Jon MB

Many thanks in advance.

Réponse à la vitesse éclair...merci Maurice!

Any translation assistance much appreciated. Wakizashi, overall length 27" (67 cm). Thanks in advance, Jon

Thanks Chris and JP, your input much appreciated. Yes, the chiselling is strange. Not a miracle of good preservation there. Sorry for the rather basic questions, not got much experience with earlier pieces.

Any comments on possible era?

All clear, many thanks!

Many thanks! The headline translation seems rather brief.

Hi, folks. Hope you are all well. Could anyone give me the gist of what this pair reads? (by Lu Xun) Much appreciated..

51 cm blade. Overall, 63.5 cm.

As you can see, there are problems. Came in 'Satsuma' type koshirae.

Hi, Thank you!

Hi Folks, Have dug out one or two older pieces recently. Any assistance with this would be much appreciated. Many thanks in advance! Need to work on my own skills.

Strange there are two impact points next to each other.

Noted, thank you Stephen. If it does turn out that's what it is, although still an interesting item, will sell.

I think you are right John, thanks.

I bought it in Scotland, but my gut feeling is that it has come from somewhere like Burma. I picture someone wanted to 'improve' a Kai-gunto they already had, possibly as a gift for someone else. I say Burma because they have plenty of gunto, skilled craftsmen and the gilding of items seems popular. And Burmese artefacts have started to flood the market in the UK. Sheer conjecture here as to what may have gone on. One avenue not discussed was the 'ichi' type mark at the end of the nakago that was pointed out by Bruce.

Many thanks for the comments, it's all a bit mysterious. Thank you Trystan for translation, thank you Ray for Tsuba input, I agree. Thankyou Bruce and Chris. My overall feeling is that we have a here a Kai gunto that has been 'fancified', but by whom or when I don't know. I was hoping it would turn out to be a nice high end or presentation Gunto, as mentioned by Chris. I feel the fittings may have been re-gilded, and at that point a fancy tsuba added, but again I can't be sure. I did consider all these things before buying, based on photographs, but I thought it was worth the risk, and thought the investigation might be interesting, with help from you guys. As I have some not-bad army gunto, but no Kai gunto, am tempted to replace the tsuba with a good quality 'standard' kai-gunto tsuba and seppa and keep. Thanks for input, if any more ideas come up, will still be much appreciated.

A few more.

Top of saya. Whole piece is nice, well balanced, even if it turns out it's not original.

Aha! Thanks Stephen. Would make sense. Here are more pics.

Fittings, same piece.

Hello All, I wondered if anyone has seen these stamps on a tsuka before. Part of a Kai Gunto set-up that has an unusual tsuba and numbered seppa and what looks to be a stainless steel blade. Many thanks in advance for any help.. Jon B

Accurate comments.

Photos are to posts as eyes are to eagles. Pics please!

Beware of scotch-tape/ sellotape on nakago.