KungFooey

Shirasaya originated in the mid-Edo period when the Honami family of appraisers were employed to evaluate, authenticate and index the sword collections of important families. These families had many swords in almost permanent storage and so shirasaya were regarded much like the magnolia boxes used to protect valued tea utensils such as bowls and teaspoons. As with these other wooden containers, the Honami would write formal descriptive calligraphy onto the plain white wood. Then, following the Meiji Restoration, and the subsequent abolition of wearing swords in 1876, shirasaya became a necessity.

Passed Tokuho.

Gentlemen, Despite the much appreciated support I have received, both in private communications and on the last page of this thread, I am now heartily sick of what has become some kind of bizarre witch hunt (or 'warlock hunt' for those of you who like to claim I'm a man). As Hokke @Hokke so succinctly puts it, I have neither attempted to make any profit from this forum nor ever suggested I have superior knowledge which I do not possess. Yes, I've gotten angry occasionally but I have otherwise tried to be an active contributor and helped with observations or suggestions wherever I could. When I first joined here it was a real pleasure to interact with everyone but now I sign on always expecting to be denigrated or baited - so it's high time to call it quits. Lastly Stephen @Stephen, you only got really spiteful and nasty towards me after I asked you to stop sending me PMs - apparently "hell hath no fury like an old man scorned". Your incessant messages were starting to freak me out. (And, before you start spluttering 'it was all part of a cunning ruse to uncover your hidden identity' I took screenshots of all your PMs.) Goodbye to the many nice folks here and good riddance to all the rest. Adios, Dee

Thank you.

Oh, I see! So that's what you do to get a blade papered? Wow - sounds expensive.

Thanks Alex, I'll go and research Uda now.👍

I think maybe you're mixing up the NTHK with the NBTHK. The latter hardly tell you anything, even when a blade passes. The former gives notes on the pink fail slip about why it's failed and what they think it is.

Maybe who actually made it and when? I don't know that.

I was looking at a Japanese site which talks about a genuine Kinju tanto. After AI translating this part, describing why the style of dagger changed from the previous period, I'm pretty glad that my mine is a fake. 身幅広く、重ね薄く、浅く反る大振り※は南北朝時代に流行した。これはそれまでの短刀が刺すことを主要用途としていたことに対し、首級や耳、鼻などを撮き切る合風始が発生したことによる

Who'd a thought it? Mary Poppins - a ninja. Explains a lot.

If the mounts are original, then it's a nice piece for a militaria collector. Dee

I always haunt Yahoo, Curran - and, if I see something unusual, I'll post it here. I was actually looking into a gunto dealer@Stephen asked about when I came across this. Dee

Despite being sold in Japan, this is obviously an oil tempered, wartime blade with unremoved Seki stamp. What makes it intriguing is that it appears to have a very old registration card (torokusho) and is sporting some pretty fancy handachi mounts. Translating the seller's description, they claim that these were made for a high ranking naval officer. Personally, I think it's a post war refit - although all the mounts do seem to match. Opinions? https://page.auction...tion?aID=o1174368795

I searched but this sword is not for sale on Yahoo, Jauce or Mercari. Looks like the seller is only interested in the foreign marketplace.

Yahoo!オークション - 珍品希少 自在/絡繰金具の象...

Hi John! This tanto seems to have generated far more interest and dialogue than I ever imagined. Indeed, the comments have been almost universally highly informative, very encouraging and generally complimentary and/or witty. There was one exception of course but I'm starting to get the impression (from a very kind and supportive PM I received) that this person, as a 'high-roller' in the hobby, may feel aggrieved that such an ignorant plebe as myself is even daring to discuss a blade purporting to be by such a historically important smith as Kinju. But disregarding them, I'm learning (and then researching) a lot about both the Soshu and Mino schools thanks to the other contributors. The whole 'Go-Den' history is very complicated for me but, with their help and advice, I'm slowly moving up from 'complete plebe' to 'motivated novice'. As to your question about a '1% itch', of course it's there! The general consensus here seems to be that the blade is obviously not by Kinju but was produced by a reasonably able smith, whether Shin Shinto or earlier. Therefore, I might ask my brother to hold onto it while I decide what to do. (I had a FaceTime with him today and it was a real comedy of errors with him trying to photograph the tanto and me shouting instructions. Below are the very fuzzy results.🙄) The NTHK may well be the way forward - thank you for the suggestion! Dee

That combination is still an option, John - my brother managed to book my Shinto Kunimasa into the the next Hozon/Tokuho shinsa. My reasoning was that, as it's so difficult to get a place in shinsa nowadays, I may as well kill two birds with one stone. Dee

From the seller's listing: The blade itself is engraved (the engraving of a blade known as a “Horimono”), with one side bearing the kanji for “Inori Bu’un Chokyu”, or “Prayers for Continued Success in the Fortunes of War” What war was Japan participating in in 1805? (The date on the blade.) Also, below are comparisons of each kanji character and the hot stamp with an original papered Tokuho (on right). Anyone with eyes can see the difference in the chisel strokes.

I guess we'll never know, David.

99%; it has a good quality polish which brings out all the details and an expensive shirasaya with horn additions. While these are not brand spanking new (the polish has a couple of very minor scratches and the saya has a few dings and a slightly 'aged wood' tone) they are both recent enough to suggest a failed submission to shinsa in the last several years. This is especially likely as it was sourced from Hokkaido in Japan. Lastly, what are the chances? Really? I'm just not that lucky.

I wouldn't argue with that old guy, Okan - I know mine is gimei! 😂

Thank you Adam!! My brother in Japan already has it and is sending me photos. I honestly don't know what the catch is yet; every time I see it, it looks better and better. It was all like something out of a movie - I lucked across someone who was virtually giving it away considering the work that has been done on it. No shop, not a dealer. He placed it on an auction site at 2am as 'buy it now' and I grabbed it immediately. Who knows- maybe the blade is haunted? Dee

Thomas, your English is absolutely superb! Your historical recaps and your theories are so interesting to read. Well, I guess that's makes my dagger the only dated piece of Kinju's work in existence - I'd better get it straight off to the NBTHK Shinsa. 😂