Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 28 Report Posted May 28 I have just acquired a knife; I have been told it was brought back to the UK after the First World War by my grandad. I have one very simple question, what is it? Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 28 Report Posted May 28 Gassan Sadakazu Tantō. (How long is the blade?) (Short answer) Quote
Brian Posted May 28 Report Posted May 28 BIG name, and on the off chance that this is a legit signature, this one needs to be treated very carefully...oiled and looked at by someone in hand. If a genuine mei, it would be worthy of a proper and expensive restoration. 2 Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 29 Report Posted May 29 PS When doing your research make sure not to confuse 貞一 'Sadakazu' with 貞勝 'Sadakatsu', another Gassan smith. Quote
Rivkin Posted May 29 Report Posted May 29 I am not the person to talk about signatures, but things about this one I don't like. Still horimono is decently executed. Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 On 5/28/2025 at 1:16 PM, Brian said: BIG name, and on the off chance that this is a legit signature, this one needs to be treated very carefully...oiled and looked at by someone in hand. If a genuine mei, it would be worthy of a proper and expensive restoration. On 5/28/2025 at 12:36 PM, Bugyotsuji said: Gassan Sadakazu Tantō. (How long is the blade?) (Short answer) 刃の長さは24センチです。 Ha no nagasa wa nijūyon-senchi desu. The blade is 24cm long Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 Thank you! Tantō range up to 30cm +/- Gordon, so yours would not be a Wakizashi. Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 (edited) On 5/28/2025 at 1:16 PM, Brian said: BIG name, and on the off chance that this is a legit signature, this one needs to be treated very carefully...oiled and looked at by someone in hand. If a genuine mei, it would be worthy of a proper and expensive restoration. This is the first time I’ve held or owned something like this, and it feels very special. I would truly appreciate any insight or advice the community could offer. I also appolgise for sending the message you that I meant to send to Bugyotsuji Edited May 30 by Gordon Bloxwich I got confused as to who I was answering Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 2 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said: Thank you! Tantō range up to 30cm +/- Gordon, so yours would not be a Wakizashi. 🇯🇵 日本語 (Japanese): これは、私が初めて手にした日本刀です。古い日本刀（日本刀／日本製の刀剣）については、正直ほとんど知識がありません。 剣術を含む武道にはある程度通じているのですが、これまで本物の古刀を使ったり所有したことは一度もなく、今回が初めてです。 この刀は、第一次世界大戦後に祖父が持ち帰ったナイフ類の小さなコレクションの一部で、長い間、両親の家の屋根裏にしまわれていました。存在は知っていましたが、ずっと「行方不明」だったのです。 先日、両親を亡くして家を整理していたところ、この脇差（だと思います）を発見しました。他にも、非常に古い士官用と思われるククリ（私自身は現役時代に使っていた1946年製のものを持っています）や、もう一本、ビルマ製のように見えるが正体不明のナイフも見つかりました。見た目はやや小ぶりで、柄が非常に装飾的です。 実際にこうした古い武具を手にするのは初めてで、とても特別な感覚があります。もし何か情報やアドバイスをいただけたら、ありがたいです。 🇬🇧 English: This is the first Japanese sword/knife I have ever owned. I know very little—if anything—about antique Nihonto. I am fairly well-versed in martial arts, including Kenjutsu, but I have never had the privilege of using or owning a genuine old sword until now. This one came from a small collection of knives my grandfather brought back after World War I. They had been stashed in my parents’ attic for decades. I knew of their existence, but they were considered "lost" for years. After recently losing both of my parents, we began clearing out the house and came across what I believe is a wakizashi. Alongside it was a very old officer’s kukri—smaller than my own well-used 1946 kukri from my active days—and another knife I can’t identify, though it looks Burmese in origin. The handle is particularly ornate. This is the first time I’ve held or owned something like this, and it feels very special. I would truly appreciate any insight or advice the community could offer. Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 Well, I have told you that it is a Tantō, in reply to your question: “What is it?” I have told you the signature reads Gassan (a long line of famous smiths) Sakazu, who is one smith of that line. As to the identical repeated posts from you, I am puzzled. (If you like I can say all that in Japanese, politely, without using AI.) Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 18 minutes ago, Bugyotsuji said: Well, I have told you that it is a Tantō, in reply to your question: “What is it?” I have told you the signature reads Gassan (a long line of famous smiths) Sakazu, who is one smith of that line. As to the identical repeated posts from you, I am puzzled. (If you like I can say all that in Japanese, politely, without using AI.) Yes, Thank you very much for your answer, unfortunately I do need AI, to write in Japanese. So I have a Gassa Tantō, how old do you think it is? Quote
Brian Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 You need to understand that false signatures of famous makers was EXTREMELY common throughout the history of Japanese swords. Some say there are more false signatures than real ones. It was common to sign a sword with a different maker's signature to elevate the status of it. Doesn't mean the sword is fake or is bad quality. But due to this, any sword with a big name needs to be inspected carefully and sometimes put through a Japan shinsa process to see if the signature passes. If not, it's called 'gimei' and that means you have a sword by an unknown smith. No-one can say for sure if your tanto is by the smith on the tang. That is up to professionals to analyze. But because he's a big name, it's worth showing it to a few experts, and maybe considering a restoration. Without knowing for sure if the signature is genuine or not, it's hard to date it. But likely anywhere from 125-300 years old. 1 Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 25 minutes ago, Brian said: You need to understand that false signatures of famous makers was EXTREMELY common throughout the history of Japanese swords. Some say there are more false signatures than real ones. It was common to sign a sword with a different maker's signature to elevate the status of it. Doesn't mean the sword is fake or is bad quality. But due to this, any sword with a big name needs to be inspected carefully and sometimes put through a Japan shinsa process to see if the signature passes. If not, it's called 'gimei' and that means you have a sword by an unknown smith. No-one can say for sure if your tanto is by the smith on the tang. That is up to professionals to analyze. But because he's a big name, it's worth showing it to a few experts, and maybe considering a restoration. Without knowing for sure if the signature is genuine or not, it's hard to date it. But likely anywhere from 125-300 years old. Thank you, I am very surprised, and pleased about the possible importance of the blade. I do know that there are many “false” blades out there, I did watch a discovery channel program about it sometime ago. How would I get in touch with some experts, I am in Spain, I would not think there to be any here. As for restauration when I pick up and old blade, and I have quite a few, I normally just clean and oil the blade and the same with the handle and sheath using the appropriate oils for all, but given the possible history of this one I feel it should only be touched by an expert. 1 Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 30 Author Report Posted May 30 Now realising the importance, here is a better picture of the mei Quote
oli Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 You can come to https://www.japanartfair.com or contact NBTHK Europe: https://nbthk.eu Quote
Bugyotsuji Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 https://www.google.com/search?q=月山貞一+銘&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#vhid=6PL1phFFd716rM&vssid=_ycE5aJ_WG7f51e8P07HwwAk_31 In the meantime you can read up on Gassan, and run searches for genuine Sadakazu Mei with which to compare yours… https://eirakudo.shop/token/tachikatana/detail/838671 1 Quote
Jacques Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 Obviously gimei https://sanmei.com/contents/media/N16160_T5801_PUP_E.html Quote
Franco Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 3 hours ago, Jacques said: https://sanmei.com/contents/media/N16160_T5801_PUP_E.html A blade worthy of attention. Quote
Robert S Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 3 hours ago, Jacques said: Obviously gimei https://sanmei.com/contents/media/N16160_T5801_PUP_E.html I think the thought is that this blade would have been made by the grandfather of the person who made the blade that you referenced, so the mei might have varied from that example. Quote
Jacques Posted May 30 Report Posted May 30 No, the style of the Gassan family's mei is very particular and has nothing to do with the one discussed here; the same goes for the horimono. I must apologise as i'm wrong with the Sanmei's Tanto it's one of Sadaichi, not Sadakazu... ps Sadakazu was an adopted son of Gassan Sadayoshi.... 2 Quote
Gordon Bloxwich Posted May 31 Author Report Posted May 31 17 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said: https://www.google.com/search?q=月山貞一+銘&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#vhid=6PL1phFFd716rM&vssid=_ycE5aJ_WG7f51e8P07HwwAk_31 In the meantime you can read up on Gassan, and run searches for genuine Sadakazu Mei with which to compare yours… https://eirakudo.shop/token/tachikatana/detail/838671 Thank you 1 Quote
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