Japanese

Koto Period Samurai Katana, Circa 1550 From The Muramachi Era, A Most Fine Blade with Midare and Large Waves Hamon, & Nioi & Nie Deki, a Masame & Itame Hada, in Very Good Polish, Shibuishi Dragon Fly Fuchi Kashira

Fine Edo saya in superb condition decorated under clear urushi lacquer with pine needles and entwined silver wire. Very good Edo tsuba of iron {tettsu} with mokume wood grain body and a bamboo mimi {rim} with bamboo leaves. Wonderful quality shibuishi fuchi -kashira of takebori dragonflies with a gold seal. Just returned from a interior decorators display in Grosvenor Sq. London.

Nie (沸) literally means "seethe" or "boil." In Japanese sword connoisseurship, it is the name of larger martensite crystals that appear on the polished surface of some traditionally made Japanese swords, which sometimes look like bubbles of boiling water rising to the surface. Nie mostly forms along the temperline, but on some swords is also seen on the blade's surfaces. Nie & nioi
When the crystals are so small that the naked eye cannot make them out individually, and they appear like a whitish mist, it is called nioi (匂), literally "fragrance". Nioi is present to some extent on all blades, but when no or very little nie is present, we speak of nioi-deki (匂出来). When the work shows nie throughout, we call it nie deki (沸出来) where deki means workmanship or interpretation.

Japan was once known as the “Land of the Dragonfly”, as the Emperor Jimmu is said to have once climbed a mountain in Nara, and looking out over the land, claimed that his country was shaped like two Akitsu, the ancient name for the winged insects, mating.

Dragonflies appeared in great numbers in 1274 and again in 1281, when Kublai Khan sent his Mongol forces to conquer Japan. Both times the samurai repelled the attackers, with the aid of huge typhoons, later titled Kamikaze (the Divine Winds), that welled up, destroying the Mongol ships, saving Japan from invasion. For that reason, dragonflies were seen as bringers of divine victory.

Dragonflies never retreat, they will stop, but will always advance, which was seen as an ideal of the samurai. Further, although the modern Japanese word for dragonfly is Tombo, the old (Pre Meiji era) word for dragonfly was Katchimushi. “Katchi” means “To win”, hence dragonflies were seen as auspicious by the samurai.

Insects in general have been celebrated in Japanese culture for centuries. The Lady Who Loved Insects is a classic story of a caterpillar-collecting lady of the 12th century court; the Tamamushi, or Jewel Beetle Shrine, is a seventh century miniature temple, once shingled with 9,000 iridescent beetle forewings. In old Japanese literature, poems upon insects are to be found by thousands, Daisaburo Okumoto is director of the Fabre Insect Museum. An avid insect collector and a scholar of French literature, he has translated many of Fabre's works. He ascribes the popularity of insects in Japan to national character. It seems like Japanese eyes are like macro lenses and Western eyes are wide-angle, he says. A garden in Versailles, it's very wide and symmetrical. But Japanese gardens are continuous from the room and also very small. We feel calm when we look at small things. The medieval Japanese monk Yoshida Kenko put it this way: “If man were never to fade away like the dews of Adashino, never to vanish like the smoke over Toribeyama, how things would lose their power to move us!

Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.
Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords
Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.

Some provinces of Japan were famous for their contribution to this art: the province of Edo (later Tokyo), for example, produced the most beautiful lacquered pieces from the 17th to the 18th centuries. Lords and shoguns privately employed lacquerers to produce ceremonial and decorative objects for their homes and palaces.
The varnish used in Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree (Rhus vernacifera), which mainly grows in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. Japanese lacquer, 漆 urushi, is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique!
Flowing from incisions made in the bark, the sap, or raw lacquer is a viscous greyish-white juice. The harvesting of the resin can only be done in very small quantities.
Three to five years after being harvested, the resin is treated to make an extremely resistant, honey-textured lacquer. After filtering, homogenization and dehydration, the sap becomes transparent and can be tinted in black, red, yellow, green or brown.
Once applied on an object, lacquer is dried under very precise conditions: a temperature between 25 and 30°C and a humidity level between 75 and 80%. Its harvesting and highly technical processing make urushi an expensive raw material applied in exceptionally fine successive layers, on objects such as bowls or boxes.After heating and filtering, urushi can be applied directly to a solid, usually wooden, base. Pure urushi dries into a transparent film, while the more familiar black and red colours are created by adding minerals to the material. Each layer is left to dry and polished before the next layer is added. This process can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive, which contributes to the desirability, and high costs, of traditionally made lacquer goods. The skills and techniques of Japanese lacquer have been passed down through the generations for many centuries. For four hundred years, the master artisans of Zohiko’s Kyoto workshop have provided refined lacquer articles for the imperial household  read more

Code: 25334

Superb Early to Mid Edo,Museum Quality Signed Samurai War Helmet Kabuto, by Nobutada, of 21 'Helmet Skull' or 'Bowl Plates', with a Leaping Animal, Carved Wooden and Gold Maedate & Clan Mon of the Sakai Clan, & “Fierce Face” Ressai, Face Armour

A truly fabulous, original, Edo samurai's antique kabuto, war helmet, worthy of a museum display, the best samurai or Japanese art collections, or as a single 'statement' piece for any home. This is, without doubt, one of the most beautiful and fine original antique samurai war helmets, kabuto, we have seen for a jolly long time. Helmets of such beauty and quality as this can be prized and valued as much as a complete original samurai armour.

The imposing beauty of the helmet is entrancing, and the menpo {the moustached, grimacing expression face armour} sets it off superbly with a most intimidating presence. When this was worn by its fierce-some armoured samurai he must have looked spectacularly impressive.

A 21 plate goshozan sujibachi kabuto, with ressei {fierce face } mempo face armour, that has just returned from having the mempo's moustache expertly conserved, and it looks as good as new.

Probably a 17th-18th century, 21 ken plate, Sujibachi, which is a multiple-plate type of Japanese helmet skull bowl with raised ridges or ribs showing where the 21 tate hagi-no-ita (helmet plates) come together creating the main skull bowl bachi, and culminating at the multi stage tehen kanamono finial, with the fukurin metal edges on each of the standing plates.
The mabisashi peak is lacquered and it has a four-tier lacquered iron hineno-jikoro neck-guard laced with gold, and the skull is surmounted by a gilt-lacquered wood leaping animal, the maedate (forecrest), possibly a rabbit or deer, the Fukigaeshi small front wings shows the mon crest symbol of a plain form katabami mon {the wood sorrel flower}.

It's one of popular kamon that is a design of the flower of oxalis corniculata.
The founder of the clan that chose this flower as their mon had wished that their descendants would flourish well. Because oxalis corniculata is renown, and fertile plant.
the mon form as used by clans such as the Sakai, including daimyo lord Sakai Tadayo

One of the great Sakai clan lords was Sakai Tadayo (酒井 忠世, July 14, 1572 – April 24, 1636). He was a Japanese daimyō of the Sengoku period, and high-ranking government advisor, holding the title of Rōjū, and later Tairō. You can see his image in the gallery wearing the very same form of war helmet kabuto.

The son of Sakai Shigetada, Tadayo was born in Nishio, Mikawa Province; his childhood name was Manchiyo. He became a trusted elder (rōjū) in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's government, alongside Tokugawa Ieyasu. Under Hideyoshi, he was made lord of Kawagoe Castle (in Musashi Province, today Saitama Prefecture) and later of Nagoya Castle in Kyūshū's Hizen Province. In 1600, in the lead-up to the decisive Sekigahara campaign, he fought against the Tokugawa at Aizu, and submitted to them at the siege of Ueda. Thus, having joined the Tokugawa prior to the battle of Sekigahara itself, Sakai was made a fudai daimyō, and counted among the Tokugawa's more trusted retainers. He served under Ieyasu for a time, and under the second shōgun, Tokugawa Hidetada, as a hatamoto.
The lacquered iron menpo (face mask) with four-lame yodarekake face armour. The kabuto is signed on the interior Nobutada saku Nobutada made this

After the introduction of firearms, smoke blanketed many battlefields, causing confusion for the troops. So they could be more readily identified, samurai began to wear helmets with elaborate ornaments at the front, back, or sides, often featuring an intricate crest (maedate).

In their quest for unique and meaningful armour, samurai turned to nature, folklore, or religion for inspiration. Whatever the source, they selected designs for their armor that would set them apart and communicate their personality and beliefs, whether whimsical, frightening, or spiritual.

An antique woodblock print in the gallery, likely of Sakai Tadayo, showing his same form of war helmet kabuto, decorated with his same Sakai clan mon of the katabami, and he also has a leaping animal, gold covered carved wood, as his maedate helmet crest as has ours. And he has the same 'fierce face' mempo face armour with the very same style of elaborate, pronounced moustache.

The Fukigaeshi on the left facing side of the helmet shows the mon crest symbol of a plain katabami mon but small surface lacquer area partly missing. There are very small age nicks to the helmet lacquer. It has its original helmet lining but most removed back to reveal the signature

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25056

A Very Good & Beautiful, Late Koto Samurai Katana, Mounted With A Full Suite of Higo Mounts

Circa 1590. All original Edo period koshirae and a leather bound tsuka over bird menuki on a giant rayskin covered hilt, ishime stone lacquer finish saya in bull's blood sang de boeuf lacquer. Very fine Higo mounts including a sayagaki. Fine blade with suguha hamon.

A great sword in very nice condition. Made and used in the time of the greatest battle in samurai history. The Battle of Sekigahara Sekigahara no Tatakai) was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 that preceded the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate. Initially, Tokugawa's eastern army had 75,000 men, while Ishida's western army numbered 120,000. Tokugawa had also sneaked in a supply of arquebuses. Knowing that Tokugawa was heading towards Osaka, Ishida decided to abandon his positions and marched to Sekigahara. Even though the Western forces had tremendous tactical advantages, Tokugawa had already been in contact with many daimyo in the Western Army for months, promising them land and leniency after the battle should they switch sides.

Tokugawa's forces started the battle when Fukushima Masanori, the leader of the advance guard, charged north from Tokugawa's left flank along the Fuji River against the Western Army's right centre. The ground was still muddy from the previous day's rain, so the conflict there devolved into something more primal. Tokugawa then ordered attacks from his right and his centre against the Western Army?s left in order to support Fukushima's attack.

This left the Western Army's centre unscathed, so Ishida ordered this unit under the command of Shimazu Yoshihiro to reinforce his right flank. Shimazu refused as daimyos of the day only listened to respected commanders, which Ishida was not.

Recent scholarship by Professor Yoshiji Yamasaki of Toho University has indicated that the Mori faction had reached a secret agreement with the Tokugawa two weeks earlier, pledging neutrality at the decisive battle in exchange for a guarantee of territorial preservation, and was a strategic decision on Mori Terumoto's part that later backfired.

Fukushima's attack was slowly gaining ground, but this came at the cost of exposing their flank to attack from across the Fuji River by Otani Yoshitsugu, who took advantage of this opportunity. Just past Otani's forces were those of Kobayakawa Hideaki on Mount Matsuo.

Kobayakawa was one of the daimyos that had been courted by Tokugawa. Even though he had agreed to defect to Tokugawa's side, in the actual battle he was hesitant and remained neutral. As the battle grew more intense, Tokugawa finally ordered arquebuses to fire at Kobayakawa's position on Mount Matsuo to force Kobayakawa to make his choice. At that point Kobayakawa joined the battle as a member of the Eastern Army. His forces charged ?tani's position, which did not end well for Kobayakawa. Otani's forces had dry gunpowder, so they opened fire on the turncoats, making the charge of 16,000 men mostly ineffective. However, he was already engaging forces under the command of Todo Takatora, Kyogoku Takatsugu, and Oda Yuraku when Kobayakawa charged. At this point, the buffer Otani established was outnumbered. Seeing this, Western Army generals Wakisaka Yasuharu, Ogawa Suketada, Akaza Naoyasu, and Kutsuki Mototsuna switched sides, turning the tide of battle.

Blade measured from tsuba to tip 28 inches.  read more

Code: 21331

A Simply Fabulous Shinto Samurai Katana, Circa 1620, With Finest Edo Shakudo & Gold Inlaid Takebori Koshirae and Multi Coloured Red & Black Urushi Lacquer Saya

The gently undulating yet exceptionaly deep hamon, almost 50% of the width of the blade, is very fine quality and this is a most beautiful an impressive katana blade. A very fine Shinto blade set in very fine quality shakudo, Edo period mounts, of multi coloured patination and pure gold onlaid decor. The saya has it's original Edo red mixed colour urushi lacquer, tied with black and red complimentary sageo, and the sword is mounted with it's koto period o-sukashi iron tsuba carved with profiles of flying geese.

The production of swords in Japan is divided into specific time periods: jokoto (Ancient swords, until around 900 A.D.), koto (old swords from around 900-1596), shinto period ( Edo swords from 1596-1780), shinshinto (late Edo swords 1781-1876), traditional gendaito (modern traditonal swords 1876-1945).

The first use of "katana" as a word to describe a long sword that was different from a tachi is found in the 12th century. These references to "uchigatana" and "tsubagatana" seem to indicate a different style of sword, possibly a less costly sword for lower ranking warriors. The evolution of the tachi into the katana seems to have started during the early Muromachi period (1337 to 1573). Starting around the year 1400, long swords signed with the "katana" signature were made. This was in response to samurai wearing their tachi in what is now called "katana style" (cutting edge up). Japanese swords are traditionally worn with the signature facing away from the wearer. When a tachi was worn in the style of a katana, with the cutting edge up, the tachi's signature would be facing the wrong way. The fact that swordsmiths started signing swords with a katana signature shows that some samurai of that time period had started wearing their swords in a different manner. However, it is thought by many, that as many as 70% of katana made were never signed at all.

The rise in popularity of katana by samurai is believed to have been due to the changing nature of close-combat warfare. The quicker draw of the sword was well suited to combat where victory depended heavily on fast response times. The katana further facilitated this by being worn thrust through a belt-like sash (obi) with the sharpened edge facing up. Ideally, samurai could draw the sword and strike the enemy in a single motion. Previously, the curved tachi had been worn with the edge of the blade facing down and suspended from a belt

The length of the katana blade varied considerably during the course of its history. In the late 14th and early 15th centuries, katana blades tended to be between 68 to 73 cm (26 to 28 in) in length. During the early 16th century, the average length was closer to 60 cm (23.5 in). By the late 16th century, the average length returned to greater lengths. However, with every new owner and early blades may have had 20 owners the blade could be reduced if required to fit, and the shorter samurai would need shorter swords however long the considered norm may have been.

One photo in the gallery with saya tied with sageo in black and red, one photo with no sageo tied.

Overall 40 inches long in saya  read more

Code: 22659

An Opportunity to Acquire An Original Almost 700 Year Old, Ancient & Beautiful Samurai Dagger, A Signed, 14th Century Nambokochu Period Ancient Samurai Tanto

Now showing a beautiful blade polish, with all its original, Edo period, fine quality fittings. Including a pair of shakudo and gold fuchi kashira, a gold onlaid tetsu tsuba, a signed blade kozuka utility knife, and a menuki, under the original edo period tsuka ito, of a samurai's pony with its samurai saddle and abumi [stirrup], being attacked by a tiger. The saya is elaborately decorated with inlaid shell and horn type pieces on the black lacquer background. with polished buffalo horn carved fittings and a silver and soft metal saya mount of two seated figures. The scabbard surface has had a few contemporary Edo period surface repairs.

The blade is of typical ancient Nambokochu form and shape with a signed nakago, and shows stunning grain, and a solid silver overlaid two part habaki decorated with an embossed geometric patterning.

It is an ancient samurai tanto, in incredible condition for its great age, it obviously shows signs of use fro the past 600 odd years, but what an amazing piece.

The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow

Overall 20.5 inches long, with a 10.5 inch long blade from tsuba to tip.

As with all our original items, it will be accompanied with a bespoke and unique Certificate of Authenticity.  read more

Code: 24407

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 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