pcfarrar

I was thinking Muromachi Bizen Kiyomitsu or the like. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

If its glued try using some acetone, that should loosen it enough to remove.

The fittings look ok and don't appear to need any restoration work. If you have it polished just put the blade in a shirasaya and then mount the WW2 koshirae with a tsunagi (wooden blade).

One of my friends uses Highland Horn in Scotland. http://www.highlandhorn.com/

Thought I'd bring an old thread back as I'm still no further understanding this blade. I suspect it is gimei but I'm not certain on the age, any thoughts of whether this could be Muromachi period? The nagasa is 14.5". It was brought back by a British Colonel during WW2 along with an Osaka Sukehiro katana in gunto mounts that is now in the collection of the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds. It had been used for many years to chop firewood by the veteran and his family (no joke).

Is the dealer in question Don Bayney? If so I doubt there is anything wrong with the sword. Also is the sword suriage?

It looks to me to be Jakushi school work. Quite a nice variation, one of the earlier generations I suspect.

No its shakudo, the shodai Masahiro blade is wonderful with little round eyes in the peaks of the choji. I'm surprised that someone would take such a good blade to the battlefield in WW2.

Will the title also be available as an ebook? It would make it much easier to search and would be useful on iPad's etc. Either way I will purchase one.

I haven't managed to get any decent photos yet but it's a typical Masahiro with big billowing gunome choji with loads of nie sunagashi and kinsuji. Has the post 1650 shodai mei.

Anyone have any ideas what this tsuba is? It is mounted on a Shodai Hizen Masahiro Katana that is in Higo mounts. The story goes that the sword was surrendered to a British Officer by a Japanese General at the end of WW2. I wondered if the tsuba was also Higo?

It's 68.5cm nagasa, a Japanese expert looked at the sword a few years back and stated that the sword looked older than Muromachi to him. It has good midare utsuri.

I've got a similar looking Bizen sword, mine is ubu and papered to Bizen Kiyomitsu (Tenshō). I assume mine would have been mounted as a tachi judging from the shape?

I was browsing ebay earlier and noticed this wakizashi which looks to be fairly decent for a beginner: http://www.ebay.com/itm/260965185178

Usually its the owners details that have been removed.

Thanks Mariusz, not too dissimilar to my tsuba. Is there a possibility of mine being Akasaka?

Thanks for the help Ford. I should have released it was tea ceremony related as its quite obvious now. Am I correct in assuming late edo, shoami? Thanks, Peter

Whilst browsing Buxton antiques fair today, I noticed an interesting sukashi tsuba mixed in with a pile of Chinese fake trash. As it was very inexpensive I decided to purchase it. I think its a late edo, has a good patina and rings like a bell when struck. I wondered if anyone might have any ideas for a potential school? Also any thoughts on what the design represents? I can see the two bird mon but I'm not certain what the round object at the bottom represents? Size is 6.9 x 7.1 x 0.4cm. Thanks, Peter

It's real, Meiji period "tourist" koshirae.

Aren't books exempt customs duty/tax like in the UK. Should be no reason for customs to hold the shipment. Was the shipment sent via the cheap USPS Airmail M-Bags? That can take quite a while to arrive, I had a book sent by that method and it took 2 months.

Did they give any feedback on their decision? Would be nice to know the reasons why they chose Bungo vs Hizen.

It's a Muromachi Bizen Norimitsu, bit tired and a few kizu but not so bad if the price stays low.

Richard Adams is in your neck of the woods if you want to get a habaki: http://www.habaki.co.uk/

How about Echizen Shimosaka?

I've also bought a few items from this seller. Can't fault him at all, he's good to deal with.