661 57. 2 cm Total length of cane 96 cm In the early part of the Meiji period after the prohibition for wearing swords many ex Samurai had these sword canes made to carry a sword without breaking the law . This was probably the Wakizashi that the original owner carried with his Katana. The outside of the cane is lacquered to resemble wood so it would look like a regular walking stick. When you pull the sword from the cane the two hand protectors pop out automatically. This owner meant business !!!!

I just realized I screwed up the total length with Nakago , it's 100 cm

Shinshinto Omi Yari - Ubu Signed shigegide Dated 1848 Point 56 cm , total length with Nakago 68 cm Beautiful hamon and hada. Personal name Tamon Omura , born 1808 as a Samurai of the Omura clan. Student of Naotane. The Lord of Omura clan , Matsudaira Tadakazu was a patron of Shigegide and a Kinnoto or supporter of the emperor. This clan supported the overthrow of the Bakufu or Tokugawa government Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me.

Uchi ne Signed Musashi No Kami Kanenaka Circa 1650 Tokugawa Mon on both sides , one Mon light and the other side dark An odd weapon , some have a notch like an arrow. Some have a cord , this one is not notched but has feathers. In a presentation box , I'm not sure of the entire translation but it has a Showa date. I have read that during the Edo period many high ranking Samurai rode in Kago or planequin. It was tight inside and even a wakizashi could not be drawn easily. This could be used in tight spaces or thrown at an attacker to gain a moment to draw their swords. It's a well made Yari , this is the first one I have owned. Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me.

Satsuma sword with Tameshigiri Wakizashi signed and dated by shinshinto Moto Oki Two months after the sword was made it was taken to Senju execution grounds and the TaiTai cut ( 2nd most difficult through the sternum and spine ) was made into the dodan ( sand pile ). The test was done by a member of the Yamada school of test cutters Toshikage . Old NBTHK green papers

The one you have is beautiful!!!

Luc , thank you. I know it's signed Kashu ju uji Masa Saku . The info is a big help

Here is a set of Abumi , very nice silver inlay. I am not familiar with the maker . The owners Mon is reflected in the design. It was supposed to be a presentation to a Daimyo but I am not sure

Thanks Uwe ! I can see it was tested two months after the sword was made. I will have to see if I can find Toshikage if he is a listed tester from this period.

I would appreciate some help on this. I can read it was made by Moto Oki and a member of the Yamada family did a TaiTai cut into the dodan but would appreciate help in the name of the test cutter. Thanks in advance

Ian , thank you for the information. I have also read that sometimes Sumo carried these really thick O-Tanto or Wakizashi as a symbol of status , is there any truth to this ?