A Superb Japanese Samurai Kozuka in Shakudo and Gold by One Of The Great Master Edo Period Koshirae Makers, Yasuchika 安親. Examples of His Work Are In The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The British Museum & The Victoria and Albert Museum

Tsuchiya Yasuchika (ca. 1670–1744) 安親 was one of the legendary "Three Masters of Nara" and a pinnacle craftsman of koshirae (the mountings and metal fittings of Japanese swords). Renowned for his unparalleled technical versatility, he elevated sword furniture into masterful works of art

This kozuka {a handle of a samurai sword's optional utility blade, stored in a saya pocket} is carved with a representation one of the Buddhist Four Heavenly Kings (known as Tian Wang in China or Shitenno in Japan), specifically Virūḍhaka, the Guardian of the South. He is a celestial Buddhist protector who is frequently depicted in East Asian art wearing fierce, heavy armour, brandishing a sword (ken), and carrying or standing near a parasol (or umbrella).

Signed on the reverse side, Yasuchika 安親.

In this rendition he is covered in his parasol, chatra, and holding his Azure Cloud Sword ken sword, with a long flowing beard.

The Master Edo Period Koshirae Maker Yasuchika

The visual elements of this specific figure trace back to Chinese and Tibetan tantric traditions and hold significant spiritual meanings:The Sword: Known as the "Azure Cloud Sword," it represents the wisdom required to cut through ignorance, ego, and worldly delusions.
In Buddhism, the ceremonial parasol or umbrella (chatra) symbolizes royalty, dignity, and protection against harmful forces, delusions, and the "heat" of mental agitation.

While historical depictions of Gautama Buddha rarely feature facial hair, Buddhist temple guardians, patriarchs (like Bodhidharma), and ancient deities are commonly illustrated with beards, flowing mustaches, and fierce expressions

Tsuchiya Yasuchika (ca. 1670–1744) is celebrated as one of the "Three Great Edo Metalworkers" and the founder of the Nara School's Yasuchika branch. Known by his art name Tō'u (東雨), he revolutionized sword fittings (koshirae) by moving away from traditional dense, pictorial figure-work.
He adapted the impressionistic, painting-like styles of renowned lacquerers like Ogata Kōrin into metalwork.Material Mastery: Yasuchika worked seamlessly across a variety of metals, including iron, shakudō (gold-copper alloy), shibuichi (silver-copper alloy), and refined copper. He elevated hammered and stone-grain (ishime-ji) finishes, which highlighted the natural beauty of the metals. Because koshirae pieces—such as the tsuba {handguard} kozuka {utility knife} and fuchikashira {hilt collar and pommel}—were so highly valued, his signature was continued by several subsequent generations.
Yasuchika I (1670–1744): The primary master.
Yasuchika II (d. 1747) & Yasuchika III (d. 1778): Carried the lineage, with subsequent generations working notably in katakiri-bori (sloping single-cut engraving).
Yasuchika VI: Honoured with the prestigious Buddhist rank of Hōgen.
Original Yasuchika sword fittings and complete mounts are highly prized and reside in the world's most prestigious museums:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds notable examples of Yasuchika's works, recognized by the NBTHK as Special Important Fittings. The Victoria and Albert Museum features an iconic iron tsuba with varied relief representing Chinese characters, created around 1714. The British Museum houses a broad collection of his signed tōsōgu (sword-furniture)

Shakudo Was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate katana fittings such as tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome

Overall it is in jolly nice condition, with just a few light marks on the reverse side by the signature, very commonly caused by rubbing against the tsuba when the knife is withdrawn from its retaining pocket within the saya.

When in use, and not mounted within the saya of a sword, its seperate, inserted blade, is removed. The blade is the often replaced and disposable part of the kozukatana once assembled

In a traditional kiri wood lidded box for storage and display  read more

Code: 26240

A Most Handsome Shinto O-Tanto, Around 300 years Old Circa 1720 With a Most Impressive and Beautiful Large Blade Used As A Powerful Close-Combat Small Sword and Suitable as a Post Combat 'Head Cutter'

All original Edo period koshirae with a superb urushi lacquer saya of dark red with black angular overstriping and black banding at the top section, a fine takebori tetsu sayajiri mount, with a shakudo and gold kozuka utility knife with decoration of takebori zodiac animals, including a deer, rabbit, dragon, pony, snake, dog, rat, phoenix, hare etc.

It has very nice o-sukashi tetsu tsuba with a fine tsuka with Higo school fuchi kashira of iron decorated with takebori whirling clouds. The menuki under the tsuka ito are super quality of a pure gold sun and a shakudo crescent moon.
O-Tanto


The blade is long wide and very elegant with a great gunome hamon in beautiful polish. It has mighty strong thickness and size perfectly suitable as a samurai's close combat weapon, but also to double up, post combat, as a samurai's 'head cutter', if a kubikiri a solely dedicated head cutter, used by an attendant, was not available.

Samurai usually had to chop off their enemy’s head in order to prove to their daimyo or master that they actually killed the right person, not a woman or child.
Additionally collecting more heads meant getting more stipend and promotion.
However, after chopping the head, the samurai would always clean and put some light make up to the face to pay their respect to the dead person.
At the same time, every samurai also usually put incense within the inside their helmets knowing that they may get killed and their head's odour, due to the stress of battle, must not offend their killer.
In situations when the samurai did not have time to chop off the enemy’s head, they then used to cut off the upper lip (to distinguish if the head is male or female).
Tanto first began to appear in the Heian period, however these blades lacked artistic qualities and were purely weapons. In the Early Kamakura period high quality tanto with artistic qualities began to appear, and the famous Yoshimitsu (the greatest tanto maker in Japanese history) began his forging. Tanto production increased greatly around the Muromachi period and then dropped off in the Shinto period. Shinto period tanto are quite rare. Tanto were mostly carried by Samurai; commoners did not generally carry them. Women sometimes carried a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi for self defence.It was sometimes worn as the shoto in place of a wakizashi in a daisho, especially on the battlefield. Before the 16th century it was common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and a tanto as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi.

Blade 35.5 cm inches long, 3cm wide at the habaki, overall in the saya it is 51 cm long.

A solely dedicated kubikiri would normally have its cutting edge on the inside, and carried by attendants of high ranking samurai, but curiously the kubikiri would also be used for bonsai trimming.

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: 24340

A Captivating, Plantagenet, War Of The Roses Era Bronze Ring, Circa 1455, With A Central Engraved Yorkist or Lancastrian Rose Surrounded By Four Rose Leaves. Likely Worn By A Plantagenet, Aide, or Supporter.

The House of Plantagenet ruled England in some form or another from the reign of Henry II, beginning in 1154, until the House of Tudor came to power when Richard III fell at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, and thus the fall of the house of the Plantagenets, and the start of the Tudor Age.

It goes back to the Angevin counts (from 1360, dukes) of the western French province of Anjou. Three dynasties belong to it: Angevins, House of Lancaster (Lancastrians) and House of York (Yorkists). Lancastrians and Yorkists fought against each other the Wars of the Roses to get the crown for their dynasty alone.

The name "Wars of the Roses" refers to the heraldic badges associated with the two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet fighting for control of the English throne; the White Rose of York and the Red Rose of Lancaster.

It culminated in the defeat of King Richard IIIrd at the Battle of Bosworth field in 1485, and the start of the Tudor Age, who combined the white rose and the red rose to create the Tudor Rose.

Embryonic forms of this term were used in 1727 by Bevil Higgons, who described the quarrel between the two roses and by David Hume in The History of England (1754–1761):

The people, divided in their affections, took different symbols of party: the partisans of the house of Lancaster chose the red rose as their mark of distinction; those of York were denominated from the white; and these civil wars were thus known over Europe by the name of the quarrel between the two roses

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 trading  read more

Code: 25801

A Fine, Original, Bronze Imperial Roman Legionary's Military Armilla, As Awarded for Military Gallantry. Almost 2000 Years Old Donum Militarium. Worn From The Period of Emperors Trajan, Hadrian Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus & Commodus

An armilla (plural armillae) was an armband awarded as a military decoration (donum militarium) to soldiers of ancient Rome for conspicuous gallantry. Legionary (citizen) soldiers and non-commissioned officers below the rank of centurion were eligible for this award, but non-citizen soldiers were not. Unlike legionaries, auxiliary common soldiers did not receive individual decorations, though auxiliary officers did. However, a whole auxiliary regiment could be honoured by a title as an equivalent award, which in this case would be armillata ("awarded bracelets"), or be granted Roman citizenship en masse as a reward. This entitled an auxiliary regiment to add the appellation civium Romanorum (Roman citizens) to its list of honours.

A very fine circa 100 AD. Imperial Roman Armilla, around 2000 years old in superb condition with natural verdigris patination. It is incised and punched in typical Roman military style. A fine bronze Armilla bracelet with rectangular section and tapering terminals with stylised Phalera type piercings repeated several times, and numerous, typical military engraved lined panels, with hammered dot decor, and open ended flattened pierced spatula terminals.

Armillae were either gold, silver or bronze. The status of the recipient appears to have determined whether he would be granted a gold armilla or the lesser silver. Bronze armillae were given as awards for distinguished conduct to soldiers of lesser rank, but were valued no less highly for the prestige they conferred upon their owners. Armillae were usually awarded in pairs and a soldier could win more than one pair. They were not for everyday wear, but generally only worn at military parades or on dress uniform occasions like a general's Triumph, though they could also be worn at certain civic events like religious ceremonies and the games.

Roman military honours were not awarded posthumously, but those won during a soldier's lifetime were often proudly shown on his sarcophagus or cenotaph. The armillae awarded to senior centurion Marcus Caelius of Legio XVIII, for example, are evident on his funerary monument, and three pairs of armillae can be seen on the memorial panel at Villa Vallelunga in Italy which depicts the awards granted to veteran C. Vibius Macer during his years of active service.4

Military armillae were modelled on those worn by the Celts. The tradition of using Celtic-style torcs and armillae as Roman military decorations had its beginnings in 361 BC when Titus Manlius Torquatus (consul 347 BC) slew a Gallic chieftain of impressive size in single combat. He then stripped the bloodstained torc from the corpse's neck and placed it around his own as a trophy.5 The Romans were initially daunted by the fearsome appearance of the Gauls, whose elite warriors were "richly adorned with gold necklaces and armbands".6 The torc was the Celtic symbol of authority and prestige. By his action, Torquatus in effect took the vanquished chieftain's power for his own, and created a potent, visible token of Roman domination. As such, over time the torc and also the armilla were adopted as official awards for valour, taking on the role of symbolic war trophies.

Armillae were made in a substantial masculine style and produced in a variety of designs: a solid, hinged cuff, sometimes inscribed with legionary emblems or decorated with incised patterns; an open-ended spiral; a chunky, rounded bracelet with open or overlapping ends; or a torc in miniature. Armillae which were open-ended or had overlapping ends often featured knobs or snake-heads as terminal

Armillae were a type of wrist adornments in ancient Rome. Depending on the design, they could be worn on the wrists, upper arms, or together with phalerae on the chests of centurions.

The earliest and first Ancient Roman Emperors were the Claudian emperors, that were;
Augustus, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), was also known as Octavian, and was the founder of the Roman Empire. He reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult, as well as an era of imperial peace (the Pax Romana or Pax Augusta) in which the Roman world was largely free of armed conflict. The Principate system of government was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.

Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37, was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Claudius Nero and his wife, Livia Drusilla. In 38 BC, Tiberius's mother divorced his father and married Augustus. Following the untimely deaths of Augustus's two grandsons and adopted heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Tiberius was designated Augustus's successor. Prior to this, Tiberius had proved himself an able diplomat, and one of the most successful Roman generals: his conquests of Pannonia, Dalmatia, Raetia, and (temporarily) parts of Germania laid the foundations for the empire's northern frontier.

Caligula, Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Agrippina the Elder, members of the first ruling family of the Roman Empire. He was born two years before Tiberius was made emperor. Gaius accompanied his father, mother and siblings on campaign in Germania, at little more than four or five years old. He had been named after Gaius Julius Caesar, but his father's soldiers affectionately nicknamed him "Caligula" ('little boot')
Caligula's sister, Agrippina the Younger, wrote an autobiography that included a detailed account of Caligula's reign, but it too is lost. Agrippina was banished by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who conspired against him. Caligula also seized the inheritance of Agrippina's son, the future emperor Nero. Gaetulicus flattered Caligula in writings now lost. Suetonius wrote his biography of Caligula 80 years after his assassination, and Cassius Dio over 180 years after; the latter offers a loose chronology. Josephus gives a detailed account of Caligula's assassination and its aftermath, published around 93 AD, but it is thought to draw upon a "richly embroidered and historically imaginative" anonymous biography of Herod Agrippa, presented as a Jewish "national hero".286 Pliny the Elder's Natural History has a few brief references to Caligula, possibly based these on the accounts by his friend Suetonius, or an unnamed, shared source. Of the few surviving sources on Caligula, none paints Caligula in a favourable light. Little has survived on the first two years of his reign, and only limited details on later significant events, such as the annexation of Mauretania, Caligula's military actions in Britannia, and the basis of his feud with the Senate

Claudius, Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor at Lugdunum in Roman Gaul, where his father was stationed as a military legate. He was the first Roman emperor to be born outside Italy.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his death in AD 68.
Nero was born at Antium in AD 37, the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger (great-granddaughter of the emperor Augustus). Nero was three when his father died.1 By the time Nero turned eleven,2 his mother married Emperor Claudius, who then adopted Nero as his heir. Upon Claudius' death in AD 54, Nero ascended to the throne with the backing of the Praetorian Guard and the Senate. In the early years of his reign, Nero was advised and guided by his mother Agrippina, his tutor Seneca the Younger, and his praetorian prefect Sextus Afranius Burrus, but sought to rule independently and rid himself of restraining influences. The power struggle between Nero and his mother reached its climax when he orchestrated her murder. Roman sources also implicate Nero in the deaths of both his wife Claudia Octavia – supposedly so he could marry Poppaea Sabina – and his stepbrother Britannicus.

Once the Claudian dynasty ended it was followed, most notably, by some of the most famous, historically, Roman emperors.
The era from whence this armilla was likely awarded and worn by a decorated legionary.

The Emperors;
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
Lucius Verus (161–169 CE)
Commodus (177–192 CE)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 CE)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 CE)
Septimius Severus (193–211 CE)

In very sound and excellent condition for its great age, but we cannot recommend any attempt to expand it fully open to fit a large wrist as it was once originally worn. 52mm, approx.17 grms  read more

Code: 25467

A Superb & Stunningly Beautiful Ancient Roman, Solid Silver, Serpent Head Armilla. Likely of a Centurion, Equites or Patrician. Around 1900 to 1800 Years Old. Worn From The Period of Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, & Commodus

An amazing survivor from the time of some of the most famous and renowned of all the ancient Roman Emperors;
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
Lucius Verus (161–169 CE)
Commodus (177–192 CE)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 CE)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 CE)
Septimius Severus (193–211 CE)

Being of silver it was the prerogative and use of only the higher ranking Roman as a sign of status. Silver and gold were limited for the use and adornment of only the superior status grade of ancient Roman, be they military or civilian. Made and used by a mid to high ranking military citizen such as centurion or equites, or of the governing citizen class known as patricians.

Patricians were considered the upper class in early Roman society. They controlled the best land and made up the majority of the Roman senate. It was rare—if not impossible—for a plebeian to be a senator until 444 BC. In appearance, they were chiefly distinguished from the plebs by their dyed and ornamented shoes (calceus patricius). A common type of social relation in ancient Rome was the clientela system that involved a patron and client(s) that performed services for one another and who were engaged in strong business-like relationships. Patricians were most often the patrons, and they would often have multiple plebeian clients. Patrons provided many services to their clients in exchange for a promise of support if the patron went to war. This patronage system was one of the class relations that most tightly bound Roman society together, while also protecting patrician social privileges. Clientela continued into the late Roman society, spanning almost the entirety of the existence of ancient Rome. Patricians also exclusively controlled the office of the censor, which controlled the census, appointed senators, and oversaw other aspects of social and political life. Through the censors, patricians were able to maintain their status over the plebeians.

Through the military ranks centurions were divided into grades. First Spear (primus pilus): The primus pilus was the commanding centurion of the first century of the first cohort and the most senior centurion of a legion. The primus pilus could be promoted to praefectus castrorum. On retirement, he would most likely gain entry into the equestrian class.primi ordines: They were the five centurions of the first cohort and included the primus pilus. They outranked all centurions from other cohorts. pilus prior: A centurion in command of the first century of a cohort, making him the senior centurion of the cohort. During a battle, the pilus prior was in command of his cohort. They would have been veteran centurions, who had been promoted through the cohorts.
Pilus posterior: The second centurion in a cohort.

Princeps prior: The third centurion in a cohort.

Princeps posterior: The fourth centurion in a cohort.

Hastatus prior: The fifth centurion in a cohort.

Hastatus posterior: The sixth centurion in a cohort.

Jewellery in the Roman Republic
The core ideologies of the Roman Republic, centred around moderation and restraint, meant that elaborate jewellery was relatively unpopular until the transformation to imperial rule. The law of the Twelve Tables in the 5th century BC, limited the amount of gold which might have been buried with the dead. The Lex Oppia, 3rd century BC, fixed at half of an ounce the amount of gold which a Roman lady might have worn. During the Roman Empire, however, jewellery became a public display of wealth and power for the elite.
Rings of the higher ranks were often embellished with intaglios, cameos and precious gemstones. Mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. Roman rings featuring carved gemstones, such as carnelian, garnet or chalcedony, were often engraved with the depiction of deities, allegories and zoomorphic creatures. Snake-inspired jewels held many amuletic connotations. In particular, snakes were associated with the healing snake of Asclepius, the Roman god of medicine and science.

54mm wide, approx 13 grms

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  read more

Code: 25473

A Rarely Seen, WW2 Era Japanese Officer's Tanto, Showa Period, with Armour Piercing Powerful Blade Of Much Heft And Of Very Beautiful Appearance. Stunning Patinated Copper Koshirae

Patinated copper koshirae with black urushi lacquer saya, inlaid with matching copper fittings. Original cherry blossom Showa menuki under black tsukaito over traditionaL samegawa giant rayskin. The black lacquer is completely imperfection free.

During the war it probably would have been covered in a full, leather, field service military cover, as it has no kurikata. Very likely made for the Japanese officer from his battle damaged shingunto katana. The blade thus shortened and mounted as a tanto for continued service.

We show a photo in the gallery of how it would have been carried for war service in a traditional, protective, combat service tan leather military cover. We do not know what became of this tanto's leather protective cover .

Over the past 50 years we have seen several such tanto or wakazashi, made in the same way, in the same circumstances, for the same purpose.

Overall this tanto is very clean indeed and all its fittings are in super condition due to its former, protective service combat covering.

Weight 1.2 pounds, blade length 9.5 inches, overal length in saya 14.25 inches.  read more

Code: 26237

A Very Good & Highly Desirable, 19th Century Pistol Powder Flask For Cased Duellers or Revolver

The most desirable kind of antique powder flask. The large fowling piece flasks can be very inexpensive, but the small 'cased pistol' sized flasks are incredibly sought after, as they can fit into cases were the flask is missing beautifully and complete a cased set perfectly..

A very good flask with crescent and bush embossed design, good spring and nice patination. All good seams. A great find for those that have a cased revolver single or pair or a pair of cased duellers lacking their flask. We show several cased pistols all with similar sized pistol flasks, including a cased pair of Colt pocket revolvers, and a pair of Durs Egg duellers.The flask is 4.75 inches long overall, max width 2 inches.  read more

Code: 21924

A Beautiful Samurai Shinto Kirin Based Tanto Fabulous Signed Blade by Echizen Ju Yasutsugu

With an armour or even helmet piercing blade. The whole tanto is completely remarkable in that it is likely to have been completely untouched since the day it was made, it has all its original fittings from the Edo period including the tsukaito wrap on the hilt and the lacquer on the saya, the Saya is decorated with a stylised Kilin to match the fittings, the blade is stunning and shows fabulous deep choji hamon, this is a truly exceptional tanto,

The blade is extra thick at the base and shows its penetrating qualities and ability to cut through metal armour or even the iron plates of a helmet, this is a beautiful and remarkable tanto. The fuchigashira mounts are pure gold over shakudo of Kirin or Qilin, in deep takebori relief carving. The menuki are also Kirin, of shakedown inlaid with swirls of pure gold. The Kirin in Japanese, qilin (in Chinese: 麒麟; pinyin: qílín) is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures, said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. It is a good omen thought to occasion prosperity or serenity. It is often depicted with what looks like fire all over its body. It is sometimes called the “Chinese unicorn” when compared with the Western unicorn. The Japanese kirin looked more like the Sin-you lion-like beast. Some later Japanese netsuke portray a Kirin that has wings that look like the Central Asian winged horse with horns or the Sphinx. Or they become increasingly dragon-like like Chinese Qilins.
The Kirin / Qilin can sometimes be depicted as having a single horn as in the Western tradition, or as having two horns. In modern Chinese the word for “unicorn” is 独角兽 “du jiao shou”, and a Qilin that is depicted as a unicorn, or 1-horned, is called “Du jiao Qilin” 独角麒麟 meaning “1-horned Qilin” or “Unicorn Qilin”. However, there are several kinds of Chinese mythical creatures which also are unicorns, not just Qilin. Qilin generally have Chinese dragon-like features.
Most notably their heads, eyes with thick eyelashes, manes that always flow upward and beards. The bodies are fully or partially scaled, though often shaped like an ox, deer or horse’s, and always with cloven hooves. In modern times, the depictions of Qilin have often fused with the Western concept of unicorns.
In legend, the Qilin became dragon-like and then tiger-like after their disappearance in East Asia and finally a stylised representation of the giraffe in Ming Dynasty. The identification of the Qilin with giraffes began after Zheng's voyage to East Africa according to recent scholarship. The modern Japanese word for giraffe is also kirin, which bears the same derived ideas. Shakudo is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark color is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo Was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate katana fittings such as tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.  read more

Code: 24942

A Powerful Long & Formidable Samurai Antique Shinto Period Katana Signed Blade, of Shumada Kami Taira Yoshisuka, With an Incredible Yadome no Jutsu, Arrow Defensive Blocking Mark & Matsushiro Sinano School Koshirae

All original Edo period mounts and black lacquer saya, and a very good mokko shaped tsuba engraved with leaves and flowers with lines of silver inlay. Menuki of dragons. Fully matching suite of mounts to the tsuka and saya, Matsushiro Sinano school, Signed blade, Shumada Kami Taira Yoshisuka.
The hada is very nicely visible in the excellent polish and around one inch from the habaki the obverse blade face has deflected a blow from an enemy arrow, and created a tiny circular impact point surrounded with incredible hada grain rippling. Please note that unique phenomena, in the photograph, where a the fast travelling projectile has been deflected by the blade from its samurai target and the instant pressure wave incurred in micro seconds has created a miniature tsunami of steel sent out from the impact point for just a few millimetres and created an oval misshaped hada grain all of its own, within the natural hada grain of the blade. A visual record of the samurai’s extraordinary skill and ability to intercept an arrow in mid flight, and something even a nihonto {samurai sword} specialist might only see once in a lifetime. Below the photograph of impact, we show, in the same photo, an antique Japanese woodblock print of the very same action being performed by a samurai, the ‘Yadome no Jutsu’ blocking himself from the impact of arrows, with his sword blade, while being consumed by a hail of enemy yadome {arrows} in flight, while his faithful steed is being impaled by the deadly hail.

This is an amazing thing to see, in that the arrow impact was remarkably deflected, and otherwise the arrow would without doubt have penetrated the body of its samurai, and likely it would have been a fatal wound. Impacts to blades such as this are much revered and honoured, and if possible not removed in later blade polishing.

There is a move in samurai sword combat that is designed to deflect an incoming arrow, which must have been incredibly difficult to execute. The technique is called 'yadome' or 'yadome no jutsu' - the art of cutting or blocking arrows. There are stories of it in Sengoku Japan (and older), it must have required very impressive skill. In the Heike Monogatari (Tale of the Heike), one of the most famous examples of arrow cutting is described:

"Then Gochi-in Tajima, throwing away the sheath of his long naginata, strode forth alone on to the bridge, whereupon the Heike straightaway shot at him fast and furious. Tajima, not at all perturbed, ducking to avoid the higher ones and leaping up over those that flew low, cut through those that flew straight with his whirring naginata, so that even the enemy looked on in admiration. Thus it was that he was dubbed Tajima the arrow-cutter. Some katana can be light and finely balanced to reflect the stature of the samurai who wielded it in combat, others, such as this one, was most certainly for a mighty samurai, either to use on foot in full armour, or in armour on horseback. This is the stature of a sword that could be used against a foe, similarly adorned in full armour, and its power would easily be perfectly suitable against armour in the melee of battle.

Samurai have been describes as "the most strictly trained human instruments of war to have existed." They were expected to be proficient in the martial arts of aikido and kendo as well as swordsmanship and archery---the traditional methods of samurai warfare---which were viewed not so much as skills but as art forms that flowed from natural forces that harmonized with nature.
An individual didn't become a full-fledged samurai until he wandered around the countryside as begging pilgrim for a couple of years to learn humility. When this was completed they achieved samurai status and receives a salary from his daimyo paid from taxes (usually rice) raised from the local populace. Swords in Japan have long been symbols of power and honour and seen as works of art. Often times swordsmiths were more famous than the people who used them. 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.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity. 28.25 inch long blade from the tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 23061

Original Kai Gunto Japanese WW2 Naval Officer's Sword All The Traditional Fittings, Including The Signed Blade, by 伊奈波 兼吉 Inaba Kaneyoshi, A Kaigun Jumei Tosho Smith 海軍受命刀匠 . All Its Superior Grade Fittings Are In Great Condition A Most Desirable Maker

This is a superb original souvenir bring-back of the WW2 Pacific Theatre and the participating Imperial Japanese Navy. Like so many fine original Japanese swords we are constantly seeking and offering, this WW2 beauty would be near impossible to improve upon in so many respects. Such as condition, superior quality, it’s totally completeness in every way since acquired by the Japanese naval officer {likely of high rank} and hand made by a most collectable fully traditional naval swordsmith of WW2. Plus, it clearly shows the subtle signs of its prepared use for combat, likely during landing party service, during the conquest of so many regions lands and islands in the Pacific theatre. We are incredibly fortunate, that, due to being likely the premier Japanese sword dealers in the world, we can, and do, cherry-pick what we consider to be the very best best available swords from all our private contacts, and descendant families, of the swords original UK owners since acquisition the 1870’s, and up to the families of combat veterans of the Pacific War in WW2,

It has a superb naval stainless blade, and all the original koshirae are matching parts, all the mounts, the tsuba dai seppa, and the blade, that even the blades nakago, is assembly numbered 1576, to match all the other parts stamped numbers. The blade is very nicely signed 伊奈波 兼吉 Inaba Kaneyoshi, and also with his Naval arsenal stamp and Inaba kokuin. Some researchers believe he had a connection, reflected by his separate Inaba location stamp, with either Mount Inaba, or the Inaba Shrine

The tang is stamped with the "伊" of Inaba and the Anchor stamp of Toyokawa Navy Arsenal stamp, and Japanese Kai-Gunto naval officers swords are especially rare to survive, given that they so many usually went down with the ships, with their officers, that suffered badly from the continued {and well deserved} assaults and sinkings from the allied navies, though, to a degree, mostly from the US Navy, during 1942 and 1943, then with the British Pacific Fleet from 1944, with the Australian navy. From the beginning of the British Empire WW2 period, that lasted over two years longer than the combined Allied period when America joined, only the British and Australian navy faced and sank Japanese vessels, with able and heroic assistance from the Royal Netherlands Navy ships. {see below for details of the often forgotten heroic Royal Netherlands Navy WW2 service}

This particular example has the typical WW2 pattern naval fittings and deluxe grade samegawa giant rayskin saya {as opposed to the more standard grade black lacquer saya}.

It has a typical, numbering, to all the mounts and blade and they are all matching, and a traditional three part naval oval tsuba {with two sunburst seppa dai} also numbered and matching, the tsuka (handle) has two menuki (grip decorations), and kabuto-gane (pommel end cap), with the wooden securing peg still present. Good original sea-green tsuka-Ito {hilt binding with a small wear area at one point} wrapped over coarse, black, crinkle finish leather with traditional Showa cherry-blossom decorative design to all the mounts.

The condition of the blade, is in super order, with areas of surface marks left to show its age, and signs wartime of pre-combat, field service, edge honing.
Fortunately, these beautifully crafted swords were used on board ship, so the army version was far more likely to bear considerable wear, through considerable marching and combat through jungle warfare etc

The scabbard is covered in deluxe naval service samegawa {giant rayskin}, and has gilt brass fittings, now with good gilding and all of the fittings are crisp and very good
The two original scabbard hanging mounts are present, and the condition is excellent plus.

Really it is once more a super example of an original, Imperial Japanese Navy Officer’s Kai-Gunto, now in pristine condition with clear signature.

Inaba Kaneyoshi (伊奈波兼吉) was a commissioned swordsmith (Kaigun Jumei Tosho) who forged kai-gunto (Japanese naval officer swords) during World War II. Operating out of Aichi Prefecture (often associated with the Seki tradition), his real name was Matsubara Shozo. His wartime blades are highly distinctive and identifiable through specific markings on the tang (nakago)
Often signed as Inaba (伊奈波) or his full smith name Inaba Kaneyoshi (伊奈波兼吉). Frequently features the stamp of the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal (an anchor inside a circle). Often bears an authenticity stamp (resembling the character 伊 or a specialized authentication mark). He is well known among militaria collectors for producing specialized stainless steel blades used during the war.Today, his blades serve as highly sought-after historical artifacts from the Pacific theatre, giving insight into wartime Japanese metallurgy and naval armament

Kaigun Jumei Tosho (海軍受命刀匠) translates to "Navy-commissioned swordsmith". In World War II Japan, these were certified swordsmiths exclusively contracted by the Imperial Japanese Navy to forge traditional katana (kaigunto) for naval officers.They were the naval equivalent of the better-known Rikugun Jumei Tosho (Army-commissioned swordsmiths). Certification & Quotas: To earn this title, smiths had to pass rigorous tests and quality evaluations. Once accepted, they were provided with regular allocations of tamahagane (traditional steel) or high-quality mill steel by the Navy.

Unlike regular factory blades, the blades they produced were typically gendaito (traditionally handmade swords). Many of these smiths operated out of or near naval arsenals, such as the base at Miho.
To prevent low-quality mass-produced swords from tarnishing the military's reputation, these smiths subjected their pieces to strict inspection and impact testing prior to issue

It has been over one thousand years ago that the art of making swords appeared in Japan. The swordsmiths of the time may not have known it but they were creating a legendary sword. The Samurai sword has seen combat in many tens of thousands battlefields. From the early days of the Samurai warrior to the fierce battles in the South Pacific during WWII.

From the earliest days hand-made traditional the Samurai sword was unique because it was forged using the finest skills known to man. A tremendous amount of work was dedicated to creating these pieces. They were an instrument of war as much as a beautiful artifact to adorn any decor.

The Samurai sword has grown to be one of the most highly desired military antiques of all time.

The 1937 Pattern Japanese Naval Sword, known as the Kai-Guntō (海軍刀, Sea Military Sword), was formally enacted in October 1937 as the official sidearm for Imperial Japanese Navy officers. These mounts were designed to be more practical for combat than previous, more delicate dress swords, yet they retained traditional elements and were often fitted with high-quality stainless steel blades.

Photo of a Japanese naval captain’s sword, identical to this sword, and his Nambu pistol, examined by commonwealth naval officers, after the capture of the Japanese ship. Plus, another photo showing Admiral Nimitz after the war, admiring his war trophy sword, a Japanese Admiral's sword, identical to this sword we offer..

The British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was a Royal Navy formation that saw action against Japan during the Second World War. It was formed from aircraft carriers, other surface warships, submarines and supply vessels of the RN and British Commonwealth navies in November 1944.

After formation in Ceylon, the BPF began with operations against Japanese resources in Sumatra before moving to Australia where it made its headquarters at Sydney with a forward base at Manus Island off Papua New Guinea. The fleet supported the invasion of Okinawa in March 1945 by neutralising the Sakishima Islands. Though subjected to heavy attacks by Japanese aircraft, their well-armoured carriers and modern fighter aircraft gave effective protection. Submarines attached to the fleet sank Japanese shipping, and in July 1945 the fleet joined in the bombardment of the Japanese home islands. By the time Japan surrendered in August 1945, the fleet included four battleships, six fleet carriers, fifteen smaller carriers and over 750 aircraft.

All original matching parts koshirae tsuba and nakago, numbered 1576. Signed 伊奈波 兼吉Inaba Kaneyoshi

The tang is stamped with the "伊" of Inaba and the Anchor stamp of Toyokawa Navy Arsenal stamp.

The Royal Netherlands Navy fought the early phases of WWII in both European waters (1940) and the Pacific against the Japanese advance (1941–1942). The fleet suffered heavy casualties but achieved notable successes, particularly with its submarine and minelayer divisions. Light Cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter: Served as the flagship for the joint Allied fleet (ABDA) and was sunk during the Battle of the Java Sea in February 1942. HNLMS Java & HNLMS Sumatra: Java was lost alongside De Ruyter in the Java Sea. Sumatra was evacuated to the UK and later scuttled as a breakwater off Normandy during the 1944 D-Day landings. HNLMS Tromp: Survived the early Pacific battles, including the Battle of Badung Strait, and continued service throughout the war.
DestroyersAdmiralen-class: Included Van Ghent, Kortenaer, Piet Hein, Evertsen, Witte de With, and Banckert. These ships actively engaged Japanese forces in the Java Sea and Sunda Strait campaigns; several were sunk in early 1942.
SubmarinesHNLMS O 21 & HNLMS Dolfijn: Achieved significant success in the Mediterranean, where Dutch submarines sunk multiple Axis warships.
HNLMS O 16 & HNLMS K XVI: Both successfully engaged and sunk Japanese transport ships in the Pacific before being lost to mines and torpedoes in late 1941.
Minelayers / EscortsHNLMS Abraham Crijnssen: Famous for successfully evading Japanese forces by camouflaging itself as a tropical island and safely escaping to Australia.
HNLMS Willem van der Zaan: Escorted Allied convoys and operated in both the Pacific and the Atlantic.
It must always be remembered, all the above ships were crewed by Netherlanders whose families were in the NAZI occupied Netherlands, or as POWs of the Japanese. It must have clearly been particularly fraught time for those men.  read more

Code: 26232