envocat

Amazing! So pleased for you 

Love the utilitarian look! Cool piece.

Beautifully said ^

I've been given a couple photos, still not clear enough to make everything out but it's clearer than the last few. 

Thank you all for the input. I don't know what i'd do without this site and its users, truly an incredible resource!

I'll ask for a close-up of the face and keep you updated. I agree that it does look odd, i imagine this type of damage would be difficult and costly to repair. 

The tsuka's in good condition considering these fittings are usually a mess. 

Hi all,

I've been offered this fuchi/kashira and i'm liking everything i'm seeing, however i'm new to this side of collecting and i'd appreciate some feedback from more experienced collectors. I know it's a shoki/oni scene and that the nanako is decent but that's as much as i can see. 

Any help is very much appreciated. 

Thanks!

I could look at that for hours.

Hope you don't mean that literally! Imagine the look on the binman's face. 

Perhaps the armouries sold all their loan swords around the same time the rebellion ended, giving them their name? I can't imagine they'd have been considered useful to the new, soon-to-be westernised Japan. 

I haven't a clue of course, just an idea. 

Look like 'satsuma rebellion' type fittings, usually the menuki are iron washers, i haven't a clue what the disks are but they're washer-esque. The blade's a nice and stout shape, i'm sure someone will have more to say about that. 

Thanks Jean, appreciate the input!

Thank you, i hadn't considered that it have had a suriage. The distance between the two mekugi ana give the illusion of a well proportioned nakago so i figured it was just short. 

Thanks, the tsuka does fit snug, it just needs a bunch of seppa to keep the tsuba from rattling around. 

I posted this a couple weeks ago, the sword has now arrived and i've taken some photos, they're not the best but i hope they get the point across (ha, me do big funny).

Nagasa is 25 inches.

It was sold as late edo but part of me thinks it's gendaito. The tsuka's far longer than the nakago so it's not original to the blade. There's an additional mekugi ana on the tsuka, right next to the fuchi that serves no purpose as the nakago doesn't reach that far down. 

It's seen much use and has many scratches etc. the kissaki looks like it's seen some abuse and maybe even sandpaper at some point.

Anyway, i'll let you all be the judges, thanks.

More photos of the blade + fittings here: https://imgur.com/a/FE7ddAN

I'm hesitant to comment on the blade, it looks authentic, at least to me but i'm no expert. I find it odd how the blade isn't accompanied by its original habaki though, they usually manage to stay together since it's unique to the blade. Making a new, brass habaki for the sake of stylistic consistency would be a good deal of extra work for little reward. 

Stick with an autumnal theme, a pale/soft orange. Peach!

We should get a diy section to the forum, could be a nice addition. 

I've used these guys for a few projects in the past, nice selection of materials including lots of bone and horn.

https://www.english-handmade-knives.co.uk/acatalog/Horn_and_bone_for_Handles__Scales__Spacers_and_insets-p1.html

Thanks Bruce, i'm liking these late war examples more and more, lots of mystery behind each piece. You can imagine how frantically everyone was working to get these fittings mounted behind the scenes. 

Thank you, the blade is signed but i suspect it's gimei. 

Thanks john. I must say it's a sight for sore eyes though. I've never been a fan of black leather, it doesn't get that nice patina you see on brown leather. 

Can anyone comment on the mounts/leather features on this gunto? The blade is ancestral, looks to be 17th c and the metal fittings are pretty crude and likely late war, but i'm not too savvy on gunto in general so any comments from more experienced eyes would be much appreciated.

The photos don't show as much as i'd like but it's all i've been given. I've brightened the one showing the tsuka, hope it helps a little.

Thanks!

Thanks you've all been very helpful. 

It does looks like it's seen some cutting, hopefully not too abusive but we'll see. 

I don't have many photos to go off but from what i've seen it's only on the last quarter of the blade, towards the kissaki. The other side seems healthy and consistent along the full length of the blade.