Gunome

There is a nijuba and uchinoke near the ha machi. Some nijuba, and hotsure in the hamon that is suguha based.

Any idea on the school ? Here a re some pics

Indeed, but this hamon start give me a doubt...

Thanks for your replies At first glance, without my books, I thought mei was good. But then after checking, I had a big doubt. I also thinks it is gimei, but I would like to hear other opinion to be sure. Sorry Steve, I cannot provide a bette photo of the date. This blade is not mine, it was for sale, and unfortunately I don't have any other photos than these ones.

Hello, I recently purshase this wakizashi. Nagasa : 53 cm It is not in good state with a lot of scratches and oxydations. Hamon is suguha. I first see it as shinto genroku, but after few day inspecting it, I now I see this blade as a sue koto. In fact, what bother me for shinto, is that the hamon goes strait to the nakago behind the habaki, that is more a koto feature. Also, there is no evidence of a machi okuri, and nakago seems ubu. I would be happy to hear your opinion: shinto ? koto ? Thanks

Hello, I would like to have your opinion on this Masahide mei. Do you see it as gimei or shoshin ? Thanks

Hello, I would say chiseled mei, but crapy close up photo

Hello, Thanks for pointing out Umetada school. I found this tsuba in wakayama, from Umetada school too. It show some similarities in the mimi and dot inlay. So Umetada seems to be a good call for my tsuba.

Indeed. It would be a great daisho if it were in good condition

Thanks Dale, that's a great find. Moreover this daisho has a mei that seems to be Umetada. That give me a direction to do further research in the umedata school. Many thanks

With the kanji : 正之

Hello, Last kanji is Yuki, so Masayuki Looks good to me (not cast)

Hello, As it is Umetada school, could it be Ume flower shape & design ?!

No problem for the off topic Thanks for last sharing. Nice kozuka, far better than my tsuba !

I own 2 nice aizu shoami tsuba but for this one I didn't recognize the aizu shoami style, that's why I requested opinion. I notice the one you share has same "grid" design. So could be a possibility, but always hard to compare kinko with iron. Anyway thanks again for your input. I appreciate

Thanks for the suggestion. I didn't thought to Aizu Shoami school because the workmanship is not so close of they usual works, but why not ?! Shoami styles are so large ! I will try to see if I found something similar or close in that school. Thanks again

Many thanks Mauro, these informations are very interesting ! I wasn't aware of this ceremony. I wondered why there is a fish head, but make sense now with your explanation ! Regarding the school, what about Mito ?! Thanks

Hello, I have no idea what school this tsuba could be. The patern show an Oni and holly leaves. Do you know if it is related to legend or a particular theme ? If you have an opinion, I would love to hear it

Thanks for the information !

A pure beauty !

Hello John, Thanks for sharing these observations and for this article I would like to share severals assumptions with you: - I think these tsuba are latter production (bakumatsu) and not so older (17/18th Century) as you suggest. - The quality is very different from ones to another. I may suggest there was several workshops, all in the same area, all reproducing the same model, but not with the same talent/quality. - I don't know if Japanese use the mercury gold technic. Gold gilding could be gold lacquer ? - regarding the punch mark on the nakago ana, I am not convinced by the quality control mark assumption. I think these punch marks could support the tourist theory, and were done to make tsuba more real and older, as if it had been mounted on a sword. However it is quite common to see these tsuba mounted on some koshirae. So could be also to fit to a blade in remote cases. Regards

Here is mine

Hello, I have a saya with snow flakes stamped. Yours is with kiri. Maybe a mon, maybe just decorative purpose

Mito ?