Austo1

Daisho Fuchi Kashira & Menuki Set with NBTHK Certificate. The theme is Insects and Flowers and the set comes in a custom made box. It is seldom that you find a complete matching and papered daisho set of both fuchi kashira & menuki. Price $1700 US Plus Pay Pal and Postage Cost. Regards Doug

Hi John No pictures because i got rid of it. Wear can be created. I have heard of fellows throwing replica tassels up on their roof for a month to age them and its easy to pull apart thread to create wear. I'm not saying that the tassel is a fake, its just that the color creates doubt. I never seen a color pics of any general with one of this type but who knows.......... Doug

I have always had my doubts about these types of generals tassels with the Light Beige Tassels instead of the traditional yellow gold color. The tassels are Not Faded, they are a distinct Light beige Color. I myself purchased one of these types of generals Tassels sight unseen some 35 years ago, also from a collector in Florida. The odd one has popped up over the years however i have always had my doubts that they are original. Doug

Hi Bruce The sword is in civilian mounts with typical showa period tsuba and F/K although antique menuki (Arrows). Koto sue Bizen Blade. It never had a tassel however there are a couple of pin holes were one was probably attached. The sword was souvenired in Rabaul by a member of the Australian 31/51 Bat. I believe the Japanese owner was probably a civilian attached to the Navy as as a lot of Japanese naval Insignia was also souvenired by the same Aussie Digger. Rabaul was a staging point for Japanese Navy and Army prisoner's of war until they were repatriated to Japan in mid 1946. This is the very sword that ignited my interest in Japanese swords about 57 years ago. I was a kid at the time and when it was pulled out of the saya ...i just thought WOW! The sword was brought back by my late sister-in-laws brother and it is now in my care after all these years. Doug

Thank you Vadim and Piers for your help. Much appreciated. I was hoping someone could see enough of the last kanji to make it out however it is too far gone.

Thank you...... I also read Sane but can only guess what that last character is. The curves on the bottom strokes remind me of Mitsu.

I would appreciate any help with the translation of the above Kanji. many thanks in advance. Kind Regards Doug

I have had a change of heart and have decided to withdraw the Okimasa at this time and sell some other items instead. Kind Regards Doug

For a quick sale in this current depressed market ,I would be willing to let the Tsukamoto Okimasa go for $9000AUD (Australian Dollars) which is currently about $6900US. This price is less than a reasonable Yasukunito and $3,000AUD less than my original asking price, which was what I paid for it. The blade is in great condition as is the shingunto koshirae, which comes with a blue/brown company grade tassel. I will get some pics up as soon as I can, however you will find some by searching the NMB. Kind Regards Doug

Yes i will be selling more. The next to be listed will be The Tsukamoto Okimasa in Shingunto Koshirae. It will be going back up for sale at a reduced price from what it was advertised for some 12 months or more ago. Doug

SOLD............. Thank you to the buyer and to all those who who shown interest. Kind regards Doug

For Sale Again...........Unfortunately buyer could not come up with the funds

On Hold pending payment.

Shingunto Mei - Kikumon Shinano no Kami Fujiwara Nobuyoshi (1st generation) Kanbun period 1661 Nagasa - 67.2 cm Sori - 1.3 cm Mekugi - 2 Width Hamachi - 2.83 cm Widith Kissaki 1.93 cm Kasane 0.68 cm The blade is suriage however flawless with well grained Koitame Hada and Gunome Midare Hamon with Tobiyaki. The shingunto koshirae is in excellent to near mint condition with a Company Grade Tassel. The sword was originally purchased from Aoi Art some years ago and they gave a 100% Guarantee at the time that it would pass NBTHK Hozon. Price $5,750 AUD (Australian Dollars) which is about $4,400US...........Payment by Bank Transfer Only Additional photo can be found here: http://www.guntoartswords.com/nobuyoshi.html It is time to sell some nice pieces Kind Regards Doug

The very vivid zig zag pattern generals Tassels in the photographs look like they are of the rarer Cotton Type Zig Zag stitching. Regards DougGeneral Tassel.docx

From the pic. The first generals tassel looks bad to me. The crowns look too loose and the red colour doesn't look right. The red in all the repro's that i have seen, tends to have a pinky red shade to them. The red colour can vary on different genuine tassels however the colour of the repro's in incorrect compared to the genuine type they are copied from. (Pink/Red Shade is my best way to try and describe the incorrect colour) The difference is clearly seen when laid beside an original. Kind Regards Doug

Hi John I just read your earlier post.......... Look up Gunto Art Swords 010802 Lt. general Hoshino Toshimoto Shingunto. Order made showato with a 30" cutting edge. From memory it was about 45 inches overall length and in excellant condition. Regards Doug

Hi Bruce Scarce as hens Teeth but Danny Watson Crimson Mist Military Antiques has one for $45 AUD Doug

Hitachi no Kami Mune Shige Circa 1600's

I agree with Hamfish and Stephen...... I dont know why NCO swords are so popular. In the early days, I wouldn't even make an offer for them and later paid from $40 up to $200 for one in similar condition to the one I now have for sale. They are not something that I would keep in my personal collection, although I would personally say the same for Emura and Mantetsu. However there is a collecting niche for them all. That is what collecting is all about and collectors set the market value of any item. We as collectors, will only pay what the item is worth.....to us. If there are any collectors out there who have picked up good NCO's a number of years back for a just a few dollars and now want to part with them, then i would be happy to offer them what they paid back then, if they don't think they are worth their current market value. All of us collectors like a bargain. Happy Collecting Doug

Hi All Collectors of expensive high rank tassels particularly General Grade. The more commonly found type of generals Tassel with 3 rows of bullion stitching always has a very tight knited crown above the tassel. I have never seen a genuine tassel of this type with a loose knitted crown. Recently I have seen aged reproduction Chinese tassels sold as originals. Please beware................ The attached pics show the tight knit/weave crown found on original examples. Regards Doug www.guntoartswords.com

Attached a couple more pics of a normal type 94 for comparison. Please note the standard size pierced tsuba and normal one piece kabuto-gane. Interesting this 94 was carried by a Major in the 228 infantry Regiment which was part of the 38 Division which took part in many well nown campaigns. Enjoy..... Regards Doug www.guntoartswords.com

Hi Neil The early 94 pat. gunto has many more distinctive features other than just having double ashi. The second ashi was removed from most with the arival of the 98 and many can now be found in collection with just the single ashi. Regards Doug

Hi All Attached a couple of pics of 3 custom ordered type 94 koshirae. Note that all have the larger and thicker pierced tsuba than the normal pierced type usually found on type 94 and the seperate roundel for the sarute other then the standard one piece kabuto-gane one usually sees. The top Generals koshirae with its early bordered edge tassel has an overall length of approx. 42 inches. This length is much longer than the standard gunto. The centre standard length gunto was found in Japan with a well worn and damaged generals Tassel attached however It was removed and sold a couple of years back to a collector in the US. The bottom gunto is a genuine crew gunto @ appox. 32 inches. It is special ordered made with smaller fittings than the standard. Hope you enjoy. Kind Regards Doug www.guntoartswords.com

Thanks Thomas............. Its probably worth more being a rare senior foresters dirk than a cadet/petty officers. Doug