Jump to content

Show Us Your High Class Gunto


lonely panet

Recommended Posts

Love that Type 3! Unusual leather wrap on the saya! You can see just from the curvature of the blade/saya that there is something special inside.

 

The close up of the blade with the choji hamon is the blade in the Type 3 mounts.  The pictures are in pairs for the 3 swords.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Yes, it is a shame.  I asked about the koshirae in hopes it was still available, but it was not.  Before Gendaito came into their own, most people didn't care too much for the swords and couldn't have cared less about the koshirae.

 

The Japanese were worse. In Japan once, I was digging around in the back of my partner's shop and opened a footlocker.  It was full, full of various Gunto and Kai-Gunto koshirae.  There were approx. 20-25 complete matched koshirae, and probably that many more mismatched tsuka, saya, tsuba, seppa, tassel's, everything that could have come off gunto. Also, there were probably 25 black lacquered saya of various lengths. Most wakizashi sized but a few katana length.

 

I asked, what are you doing with all those? He replied, they are just junk.  So I asked, what do you want for them? He said, you want them, you can have them. Gave me the whole damn box, including the box.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Heard that dumping gunto mounts was the norm as you stated.  Nice examples, Ed.  I have only owned a single sword from Akihide or his students, an Akihisa that was in very rough shape, although the mounts were very nice.  Looking back, I wish I would have hung on to that one and restored it.  Like Stephen, I'm on the hunt for Takahashi Yoshimune & his students at the moment after picking up a couple by Hiromasa.


 


In regards to the Easter egg sword in my prior post, here's a hint...  look at the habaki in the 4th picture.  Someone made a very generous offer of $200 (yes, two-hundred) for it recently though it's not for sale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In regards to the Easter egg sword in my prior post, here's a hint...  look at the habaki in the 4th picture.  Someone made a very generous offer of $200 (yes, two-hundred) for it recently though it's not for sale.

Very interesting! Haven't seen one like that before. With the mon on the tsuka, I'd say this was an expensive custom job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Brandon,

 

I did see your Easter Egg and had a question about it, but I am slow off my fat hakama.  I'll get there later today - have to go outside now and continue beating back Mother Nature (the cruellest bitch of all!!!).  Watch this space.

 

Barry "Gunnadoo" Thomas.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am still taken by the minute detail found on some Gunto. This a 1943 "98 MASAYUKI showing clearly the gilt highlighted components, and clearly the two metals (brass and copper applique) on the Kabutogane and Sarute. Probably not high class, but high quality and workmanship for WW2. 

Gunto stuff took years to be appreciated for what it is, and I for one am thankful some beautiful stuff is being preserved and cared for.  

post-3858-0-41586800-1523275537_thumb.jpg

post-3858-0-31170700-1523275557_thumb.jpg

post-3858-0-06612800-1523275570_thumb.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I am still taken by the minute detail found on some Gunto. This a 1943 "98 MASAYUKI showing clearly the gilt highlighted components, and clearly the two metals (brass and copper applique) on the Kabutogane and Sarute. Probably not high class, but high quality and workmanship for WW2. 

Gunto stuff took years to be appreciated for what it is, and I for one am thankful some beautiful stuff is being preserved and cared for.  

 

Hey Neil, is the smith Iijima Masayuki?  Or another smith?  If it's Iijima, is it his stamped mei?  Signed mei?  Dated?  Iijima Masayuki blades always came in nice mounts.  It seemed they all had pierced tsubas and some had oversized pierced tsubas.  I think Ray had one in naval mounts for sale here a couple of years ago, but it's the only one I recall in naval mounts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Something you don't see everyday; all four major tassel types. The Colonels sword has an aluminium Saya, all have high quality Koshirae. No doubt a few of you have this setup already but it's been a personal milestone of collecting to have all four on high quality examples.

post-3926-0-20573900-1534827535_thumb.jpgpost-3926-0-09944900-1534827577_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

post-760-0-20948200-1534902089_thumb.jpg

post-760-0-49671400-1534902122_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

One of my favorite recent finds. This one was shared in the translation section recently.

 

羽州庄内於細谷村五十余ノ者ホソコシヲハラフ 

其刃ヲ以テ大立割如夢 

脇毛切手大沼甚右衛門正重

 

 

In Yamagata's Shonai Hosoya village cut the thin waist of 50 people.

 

Big standing cut is like a dream on this blade.

 

Wakimou Kirite Ônuma Jinzaemon Masashige

post-457-0-56940600-1537727668_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-57098600-1537727679_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-08708500-1537727688_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-37486600-1537727697_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-53970800-1537727707_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-68245300-1537727717_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-99262800-1537727728_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-86953800-1537727742_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-82598900-1537727751_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-56729500-1537727761_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-25614600-1537727771_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-32346100-1537727781_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-11772300-1537727791_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-46947300-1537727803_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-43068100-1537727818_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-47155100-1537727828_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-00054000-1537727840_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-61875000-1537727851_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-06850400-1537727863_thumb.jpg

post-457-0-22088500-1537727875_thumb.jpg

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...