Tengu1957

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 ?

Shin Shinto Satsuma Wakizashi Signed Sesshu Motonaga Dated 1810 This is the widest and thickest Wakizashi I have ever held in hand 4 cm wide. 0.76 cm thick. 45 cm long It's also incredibly heavy , I have put up a normal sized Edo period Wakizashi for comparison. It has Koshirae I haven't received yet. I am looking forward to seeing what it looks like Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me.

Juyo Naoe Shizu Tachi from early Nanbokucho jidai 69.8 cm I Suriage Achieved Juyo status in 1967 Tachi Koshirae papered by NPO as Edo period Hi on both sides My photos don't do it justice , the light just wasn't right Many thanks to Mike Yamasaki for selling this to me . I really appreciate the quality of this Tachi.

Piers , thank you for the information, Is there a specific term for this type of gun ? It does seem likely it was for firing iron pellets like a blunderbuss , I wonder in what situations this type of gun was intended for ? Its too bad your so far away or it would be nice to have you go through my matchlocks and teach me a few things , most have not been posted here.

No , no signature. I have seen other guns of this size and weight with conventual barrel shapes.

Sorry , forgot to list it. 4.62 kilos

66 cm total length

O Zutsu a small 66 cm long matchlock that has 40 mm bore so it's 100 Monnme Not completely sure what to say about this one because it's a bit of a strange shape. There is a silver Mon on the barrel and repeated on the stock twice on the side. The site has a decoration of Shakudo and the handle is decorated in brass. The shape almost reminds me of a Blunderbuss. It must have had a massive recoil when fired. Many thanks to Nick Ricupero at Nihontoart.com for selling it to me.

Edo period armor circa 1700 Papered Tokubetsu kisho Saotome Iyechika , a highly regarded Saotome armor maker 62 plate Kabuto The armor is tetsu sabiji or russet iron Came with two matching bitsu or armor boxes with leather cover Many thanks to Nick at Nihontoart.com for selling this to me

Just to clarify I purchased this armor. I knew what I was buying and I bought it because I liked it. It was a reasonable price and I would buy it again. I don't know who changed what but like all descriptions on antique things buy what you see not what it is described. What I did get was what was pictured with excellent packing and communication. If any of you have an issue with the seller then take it up with him. I posted this a short while ago so I am assuming since you have seem to have been tracking it you are aware of who bought it. I really get tired of hearing people snipe at each other on this forum. The Japanese swop parts on armor , break up sets and all manner of other things to make more money. Is anyone surprised that this happens all over. I can't think of a more scary way to make a living than dealing in and or restoring antiques. Sometimes you buy things because you like them. Don't turn everything into a Monkey poop fight because there are no winners in the end.

I had always thought the Hachiwara type objects with a hook near the base were parrying weapons popular in early Edo. I had read Musashi's Father was adept at using the sword in one hand and the Hachiwara in the other to parry a sword strike. It was suggested that Musashi had thrown his Wakizashi with his left hand at times because he had been taught to use the Hachiwara by his Father. The iron Tessen type weapons were for use during the Edo period as a non lethal alternative. The result of a non approved fight was death for both participants so if there was violence better a broken bone than a sword cut.

Its a bit difficult to equate a dollar amount for an armor and what the actual cost of living was during the Edo period. I had always read that fertilizer was in short quantity in Japan and that human waste was kept and sold to people who resold it as fertilizer to farmers. It was said that if 3 people lived in a rented house and sold their waste to the fertilizer salesmen it would make enough that they basically could live rent free. I also have copies of a Japanese armor sellers catalog from New York in the 1930's. You could buy complete suits of Daimyo quality armor for $250-400. Keeping in mind that this was sold out of a retail shop in the heart of New York the overhead was probably higher than in Japan and since it was an oddity it was probably selling for more than it was in Japan at the time. Armor equal to a cost of the house is probably true but a house could be either a hovel or a mansion so the quality can be quite far apart.

Shiranu ga hotoke

Yes , I keep meaning to buy one and try it out.

Luc, Thanks for the information. You are right about the 25 koboshi per row, I miscounted. Its pretty heavy.

Ko Boshi Kabuto 64 plates with 26 Boshi per plate ascending from large to small. 1664 Boshi Believed to be Myochin work , could be early Edo or a little earlier ( Momoyama ) Liner intact so not sure if signed Wood Edo period Dragon Maidate Very heavy construction Many thanks to Nick Ricupero from Nihontoart.com for selling this to me. Photos by Nick as well.

It's looks much better in hand than the photos. Sorry but no Oshigata.