Chishiki

Hi. Congratulations on making such an attractive set. Please share other projects with us in the future. You certainly have a lot of talent. Can you please add a few photos of the work at different stages of progess? That would be great. Mark

Hi. I can see why you got excited about this tanto, polished, signed (with kiku mon) and flashy mounts. It ticks a lot of desirable boxes. Sadly, as you have found that nakago has been given ‘the treatment’ complete with gimei. The reason I am posting this is that I don’t want you to feel discouraged as there isn’t a person on this site who hasn’t had that sinking feeling when something hasn’t turned out the way they expected. I have always said you need broad shoulders and balls like coconuts to collect in this area. Having said that there is a lot to learn about your tanto. In the eighties before the internet that piece would have been snapped up at an arms fair, for all the reasons why you did. So we can dismiss the nakago, this has been jazzed up in recent times. As for the horimono, you like it, that’s fair. I have seen a lot worse. Tanto with expertly cut horimono are very expensive and beyond the reach of many collectors. So if you like yours, that’s great, it’s just a matter of looking and comparing high grade carvings so everything gets put into perspective. Next are the mounts. I like the binding. At best you are looking at a very late edo, meiji period make. The photos aren’t very good. Hand done or cast is the question. If it were mine i would take part of the mount to a gold buyer. They have machines which i believe are called XRF machines which can give you an exact break down of the metal composition. If there is silver and I don’t know what percentage it should be it would be a very positive start. There should be signes of hand work, fine chiselling etc. i hope the mounts turn out to be hand made silver, if so that is a big positive. Sometimes in the meiji times the value was in the mounts more than the blade. I find it hard to try and guide anyone in this area because I am not that advanced myself. I just want to encourage you to research your tanto and not to be disheartened. There are a lot worse pieces out there. The baleen binding is not common and not easy to find in good condition, look more closely into the koshirae. Good luck. Mark

Thanks Steve, a lot of effort on your part. Interesting to see a date where the artist has been quite specific. Mark

Ryujo Ishikawa (1847-1927) The Japanese artist. He was born in Nagoya-shi in 1847. He learned the Nanshu picture from Kado Yoshida. He studied the picture in Taiwan and south China from 1896. He died of 80 years old in 1927.

Thanks Moriyama San. I am searching the internet now. Regards Mark

Hi. For nearly 20 years I have had this silk 12 panel screen art in storage. It was removed from the frames and i suspect it was salvaged from an eartquake or flood damaged house. It must have been a huge, attractive piece of art when it was made. There is a landscape and extensive calligraphy on gold painted silk. Unfortunately you cant see the gold effect in the photos. I think the date is Taisho, 11th year. Can anyone work out the artist name? I would like to find out if he is a good artiist or soso. I want to mount the artwork but dont want to irriversibly damage somethig that should be preserved. It may just be nothing, always best to check. Are 12 panel screens rare? Any help appreciated. Mark

Thank you very much. Very appreciated. Mark

Hello. I have a kabuto with an inscription that I would appreciate an interpretation on. The gold highlight is not original and is now removed. Hoping you can help. Mark

This has always been a small tanto, too small to have been anything else. It is a nice shape as you can see and is a well made blade without kizu and very good hamon. Maybe shortened to be mounted as a wedding gift. The koshirae whilst plain is very niceley made. I still haven’s worked out the old mei, I will try to get some better pics. Mark

Thank you Moriyama San, i have added more photos of the old mei. I hope someone can help. Thanks

Does this kanji outline make sense? Brian, sorry about tsking up space. Once the thread is done you can delete whst you want. Thanks.

With contrast

More pics

Thanks for your help. Here are the specific measurements. What the pics don’t show is how small this tanto is. It must have always been a tanto. What so you think? Thanks again. Nagasa 17.5cm Motohaba 2.1cm Kasane 3.4mm

Photos of the mount. Mark

Thanks gents, amened to meiji 30. I am trying to work out the old mei. Nobukuni is a possibility. Please keep the info coming. The kanji on the nakago are very small and neatly done. It looks like it has been darkened up to look older. It is a small tanto mounted as kwaiken. I will add some pics. Thanks again, much appreciated. Mark

Sorry the pics came out sideways.

This Tanto just arrived and I am away from my books. I bought it without seeing the Nakago so was surprised to see an old mei inserted into a shinsakuto. I see the hear showa 30 Blade length is about 7”. Does anyone know of this maker? Thanks in advance. Mark

Vajo, very creative. You could be right. The only reason I bought this kozuka is to have fun with the theme. Thanks for joining in.Mark

Thanks to everyone for contributing to the thread. Whatever the maker was trying to achieve has been reduced to a gaijin in a foreign land thinking his design looks like a dick. That refects badly on me I know, but hey, the Japanese are no strangers to phallic fun.

Hi. Just wanted to share my latest buy, a ko kinky school kozuka. Now I am sure the maker thought he was making something like a mushroom? But surely at some point one of his colleagues, customers, or he himself thought, hey that looks like a penis. Now I always try to be pure of mind but even at my mature age I still have a juvenile side. So, does anyone else see a dick or is it just me? How about generations of owners? Did they see it? Hey, what’s that mans name, the bloke with the penis kozuka? Sorry if I upset any prudes. Mark

Thanks again gents. I’m very happy. Mark

Thanks John, that is fascinating that he mentions the Shogunate at this time in history. Much appreciated. Mark. Ps. Just doing some research on him, really enjoying it.

Hi all. Could someone kindly help with the mei on the yari? Is it Musashi Hisayuki. 3rd year of Bunkyo? I need a precise interpretation. Many thanks. Mark

Hi. Just wanted to share these menuki I recently acquired. They are gilded shibuichi and about 3.5cm. Fascinating to find something I’ve never encountered before. Mark