SWORDS
green colored item number = picture
SG1
For sword knots and hangers, please see Misc. Swords section.
SJ5 1934 model, Officer's sword, 25 3/4" long blade, gold plated habaki, deluxe pierced tsuba with heavy gold plating, seppa gold plated, paint, ray skin, and fittings (all the blossoms and the leaves are applied rather than cast) show that this was a sword for an important officer. Silver Family Mon, crest, is present on the kashira. All the individual pieces are numbered with two lines and an X below. The large stamp on the Tsuba is the crest for the Suya Company of Tokyo who worked in 1934 through 1936 in conjunction with the Kokura arsenal in making swords and fittings. The two very small stamps on the tang are the Chief Inspector for the Nagoya Arsenal. The wear to the drag is indicative of being used as a walking cane which wore away the cherry blossom and the leaves, wear to the sageo has been strengthened with dozens of hand stitches to keep the handle intact. This sword was for use by an active officer, not a desk officer. Both the bohi and the ko-kitsusaki, small kissaki, are done so well that they are letter perfect. No waver exists in the bohi. Perhaps the most unusual feature of the blade is the ikubi kitsusaki, or Boar's head, that was commonly found on the Tachi from then 1300's. Wear to the paint just in front of the Ashi, hanger, show that there was a second removable hanger that was worn only by the Imperial Landing forces before the war. VERY UNUSUAL $2000 Pictures: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N NN O P Q R
SJ7 Bronze reproduction of a Katana Tsuba. One of Dave Langenbecker's lost wax process pieces. Nice work and priced right at $40 Pictures: A B
SJ8 Bronze reproduction of a Tachi tsuba A copy made from one that I owned years ago. 3 3/4" wide 3 3/4" high. The detail is perfect in every way and the price is just right at $50 Pictures: A B
SJ9 Katana, full Samurai mounts, full polish. 27 3/4" from kissaki to munemachi. All fittings are matching old iron with the same floral pattern and gold 'dew drops'. The saya has been repainted. Only one menuki was ever present, but it is a war axe just under 2.75" long, copper handle and gold head. The tsuka is 10.2" long. Two character mei: YUKIMITSU Sabe/rust on the tsuka is black, one mekugi-ana. The sword is ubu. The habaki is shakudo or blackened copper that has been hit with something a long time ago when someone tried to take the tsuka off. The hamon is one of the wildest that I have seen in a long time with floating islands, sunagashi, and a very active boshi. I started the pictures of the temper on the right side (cutting edge down), out to the tip and then returned them to the hamachi. there are some minor openings above the shinogi but none below nor in the hamon. The width of the blade at the yokote is 1 1/16" and at the hamachi it is 1 5/16" wide: a very meaty blade. This sword would grace any collection. $5000 Pictures: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z ZA ZB ZC
SJ12 Very Old Katana, mid 1300's. 24" long. Very good polish. Maker: MASAMUNE. The two holes in the nakago show that the machi was moved up about an inch quite a while ago. The sword was probably a wedding gift since all the fittings are white. The white wrap is actually string rather than the cloth tape usually found. The saya is white ray skin with the large nodules. I have yet to understand why someone made another hole for the bamboo peg. When I bought this sword in Denver, the vet told me that he had taken the "little gold lions" out from under the wrap and sold them to a gold buyer who came through in the mid 70's. He got $500 for the pair. All the foolish people are not dead... The fuchi/kashira are done in shakudo, blackened copper, with lions on the fuchi and a rooster in gold and silver on the kashira. The tsuba is unique in that it has three Mon, or family crests, to celebrate the union of the two samurai families. The old iron tsuba had been deeply cut and brass had been pounded into the dado-like channel. The brass had been gold plated, but little of the gold remains. The two character Mei on the nakago is Masamune, not the big boy, but none of the Masamune smiths were average. This blade is amazingly tight after so many years and so many polishes. Three very small nicks are present in the edge of the blade and the temper line is narrow, but distinct. The blade was made of iron sand and has the light blue luster characteristic of the early Koto era. The Boshi is very active with sunagashi and the flame pattern at the turn back. The slight dark lamination lines are on the left side of the blade only, the right side is very tight. The habaki is copper with thin silver plate. The pattern is unusual as you would expect on this piece of history. I had shirasaya made to house the blade rather than leave it in the original saya, it is included with the sword. $3400 Pictures: A B C D E F G H I J JJ K L M N O P Q R S T U V SOLD
SJ13 Koto Katana with 1886 style tsuka and Showa saya. 24" long cutting edge, 1300's. The older double hand handle was an officer's style used from 1886 through the Russo-Japanese war. Ranking officers could carry the sword they used earlier, but the saya had to be of the 1934 and 1938 style used during the Showa period, this one is the Naval Dress sword pattern. The hook is missing but the button assembly is present. The saya is wood with a deluxe lacquer double ashi, hangers, of the Naval pattern and the fittings still have most of the silver highlights present. The habaki has heavy gold plating. Polish is excellent and the hamon is clear and the blue luster is not as obvious as in SJ12, but present. The kitsusaki is the Ikubi Kitsusaki, or Boars head that you seldom see other than in museums. One nick 1/16" deep and two just large enough to be felt by a fingernail are present on the cutting edge just in front of the habaki, and two small openings are on the right side on the shinogi, none are in nor close to the temper. Several sword cuts are present on the mune and two on the right side of the ko-kitsusaki by the mune. The sabe, rust, is the 'wet black' appearance so characteristic of the early Koto era and the file marks are non-existent as you would expect from a tang this old. Two holes in the nakago indicate that the sword was shortened at least three inches and had a deep Bizen curve and judging from the fumbari and shape of the blade was more than likely a Tachi. Nothing remains of the mei. $3000 Pictures: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U
SJ16 Family Blade in Army Officer's mounts. 26 7/8" long with three holes in the nakago, four inches separate the outside holes and the yasuri mei are not visible on the last few inches of the nakago. The surface of the nakago is smooth, dark brown sabe showing the age of the piece. The hamon is about 1/8" wide and quite active in spots with nie and sunagashi showing. The blade shape has a nice curve with fumbari. A couple of shallow nicks are present between the mono-uchi and the yokote, one dark line in the hamon just in front of the silver plated habaki. Sword cuts are present on the mune, this one has been used! Some rust spots on the left side on the shinogi and on the ko-kisaki. Silver family crests replace the center cherry blossom of the menuki on each side. Good quality same. The saya has 99% paint and the wrap on the tsuka is in great condition. the fittings are high quality and the two leaves on the kashira have silver bands applied to them. I believe this blade to be made in the 1200's or early 1300's. $2400 Pictures: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q SOLD
SOLD OUT
SM1 Bag for either a Katana or Tachi. 50" long with peacocks chrysanthemum, and pine needles in dark green on a very pale green background. The tie was made from the sword portepee of a WWII Officer's sword. The colors are light brown on one side and dark blue on the other side complete with the brown and blue tassel. $85 Pictures: A B C D
SM2 SOLD
SM3 Bag for long tanto or short wakizashi. 24" long with white silk lining, never used, needs a tie cord. $25 Picture
SM4 Bag for long tanto or short wakizashi. 24" long with white silk lining, never used. Needs a tie cord $25 Picture
SM5 Bag for Katana either mounted or in Shirasaya, 42" long with white silk lining. Never used. Needs a tie cord. $50 Picture
SM7 Sageo (cord) for Katana. Excellent condition. The sageo was used to hold the saya (scabbard) in place when the sword was drawn. This one is black, both ends tied correctly, 64" long. $90 Pictures: A B
SM8 Sageo (cord) for Katana. Excellent condition, purple with both ends correctly tied. 66" long and is a little wider and thicker than the run of the mill Saya cords. $100 Pictures: A B
SM9 Sageo, (cord) and Kurikata (buffalo horn nob for the Sageo) complete with the metal grommets for the cord. $50 Pictures: A B
SM11 Sword Hanger, WWII German, shorter brown leather with orange stitching. Excellent $60 Pictures: A B
