Tengu1957

Brian I would agree with the older part ,not sure about the rest. I have a nice one coming back from Japan I look forward to sharing with you when it's OK for them to export again.

The Enju blade has Hi and Soe Hi , the Taima has only Hi. The Enju is on the right , I accidently loaded the Taima sword.

osuriage Tachi 68.6 cm NBTHK attribution to late Kamakura Enju school The sayagaki by Mr. Tanobe states this was discussed as being by Rai Kunitoshi at one time but due to disagreement it was given to Enju. It can be said it's still up for discussion.

68.6 cm long , 11 monme.

Osuriage Tachi NBTHK attribution to Taima mid Kamakura 69.2 cm Sayagaki by Mr. Tanobe

Kozuka has Takeda Mon and Yanone them. Fuchi , Kashira , Menuki match and have a plant/leaf them that match as Mon. Tsuba is kinko with same plant/leaf theme. Shitodome is gold.

NBTHK attribution to Echizen Rai 52.6 cm mid 1300's Nambokucho Koshirae next to sword

This is a new acquisition , it's 27 inches long and 7 lbs so seems a little too long for a pistol and too short for a carbine. 0.75 inch bore. Silver inlay of Chidori birds and waves. Silver 16 petal Kiku

I am waiting for the translations , when I get them I will post.

Sorry for the poor images , can't do much with my phone in this lighting.

Nambokucho jidai Rai school 26.25 inches Osuriage Sayagaki by Tanobe sensei Very healthy NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon O Kissaki

27.25 inches O suriage with Hi Sayagaki by Tanobe sensei NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Taima late Kamakura Very healthy

Ray , your right. Not sure what I was thinking when I wrote this.

This is a Wakizashi sized Koto Nagamaki Naoshi papered to a Bizen smith circa 1500. I really appreciate O Kissaki.

I would encourage anyone interested in Tamashigiri to buy Markus Sesko's book "Tamashigiri" since IMO it's the seminal book in English on the subject. To understand the relationship between swordsmith's , the government , the testers , and sword marketing it's an eye opener to read this book. I learn something with each piece and have developed an appreciation for the testers. In a time of peace for the Samurai these testers executed 1000's of people and performed fantastic feats of test cutting under strict standards of the government. It was very expensive to have a test done , roughly equivalent to the cost of a new sword by a highly rated Smith. The pressure for the cutter to perform was high and the outcome also would reflect on the Smith. This is not a highly studied area in the west or even in Japan for that matter.

Dated April 11, 1669 Dou Kiriotoshi ( double trunks cut down) Hitomi Denbei ShigeTsugu + Kao Omote - cut like dew on bamboo leaf , possession of Kii Kikukuchi Magoemon

Dai is 29.75 inches. Both tested by Yamano Nagahisa , both two body cuts tested/dated on the same day. Both shodai Harima TadaKuni signed but no date.

Katana in Naginata shape Teruyoshi started out as a fun Smith but showed skill as a sword Smith. His clan asked him to switch to sword making to help rearm the fief. On his grave market it states he made 200 Katana and 200 Naginata for his Lord. The test cutter was a documented Samurai who did test cutting on the side.

Dated 1839 , also a Tamashigiri dated 1839 by Yamada Asemon Gosaburo YoshiToshi. Hozon paper. TaiTai through the chest with one stroke into the Dotan at Denma execution grounds. Yoshitoshi was the head of the Yamada family and was also the Bakufus official sword inspector , the only non Honami to ever hold the job.

2nd generation - 26.5 inches Hozon paper Kinzogan Mei Tamashigiri - cut through 2 bodies The 1st generation worked with several Shinto smiths and test cutters to provide test cuts.