Japanese

A Very Fine Indeed Samurai Shinto Wakizashi with Original Edo Goto School Dragon Fittings of Shakudo and Gold & An Edo Tettsu Krishitan {Christian} Tsuba

With Goto school pure gold and shakudo fushi kashira decorated with dragons, on a hand punched nanako ground. A most interesting and beautiful quality o-sukashi Krishitan tsuba of a squared-off mokko form cross, decorated with flowing river water and inlaid gold dots representing stars. The Stars and The River as Christian Symbols, are images or symbolic representation with sacred significance. The meanings, origins and ancient traditions surrounding Christian symbols date back to early times when the majority of ordinary people were not able to read or write and printing was unknown. Many were 'borrowed' or drawn from early pre-Christian traditions. It may be that the design of the tsuba confronted the believer to the ambiguity born of a prolonged time of painful secrecy. Surrounded by the threat of violence, even a weapon could bear a hidden symbol of Christianity—the cross.

The Hidden Christians quieted their public expressions and practices of faith in the hope of survival from the great purge. They also suffered unspeakably if captured and failed to renounce their Christian belief.
It also has its optional kodzuka, the hilt decorated with a dragon, and the blade that is signed and with a hamon. Superb original Edo period lacquered saya with a stripe and counter stripe pattern design. Three hole nakago and superb polished Edo blade of a gently undulating notare hamon displaying super grain in the hada. Wakizashi have been in use as far back as the 15th or 16th century. The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword; it was also used for close quarters fighting, and also to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit ritual suicide. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi toshi, the chisa-katana and the tanto. The term wakizashi did not originally specify swords of any official blade length and was an abbreviation of "wakizashi no katana" ("sword thrust at one's side"); the term was applied to companion swords of all sizes. It was not until the Edo period in 1638 when the rulers of Japan tried to regulate the types of swords and the social groups which were allowed to wear them that the lengths of katana and wakizashi were officially set.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. Although they appear to be likely a relative expensive luxury compared to other antique swords from other nations, they are in fact incredible value for money, for example a newly made bespoke samurai style sword blade from Japan will cost, today, in excess of £11,000, take up to two years to complete, will come with no fittings at all, and will be modern naturally with no historical context or connection to the ancient samurai past in any way at all. Our fabulous original swords can be many, many, hundreds of years old, stunningly mounted as fabulous quality works of art, and may have been owned and used by up to 30 samurai in their working lifetime. Plus, due to their status in Japanese society, look almost as good today as the did possibly up to 400 years ago, or even more. Every katana, tachi, or wakazashi buyer will receive A complimentary sword stand, plus a silk bag, white handling gloves and a white cleaning cloth. .  read more

Code: 23913

A Most Beautiful Fine Quality Shinto Wakizashi With All Original Edo Period Fittings and Silver Mounts. Circa 1650

Japanese Wakizashi, with a signed Shinto, very good shinogi zukuri blade in fabulous polish, with a fine suguha hamon, and wazamono sharp.

The sword has a tsuka with gold ito bound over a pair of superb shakudo shishi lion dogs on samegawa, a shakudo kashira with nanako ground and decorated with takebori sage wearing a court cap, with gold highlights, and a plain silver fuchi and shakudo nanako tsuba decorated with plants.

It is in its original Edo period stunning saya, decorated with pine needle and abilone shell lacquer, an inlaid silver kojiri of elaborate scrolls, and a plain silver koi guchi that matches the silver fuchi, and a kozuka pocket for an optional kozuka to be housed.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. Although they appear to be likely a relative expensive luxury compared to other antique swords from other nations, they are in fact incredible value for money, for example a newly made bespoke samurai style sword blade from Japan will cost, today, in excess of £11,000, take up to two years to complete, will come with no fittings at all, and will be modern naturally with no historical context or connection to the ancient samurai past in any way at all. Our fabulous original swords can be many, many, hundreds of years old, stunningly mounted as fabulous quality works of art, and may have been owned and used by up to 30 samurai in their working lifetime. Plus, due to their status in Japanese society, look almost as good today as the did possibly up to 400 years ago, or even more. Every katana, tachi, or wakazashi buyer will receive A complimentary sword stand, plus a silk bag, white handling gloves and a white cleaning cloth.

Excellent condition overall, superb polished blade showing a fine suguha hamon, a crisp, razor sharp cutting edge without blemish.  read more

Code: 25032

A Rare Edo Sukashi Katana, Naganata & Yari Combination Tsuba Decorated With Pierced Birds in Flight

Made for a Katana but with a square section adaption to mount on a yari or naganata polearm as well.

Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other.  read more

Code: 19843

A Beautiful and Most Impressive Nanban-Nari Kabuto High Conical Samurai Helmet. Likely of A Christian Samurai, Known As Krishitan, Momoyama to Edo Period. With Menpo Face Armour

A Nanban-nari, Christian decorated high conical helmet, with a koshi-no-ita base plate encircles the lower section of the skull, decorated around the border and across the apex with European form strap work with applied rivetted Catholic fleur-de-lys decor, a visor, or tousei mabisashi, is fitted to the front. Three-tiered black lacquer shikoro neck guard with sugake odoshi spaced lacing in very dark red braid. A tatsu tsunomoto holder for the maedate helmet crest, and a maedate in very decoratively pierced sinchu, brass alloy resembling gold. The maedate is of the form with slots that can have optional wakedate flat horns fitted.

The helmets fully embellished fleur-de-lys decor is a symbol of the 16th century Catholic Church, specifically Mary the Virgin. From antiquity it has been the symbol of purity and was readily adopted by the Roman Catholic church to associate the sanctity of Mary with events of special significance. The lily was said to have sprung from the tears shed by Eve as she left Eden. Thus, when Pope Leo III in 800 crowned Charlemagne as emperor, he is reported to have presented him with a blue banner covered (semé) with golden fleurs-de-lis.

The kabuto has a matching form Menpō face armour, that covered the face from the top of the nose down to the chin, with four rows of yodare-kake, throat guard armour. An early syle affixed and none removable nasal cover. All the main helmet and menpo surfaces, {except the shikoro} are in Higo russetted form.

Every year oir so we are delighted to acquired samurai swords with hidden Christian {Kakure Kirishitan} symbology, such as tsuba with pierced crucifix within in their designs, but we cannot recall ever seeing a Krishitan symbolised kabuto over these past 50 years. Only in Japanese museums, and very few of these.

The Nanban-nari Kabuto was introduced from the West during the Warring States period. Because it imitates the shape of a hat, it was called a “Nanban hat helmet”. Only the helmets bowl (Hachi ) was Nanban, other parts like Shikoro and Mabisashi were made and designed domestic style. This brand new kind of helmet was very popular at the time of introduction.
Nanban, In Japanese literally means “southern Barbarians”, actually refers to Europeans, because they came from the south of Japan. The helmets of the Europeans, Spanish and Portuguese, were of the morion or cabassat form. These new ‘barbarians’ not only brought Catholic monks to convert the samurai and their vassal peasants to Christianity, but their muskets, cannon, armour, leather, and clothing became de-riguer to influence everything from decor fashion armour and clothing. Especially amongst the converted daimyo lords, his family, and his samurai.

Face armour in Japan begins with the happuri, which is depicted in Heian- and Kamakura-era yamato-e paintings, and is thought to have appeared during the 10th or 11th centuries.It is depicted as being worn with or without a helmet by both mounted warriors and foot retainers. By the 14th century, the hōate appears, and according to Tom Conlan, this development is behind decreased facial wound statistics. However, others, such as Yamagishi Sumio, believe that the hōate was not widespread at that time, as it—and the later menpō—restricted the vision of the wearer. Hōate are also portrayed in art and literature of the period, most notably the Aki no yo no Nagamonogatari scroll and Taiheiki. The menpō (half-mask with detachable nosepiece) and the sōmen (full face mask) are believed to have been introduced around the mid to late 15th century, and the hanbō (chin guard) in the second half of the 16th century.

The current FX series 'Shogun' by Robert Clavell is based on the true story of William Adams and the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyesu, and apart from being one of the very best film series yet made, it shows superbly and relatively accurately the machinations of the Catholic Jesuits to manipulate the Japanese Regents and their Christian convert samurai Lords.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–82) had taken his first step toward uniting Japan as the first missionaries landed, and as his power increased he encouraged the growing Kirishitan movement as a means of subverting the great political strength of Buddhism. Oppressed peasants welcomed the gospel of salvation, but merchants and trade-conscious daimyos saw Christianity as an important link with valuable European trade. Oda’s successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98), was much cooler toward the alien religion. The Japanese were becoming aware of competition between the Jesuits and the Franciscans and between Spanish and Portuguese trading interests. Toyotomi questioned the reliability of subjects with some allegiance to the foreign power at the Vatican. In 1587 he ordered all foreign missionaries to leave Japan but did not enforce the edict harshly until a decade later, when nine missionaries and 17 native Kirishitan were martyred.

After Toyotomi’s death and the brief regency of his adopted child, the pressures relaxed. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the great Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), gradually came to see the foreign missionaries as a threat to political stability. By 1614, through his son and successor, Tokugawa Hidetada, he banned Kirishitan and ordered the missionaries expelled. Severe persecution continued for a generation under his son and grandson. Kirishitan were required to renounce their faith on pain of exile or torture. Every family was required to belong to a Buddhist temple, and periodic reports on them were expected from the temple priests.

By 1650 all known Kirishitan had been exiled or executed. Undetected survivors were driven underground into a secret movement that came to be known as Kakure Kirishitan (“Hidden Christians”), existing mainly in western Kyushu island around Nagasaki and Shimabara. To avoid detection they were obliged to practice deceptions such as using images of the Virgin Mary disguised as the popular and merciful Bōsatsu (bodhisattva) Kannon, whose gender is ambiguous and whom carvers often render as female.

The populace at large remained unaware that the Kakure Kirishitan managed to survive for two centuries, and when the prohibition against Roman Catholics began to ease again in the mid-19th century, arriving European priests were told there were no Japanese Christians left. A Roman Catholic church set up in Nagasaki in 1865 was dedicated to the 26 martyrs of 1597, and within the year 20,000 Kakure Kirishitan dropped their disguise and openly professed their Christian faith. They faced some repression during the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate, but early in the reforms of the emperor Meiji (reigned 1867–1912) the Kirishitan won the right to declare their faith and worship publicly.

The interior lining and cords of this kabuto have been replaced in the past 100 years  read more

Code: 25202

A Stunning Japanese 0-Tanto Signed Echizen Kuni ju nin Kanenori Circa 1615

A very large Japanese samurai dagger around 400 years old possibly Keicho era. Beautifully mounted in its all original Edo period fittings of very fine quality. The takebori tsuba is decorated with a most finely executed dragon with pure gold highlights, and bears a large cursive signature by its maker. The fushigashira are iron inlaid with pure silver wire decoration of tendrils and flowers. The menuki are absolutely delightful of pure gold decorated twin pairs of cockerals in differing poses. The wide and long blade is most imposing, with a very unusual carved hi groove configuration. The original Edo urushi ishime lacquer saya has a fine kozuka utility knife fitted in its pocket that has a gold spiny lobster in takebori on very finely defined nanako ground see below for the detail on the nanako work, the rear of the kozuka handle is raindrop engraved with gold overlay

This beautiful large samurai dagger was made in and around the time of the famous clan conflict at Osaka Castle. In 1614, the Toyotomi clan rebuilt Osaka Castle. At the same time, the head of the clan sponsored the rebuilding of Hoko-ji in Kyoto. These temple renovations included the casting of a great bronze bell, with inscriptions that read "May the state be peaceful and prosperous" (kokka anko), and "May noble lord and servants be rich and cheerful" (kunshin horaku). The shogunate interpreted "kokka anko" as shattering Ieyasu's the Shogun name to curse him, and also interpreted "kunshin horaku" to mean "Toyotomi's force will rise again," which meant treachery against the new Tokugawa shogunate. Tensions began to grow between the Tokugawa and the Toyotomi clans, and only increased when Toyotomi began to gather a force of ronin mercenary samurai who had lost their lord and enemies of the shogunate in Osaka. Ieyasu, despite having passed the title of Shogun to his son in 1605, nevertheless maintained significant influence.

Despite Katagiri Katsumoto's attempts to mediate the situation, Ieyasu found the ideal pretext to take a belligerent attitude against Yodo-dono and Hideyori. The situation worsened for September of that year, when the news reached Edo that in Osaka they were grouping a large quantity of ronin-you are missing without a lord-at the invitation of Hideyori.

Katsumoto proposed to Yodo-dono be sent to Edo as a hostage with the desire to avoid hostilities, to which she flatly refused. Suspect of trying to betray the Toyotomi clan, Yodo-dono finally banished Katsumoto and several other servants accused of treason from Osaka castle, and go to the service of the Tokugawa clan, consequently any possibility of reaching an agreement with the shogunate was dissolved.

This last movement of Yodo-dono, who acted as the guardian of Hideyori, led to the beginning of the siege of Osaka. The siege of Osaka ( Osaka no Eki, or, more commonly, Osaka no Jin) was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, towards the end of the Keicho era, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages (winter campaign and summer campaign), and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment. The end of the conflict is sometimes called the Genna Armistice ( Genna Enbu), because the era name was changed from Keicho to Genna immediately following the siege.

Nanako Ji: "fish roe ground" A surface decoration produced by forming very small raised bosses by a sharply struck punch or burin called 'nanako tagane'. Shakudo is the metal most often used, but copper and gold are quite often employed. The harder metals, shibuichi, silver and iron are rarely decorated in this way. The size of the dots vary from 0.04" to 0.008" (25 to 125 and inch) and the regularity of the work is marvelous as the dots must be spaced entirely by touch. The dots are usually arranged in straight lines or in lines parallel to the edge of the piece being decorated, but sometimes in more elaborate patterns. Used on guards since the Momoyama period although the technique existed since much earlier periods. Usually done by specialist 'nanako-shi', but sometimes done by the maker of the guard himself. The articles of sword ornamentation made by the Goto artists were practically all on shakudo grounds with nanako finish; after the emergence of the machibori artisans in the mid-Edo period and the popularity of the newly inspired kozuka, shakudo grounds with nanako finish "became the rage". Nanako finish is probably an evolution and refinement of a very old style finish (which it vaguely resembles); "millet finish", 'awa ishime', which is found on some old armorer tsuba. However, awa ishime consisted of small, round dimples punched into the surface of the ground; on the other hand, nanako is formed by striking the ground with a cup-shaped punch to raise, and project upward from the surface, small semi-hemispheric nipples. Since we find nanako finish on old yamagane grounds, it was in use as early as the Kamakura period. It is note-worthy that a nanako finish on a shakudo ground has been used since the time of the first Goto 1440 - 151 in the mitokoromono, "set of three", for use on formal or ceremonial occasions. Later, shakudo nanako became the regular finish for use by the metal artisans. (deleted repeated sentences) In applying nanako, meticulous and scrupulous care must be used in positioning and striking the "cupping tool" in order to achieve fine, regular, carefully and closely spaced, identical results, row after row. Careless, imprecise and even coarse workmanship can be detected in the nanako of some older works and on "ready made" products, but work of later years, executed with infinite and scrupulous care, are beautiful beyond belief. However, even the finest of execution of nanako finish applied to brass (shinchu) or shibuichi fails to carry the distinct air of refinement and elegance of similar work on shakudo. The very elegance of nanako workmanship reflects not only the extraordinary skills of the Japanese in the execution of minute, detailed work, but also their tremendous patience and artistic inspiration. It is said that blindness of nanako workers at thirty years of age was usual because of the microscopic and meticulous work so carefully and patiently executed. On many old tsuba, pre-dating the period of the Goto, one encounters nanako laid in horizontal or vertical rows; on subsequent work nanako was applied along curved lines conforming to the shape of the tsuba.

22.5 inches long overall, 14 inches long blade tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 22736

A Very Fine & Long 15th Century Katana, Around 600 Years Old, From An Historically Significant Great Samurai Clan, The Nabeshima Descendents of the Fujiwara, With Traditional Stone Polished Blade

The blade was sent to Japan some years ago for a fine stone traditional re polish. This superb ancient blade has a stunningly elegant curvature, and combined with a simply spectacular, vibrant and deep hamon, absolutely breathtaking, and very healthy for its age, and thus it makes this blade very special indeed, it is also very unusual for a blade of this age to survive its great length without alteration. The blade was fully traditionally stone polished. It has all its original Edo fittings, and its fine signed tsuba by Kinai of Echizen. It bears two mon, one in silver, 'Daki Myoga' mon of the great Nebeshima clan on the kashira, and the 'Sagarifuji' mon of the Fujiwara clan on the fuchi. The Nabeshima clan was a cadet branch of the Shoni clan and was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The Fujiwara became so powerful they had absolute control over the Imperial court. By the year 1000, Fujiwara no Michinaga was able to enthrone and dethrone emperors at will, effectively, "hereditary dictators". The Fujiwara controlled the throne until the reign of Emperor Go-Sanjō (1068–73), the first emperor not born of a Fujiwara mother since the ninth century. Emperor Go-Sanjō, determined to restore imperial control through strong personal rule, implemented reforms to curb Fujiwara influence. In the late 12th century, Fujiwara no Sukeyori, a descendant of Fujiwara no Hidesato in the 9th generation, received the title of Dazai Shoni (equivalent to that of vice-governor of the military government of Kyushu) from Shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and the title became the family name.

The clan played an important role in the region as early as the Muromachi period, when it helped suppress opposition to the Ashikaga shogunate's control of Kyushu. It did not take the name Nabeshima, however, until the late 15th century, when Shoni Shigenao established himself at Nabeshima in Hizen province (today part of Saga City, Saga prefecture). Later, in the Sengoku period (1467-1603), the Nabeshima were one of a number of clans which clashed over the island. The Nabeshima sided with the Ryuzoji clan against the Otomo clan, though this ultimately ended in failure and the death of Ryuzoji Takanobu at the 1584 battle of Okita Nawate. Several years later, however, the Nabeshima recovered power and prominence by aiding Toyotomi Hideyoshi in his 1587 invasion of Kyushu; Nabeshima Naoshige was granted the region of Saga as his fief, as a reward for his efforts. Naoshige also contributed to Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea in the 1590s.

The clan initially aided Ishida Mitsunari against Tokugawa Ieyasu in the Sekigahara Campaign in 1600. However, they switched sides to support the Tokugawa, who were ultimately victorious, before the campaign had ended, battling and occupying the forces of Tachibana Muneshige, who was thus prevented from contributing directly to the battle of Sekigahara. Though regarded as tozama daimyo ("outside" lords), and assigned particularly heavy corvee duties, the Nabeshima were allowed to keep their territory in Saga, and in fact had their kokudaka increased. The clan's forces served the new Tokugawa shogunate loyally in the years which followed; they remained in Kyushu during the 1615 Osaka Campaign as a check against a possible rebellion or uprising by the Shimazu clan, and aided in the suppression of the Shimabara Rebellion of 1637. In recognition of their service, members of the clan were granted the prestigious family name Matsudaira in 1648.

During the Edo period, the clan's Saga domain became quite famous. There is a stunning picture in our gallery of a painting in the British Museum, by an unknown artist, of Portrait of a Nabeshima lord, Fujiwara; Munemitsu of the Nabeshima clan wearing his tanto, with it's Nabeshima 'Daki Myoga' mon. The sukashi round tsuba is signed Echizen no Ju Kinai Saku, in the form of an aoi, or hollyhock plant, possibly by godai Ishikawa. Likely a branch of the Miōchin (Group IV), this family was founded by Ishikawa Kinai, who moved from Kiōto to Echizen province Japanese text and died in 1680. The succeeding masters, however, bore the surname of Takahashi. All sign only Kinai Japanese text, with differences in the characters used and in the manner of writing them.

The Kinai made guards only, of hard and well forged iron usually coated with the black magnetic oxide. They confined themselves to pierced relief showing extraordinary cleanness both of design and execution. Any considerable heightening of gold is found as a rule only in later work. Dragons in the round appear first in guards by the third master, fishes, birds, etc., in those of the fifth; while designs of autumn flowers and the like come still later. There are examples of Kinai tsuba in the Ashmolean and the British Museum. Very long 30.75 inch unsigned blade, measured tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 23298

A Singularly Magnificent Original Antique Presentation Daimyo Samurai Daisho. A Signed Original Edo Period Daito By Muneyoshi Presented to Yoshifuji, In the Fortuitous Time of The Midwinter, In The Year of the Rabbit, in The Reign of Emperor Keio

The fantastic shoto {short sword} is Sukesada school, koto to shinto period, the stunning daito {long sword} is a shinshinto sword signed Muneyoshi.

The shoto blade has just returned from its traditional polish and conservation that took almost a year to complete, and looks amazing.

An incredibly Beautiful original antique Edo period (1596-1871) Daisho mounted with beautifully patinated copper koshirae based on hand carved botanical designs of incredible miniscule detail, gold tsukaito, with very finest, original Edo period, decoratively embossed two tone black urushi lacquer saya.
The kodzuka is gold to match the ito and decorated with cranes. The daito has a superb midare hamon of wondrous activity. The daito is, signed Muneyoshi, the shoto is mumei {unsigned}.
The shoto has a very fine and elegant suguha hamon and now looks absolutely amazing, and was well worth the wait.

The tsuka bore an inscription, signed on a parchment see photo under the tsukaito, to date the occasion when and to whom they were presented, during the Keio Emperor's reign in 1867. the daisho was already antique when it was presented to Yoshifuji san, no doubt a daimyo of great standing.

The presentation inscription reads;
“Keio san nen usagi Yoshi Chuto Kichi no tatsu Izumi ryu Koi, Koi Kawa Yoshifuji.’

Effectively, it translates to;

Presented to Yoshifuji, In the fortuitous time of the midwinter, in the year of the rabbit, the third year in the reign of Emperor Keio. Emperor Keio died in 1868, succeeded by the Meiji Emperor..

This form of parchment inscription, concealed under the tsuka-ito, is very rare indeed and we have never seen a complete inscription such as this to survive before.

The daisho has a pair of very fine kikubana sukashi daisho tsuba with a tetsumigakiji, possibly Sunagawa Masayoshi school, Edo period.

The Sunagawa tsuba school derived from the artists trained by teachers from within the Yokoya school founded by Yokoya Somin. The Ishiguro (by way of the Sunagawa school) and Iwamoto schools had the same antecedents. The botan (peony) was a common theme in this school.

The daisho is a Japanese term referring to the traditional weapons of the samurai. The daisho is composed of a katana daito and wakizashi shoto. The daito, meaning big sword, and shoto, meaning small sword, The katana, the longer of the two swords, was typically employed in man-to-man combat. The wakizashi made an effective main-gauche or close-combat weapon. A daisho allows for defense while fighting or the fighting of two enemies. Also, the daisho allows the fighter to have a longer or more widespread fighting range. The concept of the daisho originated with the pairing of a short sword with whatever long sword was being worn during a particular time period. It has been noted that the tachi would be paired with a tantō, and later the uchigatana would be paired with another shorter uchigatana. With the advent of the katana, the wakizashi eventually was chosen by samurai as the short sword over the tantō. The ancient custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering facilitated the continuing to wear the wakizashi within the host's castle.

The wearing of daishō was strictly limited to the samurai class, and became a symbol or badge of their rank. Daishō may have became popular around the end of the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573) as several early examples date from the late sixteenth century. An edict in 1629 defining the duties of a samurai required the wearing of a daishō when on official duty. During the Meiji period an edict was passed in 1871 abolishing the requirement of the wearing of daishō by samurai, and in 1876 the wearing of swords in public by most of Japan's population was banned; this ended the use of the daishō as the symbol of the samurai, and the samurai class was abolished soon after the sword ban. Picture of Last Fight of the Soga Brothers, 1858 by Kuniyoshi (1797 - 1861). Both saya have small areas of natural wear and use. The stand shown is for illustration only and not included. however it will come with another complimentary daisho stand. The shoto blade is being carefully cleaned so can be photographed later.

Special offer item, part one of a personal private collection, sourced from a former Far Eastern specialist fine samurai sword collector  read more

Code: 24245

An Edo Period 1603 -1867, Katana Tsuba Tenbo Saotome Style, Hammered Iron With Formed Rim Mimi

A most attractive form of tsuba with fabulous patina, the hitsu-ana infills are extremely well done, and very nicely surface decorated. The hammering of the surface is superb and to us this is an exceptional piece for a collection or to compliment a suitable blade. Likely early Shinto, 1600’s. With pierced kozuka and kogai hitsu-ana both metal filled, possibly in a silver alloy. The tsuba, is a fundamental element in the mounting of the Japanese sword, it is the guard, the most important element of the fittings, and has two main functions: the first to protect the hand against the slashes and lunges of an opposing sword; the second is to prevent that the hand ends up directly on the cutting edge of the blade. Over the course of more than ten centuries of history, the tsuba has undergone a number of important changes, as regards the materials used for its manufacture and its appearance.

During the centuries of wars that characterised Japan until the advent of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the first half of the 17th century, the tsuba was essentially made of iron or steel. From the mid-17th century onwards the tsuba became a real work of art, with the use of soft metals used in various ways, with engravings, incrustations; well made tsuba were the pride of hundreds of craftsmen’s schools whose value sometimes exceeded that of the same blades of the mounting where tsuba was part of
75mm  read more

Code: 24233