Toryu2020

Nakamurasho a tokyo shop does obijime, sageo and other braiding. they have a terrific website... -t

would be curious to see the other side and pics of the signature (title) from other angles... -t

Cello Blade looks a little rough, but i would study the work closely. i dont think this Tango, but Tanba. Take a look around for late generation Osaka Tanba. -t

Folks a little embarrased to admit that this is on the net but since it is for a good cause here it is... Our display is this Saturday and Sunday 10:00 to 16:00 If youre in the Bay Area we hope to see you there. http://www.nbcbayarea.com/on-air/as-seen-on/Washi-Ningyo-_-Japanese-Swords_Bay-Area-374655061.html

UOHP some great books for book lovers , big sale this Friday... https://www.uhawaiipress.com/

Take a close look at the shinogi - to my eye it does not flow naturally to the kissaki. my guess would be the whole thing was reworked to look like Nambokucho Soshu and $750 is a generous offer mho -t

Jussi you are correct - the first kanji you give is Hansashi and the second Hazushi - they are the same thing according to Fukunaga... -t

If it is clearly period, then I would not monkey with the tsukaito. complete unadulterated koshirae are becoming rare, best to preserve even the mid to lower level works. -t

Kamakura swords are the model, all others are technically re-makes with the exception of some new forms, new hamon. The thought is if you learn the gokaden and the masterpieces from this golden age, you will be able to place all later works in their proper context. I love Shinshin-to but my teachers insisted I learn in this order and I agree that it is the way to best approach the subject. -t

Well I like it 1. I like big iron tsuba 2. simple design, strong rim 3. healthy thickness 4. even color, but not I think the deep color of real age. 5. shows signs of mounting, but again not in a way that suggests to my eye anyway great age as i look at the photo iam not sure if it is tilted slightly, but it appears the points on the rim do not all line up with the points of the inome. Also looks to my eye as if the points of the rim are not all equidistant from the inome. In the Meiji period it was fashionable to fill the hitsu-ana of old iron tsuba with gold, silver or finely finished namari plugs. This ha sthe look to me of something from the Late-Edo or Meiji period treated to look like much older tsuba. And a good looking tsuba nonetheless. -t

Chris They do unfortunately look caste or of very poor quality the gold highlights look more like gold paint applied by some European. You clearly like them and if that 20 is twenty euros then why not? -t

Was Umezawa Rokuzaemon's given name Masamoto? or was this some smith who cut the tameshimei? -t

#3 for me too more proof that he is a national treasure, not that i needed any proof... -t

i think...

I this is Sasshu ju Kiyosada 薩州住清貞 there were three generations in the Edo period -t

Heres one for you - im thinking 7th generation. Bill look for my email. -t

Florian is right about one thing - the jumonji in a circle did evolve into the mon we know as the Satsuma mon. So maybe not from Kyushu but could still be a Shimazu warriors sword guard. -t

Looks to me like somebody remade an old blade into something a thirsty G.I. would need on his day off... -t

Fukunaga Hajime?

i personally dont believe the miniatures we see that are scaled down katana are not Boys swords or Boys day items, Iwas taught that upon the occasion of his genpuku a boy received full sized swords, and if he were still small he wore only rhe wakizashi till he could wear both. i have posted this before but here is a link to my article - also the childrens toys depicted are all part of the New Years Day celebration probably favored for their auspicious associations... http://toryu-mon.com/Toryu-Mon/Archives/Entries/2010/11/8_Boys_Day_or_Tango_no_Sekku.html

Oleg my guess would be late edo - poor condition. not typical tosho. i would really spend time studying tosho and i think you would see the differences. its a cool design but not early and not in the best shape. -t

Really thought I had better pics of this - Ko-Goto kozuka and menuki Few things I own would be considered high quality - the shakudo here is much richer in person. I think there are more photos on my website in the galleries but I can see I need to get some professional shots of my little beauties... -t

to answer the question - absolutely! this blade is exceptionally beautiful, in hand one can see all the features of nanbokucho Bizen. it reminds one of the work of Kanemitsu rather than anything that came out of kozori later. ubu in every sense, with the marks of a hard life still intact. whomever carried this sword cherished it from the day it got damaged - it was papered in this condition. after pouring over the blade, remove the nakago and find it is signed and dated! not only beautiful, not only proven, but rare with historical evidence. it may not be pristine but to me it is perfect! i should be so lucky to one day own such a sword!

Kokuho koshirae - Juyo Bunkazai Nagamitsu tachi

Kokuho koshirae and sword - Ko-bizen Masatsune