Matsunoki

Nope still can’t see a boshi although at these angles the kissaki does at least look a better shape. It might be fine…. your money, your decision.

Nope, they don’t help. I had already seen them. I am talking about just the tip section of the blade. It looks a bit stubby as if a chip may have been ground out. If the hamon (tempered edge) now runs off the end of the blade instead of following the shape of the tip it dramatically impacts the financial value. The hamon in the kissaki is called “boshi”…..have a look on this forum for examples or simply do a bit of research on Google…..or post some clear closeups of that area.

Also…..is the kissaki (tip) in good condition can’t quite see from the images but looks like it might be reshaped? Does the hamon follow the curve of the tip edge or run off the end of the blade? This is pretty critical to the $value.

Looking a bit more at your plaques. I don’t think they are shakudo which is a very specific alloy. I believe they utilise a technique whereby much of the design or the individual design elements (birds, flowers etc) are “pressed out” in a copper alloy, hand finished and then multi patinated and plated/gilded to resemble the far more complex “true” mixed metal inlays. Ford will correct me I’m sure but this technique enabled cheaper and faster production at a time when the world was going nuts for good Japanese metalwork ie during the Meiji period. They are not fakes in any way…..just a different production method that was used at times by some quite famous studios eg Miyabe Atsuyoshi and others. The end result still looks good.

Melissa DON’T DO IT !!!! The patina on your plaques looks totally original and largely it is exactly how the maker intended it to look except for maybe some slight tarnishing on the silver??? surrounds. Cleaning it (especially the multi patinated panels) will immensely devalue it (unless done by someone like @Ford Hallam) and will also look horrible. This is not intended as an insult to your experience in jewellery but Japanese metalwork is a whole different ballgame…. the patina is crucial and easy to destroy leaving you wishing you had never started. (Speaking from personal experiences many years ago…..which ended up with Ford to be fixed!)

Looks good to me. While he has the tape measure out we might as well ask for the true Nagasa as well as the overall length?. He can then be told if he has a Katana vs Wak etc?

Whilst the latch is very well machined and a tight fit there are no rubber or other seals and I doubt it was waterproof. It would stop an immediate total swamping for a few seconds but not prolonged immersion.

Hi Bruce mine (link below) does have a spring but when you draw the sword it stays firmly in the fully open position and requires pressure to close it….it then “snaps” shut firmly and the spring holds it closed. All the best Colin

Maybe Benkei nicked that one as well?

Hi Dale google Fuji san ladders and select images. bell towers?

Yep….that’s the idea.

I’ve seen (can’t remember where[as usual]) a diagram showing what /how to measure a blade. That might be simpler and clearer than trying to explain it in text?

Jeremy, I can see this as being very helpful to those who are new to our Forum/topic. The suggested photos are a good start. Not sure how this will eventually appear on the Forum (pinned thread?) but I think we should maybe consider avoiding using all the “official” terminologies ie stuff like nakago, kissaki, sori, machi etc etc. Instead use tang, tip, curve, notches etc …maybe with the actual term in brackets afterwards. A newbie would be totally confused if faced with a multitude of words that mean nothing to them initially. Heck I still get confused. I’ve seen some replies to enthusiastic newcomers that are frankly ridiculously ill considered regarding the terminology used. Maybe add a generic image of the mountings as well……that can often give hints about the blade? ….just a few musings. All the best. Colin

Just found this example. Workmanship and detail in the blade is pretty similar to the one I post above…..out of interest. Obviously my koshirae are nowhere near as good. https://nihontoart.com/shop/precious-date-family-tanto-by-sendai-kunikane/

Dale, I thought you might struggle with this one🙂 Silly me. I must try harder. All the best. Colin

Many thanks Bazza!! Greatly appreciate your help. All somewhat confusing and shrouded in a bit of “mist”! Nothing new there🙂 The Tanto I posted seems to be bang on for the school but as for who signed and dated it….who knows. I thinks it’s an interesting blade anyway. Again, thanks. All the best. Colin

Barry, can you direct me to these discussions please? Many thanks. All the best. Colin

Hello from the UK, hope things are good for you all around the world. It’s grey and damp and chilly here. This tsuba left home a few years ago as part of a deal to acquire a nice sword but it recently had the opportunity to return home again …..and here it is……just for interest. To me it’s an appealing subject artistically rendered and decent quality workmanship. What are your opinions? The thin iron plate has a slight ishime texture and an even dark brown patina. I believe the old Japanese label says something like “old pine tree wasps”…..anyone confirm? H8.5cm W8.1cm T3.5mm at the slightly raised rim.

@Bazza is spot on. The bronze depicts the legend of Benkei and the Bell. It looks as if it is a late Meiji period item produced for the Western Gaijin that were in Japan at that time. A popular legend appearing in just about all art forms.

Peter, thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and for your time. Very much appreciated. I will continue to dig around for comparisons etc. it is such a distinctive Tanto…..never seen anything like it before. All the best.Colin

@Rivkin @Toryu2020 Many thanks for looking and commenting. I was really hoping someone would clarify my confusion re the hada/steel structure ie am I looking at a differential steel effect or true “hada”?. To me it looks like laminations of different steels. Also, I believe this school suffered many premature deaths among the lineage of smiths and that creates a degree of confusion regarding who signed what? Anyway, thanks again. All the best. Colin

Darren, a nice tsuba is available here on this forum. Perfectly genuine and in my opinion it’s not expensive. See this link. The market is flooded with Chinese fakes. Many crop up in “antique” shops and at auctions across the UK and neither the shop,owners nor the auctioneers seem to have a clue what they are selling….thus many are described as “Japanese tsuba”.….and many enthusiastic beginners get caught.

Hello from the UK Posting this pretty (imo) Tanto Mei Sendai ju Kunikane dated Tenmei 4 (1784) possibly 10th generation? It has attractive silver Omori style f/k and a lovely unusual kurigata of Buddhist precious objects, but the thing that really hits you is the hada. Surely this is showing a laminate of different steels rather than a “normal” masame hada? It is densely packed at the mune but becomes increasingly more spaced towards the ha. Looks spectacular but slightly strange. The hamon has glittering koi nie sprinkled along it (difficult to image) and what could be interpreted as a heck of a lot of sunagashi…..or is it? All guidance, comments and opinions always most welcome. Many thanks. (Nagasa 23.7cm) All the best.Colin

Indeed, there is a strong parallel with the fine art world. Wonderful paintings with no signature that attract very different expert opinions. Signed paintings that equally attract differing expert opinions. Awful paintings with wonderful signatures, beautiful paintings with awful signatures. Paintings hitherto believed genuine are later discredited. Paintings believed fake later proved genuine….and so it goes on……Paintings bought by investors that subsequently lose them money. Paintings bought cheaply that make a fortune. Experts eatinging humble pie. Experts disagreeing….even ending up in law courts!! Ours is a “hobby” where it is best to be comfortable with uncertainty because the best you will ever get is an opinion. Shinsa does not bring 100% certainty as evidenced by the same sword receiving very different appraisals by different shinsa. You will however get a piece of paper with an expert opinion, or rather a collective expert opinion. Generally a paper will enhance the perceived value of a sword, it will maybe make it easier to sell, it may bring a degree of comfort or satisfaction……or often it brings disappointment. It may or may not back up your initial judgment to buy the sword. It all depends on why you own the sword - because you like it? Because you think it’s a bargain? Because you think it’s a great investment? Because it brings you joy? Because you want to boast about it? Because you want to save it? Because you want to learn? Because you simply must have a Nihonto….. How you answer those questions might suggest whether Shinsa is for you/your sword. Just some ramblings. Fire away🙂

Ian, I guess you are referring to the huge ££compensations they agreed to pay out after banning our handguns? Well they sure learnt from that…..when they recently blanket banned the sale of ivory including wonderful antique items (with a few piffling exceptions) they did so with no compensation……tough luck for collectors who were facing losing a lifetimes investment. I personally know of collectors who have “lost” hundreds of thousands as a result. Not just Japanese (netsuke, okimono, shibayama etc) but stunning French and Low Countries carvings, medieval and religious items etc etc. If they decide to ban our swords (or any other weapons) they will do so without any compensation and without any conscience and, as with ivory, will ignore any amount of objection or advice no matter how justified. I hope you are right!