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A Very Beautiful & Incredibly Elegant Koto Katana Art Sword Circa 1500, With Very Fine All Original Edo Koshirae, of Finely Decorated Shakudo, Combined With Exceptional Urushi Lacquer Work. Kashira Decorated with ‘The Monkey Reaching for the Moon’

A Very Beautiful & Incredibly Elegant Koto Katana Art Sword Circa 1500, With Very Fine All Original Edo Koshirae, of Finely Decorated Shakudo, Combined With Exceptional Urushi Lacquer Work. Kashira Decorated with ‘The Monkey Reaching for the Moon’

Very fine original Edo period fittings, mokko gata tsuba and saya. Shakudo fuchi-kashira, decorated with a wonderfully defined little long armed monkey reaching for the moon's reflection in a stream. The long armed monkey is on the kashira, the stream is represented on the fuchi. ‘The Monkey Reaching for the Moon’, fuchi-kashira, depicts a delightful little monkey hanging from a tree branch over the surface of water, reaching down to touch the reflection of the moon. This imagery is undoubtedly derived from a popular Buddhist story that warns how the spiritually unenlightened cannot distinguish between reality and illusion. We very rarely get swords with fittings decorated with the fable of 'the monkey reaching for the moon', but by most unusual good fortune, we have had two this month.

Shakudo and gold menuki of artistically bound reeds, with a fine mokko-shaped Higo school iron tsuba with a raised mimi {edge}, and a black beautiful ishime urushi lacquered saya with matching copper ishime koiguchi, kurikata and kojiri, {scabbard mountings}.

It has a very beautiful 25.25 inch blade, measured tsuba to tip, Typical Koto style and period, an extremely elegant blade with fine graduation, beautiful curvature and iconic Koto form small kissaki It has a superb complex hamon of a choji and crab-claw pattern.

Some provinces of Japan were famous for their contribution to the ishime style of urushi lacquer 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, or as you see, samurai sword saya {scabbards}. 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. It is extraordinary that a finest urushi lacquer saya would have taken up to, and over, a year to hand produce, by some of the most finely skilled artisans in the world.

Shakudo {that can be used to make samurai sword mounts and fittings} 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 colour is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate the finest katana fittings such as fuchi-kashira, 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.

The above descriptions show just why the finest Japanese fully mounted swords can be referred to as ‘Art Swords’, not because they were made just to be items of incredible beauty, to admire and revere, but also, as usable, everyday use swords to be worn by highest status samurai and clan lords, that are also statements of the status of the wearer, as well as of the finest beauty and artistic merit. The blade is absolutely beautiful, with just small elements of natural age surface thinning at the top quarter on one side.

Blade 25 inches long tsuba to tip, overall in its saya, 33.6 inches long  read more

Code: 25351

7450.00 GBP

A Simply Wonderful Edo Period Samurai Tanto Art-Sword Decorated To The Highest Artistic Standard With Insects, in Carving, Iroe, Taka-zōgan, Zōgan, and Tsuba Inlaid with Hira Zogan with the Imperial Mon of Kiri, Paulownia Leaves

A Simply Wonderful Edo Period Samurai Tanto Art-Sword Decorated To The Highest Artistic Standard With Insects, in Carving, Iroe, Taka-zōgan, Zōgan, and Tsuba Inlaid with Hira Zogan with the Imperial Mon of Kiri, Paulownia Leaves

Edo period, 17/19th century 1615-1868 with gold, copper-gold alloy (shakudō), silver, copper, copper-silver alloy (shibuichi) koshirae mounts Fuchi-kashira made of Shibuichi carved and inlaid with shakudō, gold, silver, and copper with the design of insects, butterfly, praying mantis, Suzumushi bell crickets, wasps, and catydid, upon all the fittings
Carving, Iroe, Taka-zōgan, Zōgan. Menuki {beneath the tsuka silk wrapping, of patinated copper cranes in flight.
Fuchi Kashira is a form of Japanese metal fitting of the Japanese sword, which improves the handle’s strength. Fuchi Kashira are a combination of two parts; Fuchi and Kashira. Fuchi was put next to Tsuba (hand-guard), and Kashira was put on the grip bottom. Fuchi Kashira developed not only its practicality but also beauty for the decoration of the Japanese sword.

The tsuba with mon made from kiri, or paulownia leaves is a pair to another one in the Ashmolean museum at Oxford donated from The A. H. Church Collection of Japanese Sword-Guards (Tsuba) Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford. It is iron, with multi-metal flat inlay (iro-e zōgan and hira-zōgan), in gold, copper, and silver; inlay engraved; ryōhitsu with silver rims; tang-hole traditionally plugged, for snug fitting upon the nakago, with soft copper.
The paulownia crest mon is often associated with the Japanese imperial family. It was used as the official seal of the emperor before the chrysanthemum crest became the primary symbol.
Signifying nobility and honour, historically, the paulownia crest mon was granted to individuals and families by the imperial court as a mark of honour and distinction. It symbolizes high status, nobility, and honour.

Iron kozuka {a small utility knife fitted in the saya pocket} Edo Period, 18th/19th century 1615-1868, hand chiselled, depicting a closeup landscape with small rocks and leaves, in metal inlay, and a central onlaid full relief, takebori, shakudo Suzumushi (bell cricket).

The cricket has been traditionally kept as pets in Japan housed in beautifully decorated cages and carried by their owners. The Suzumushi is well known for its singing and the love of crickets can be found in the many poems written by Japanese poets. One of the great forefathers of haiku Kobayashi Issa (1762-1826) wrote: -
flat on his back,
chirps his last song.
Grasshopper’s song in
moonlight – someone’s
survived the flood.

At the altar
in the chief place,
cries a cricket.
-Issa (Translated by L. Stryk)

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”

Finest urushi Edo lacquer work saya in black interspersed clear lacquer on abilone shell in a wave pattern.

The tsuka-Ito wrap is age worn and fraying so we are having it rebound in traditional Japanese silk. It will available for viewing and delivery in about 10 days. The 14th February.  read more

Code: 25637

5950.00 GBP

A Beautiful Antique Suit of Original Edo Period Samurai Gosuku Armour. Fully Laced With Shinari Kabuto With Hanbo Face Armour & Crescent Moon Maedate

A Beautiful Antique Suit of Original Edo Period Samurai Gosuku Armour. Fully Laced With Shinari Kabuto With Hanbo Face Armour & Crescent Moon Maedate

Edo period 1598-1863. Completely untouched for the past 200 years. With shinari kabuto acorn shaped helmet of built up lacquer over leather construction. With fully laced shikoro neck armour lames. Open hanbo face guard, with laced nodowa throat armour. Dark brown lacquer thin plates with full lacing to the do in maru-do type form breast plate without hinge, single side opening. Chain mail over silk kote arm armour with plate tekko hand armour. Fully laced and plate sode shoulder armour Fully laced four panels of haidate waist armour Fully laced kasazuri thigh armour, without lower suneate. The armour is trimmed in printed and decorated doe skin and all the connection fittings are in traditional carved horn. This armour is absolutely beautiful. It's condition is very good indeed apart from some areas of lacquer wear to the helmet but this we can attend to, some silk perishing on part of the thigh armour top section, and some colour fading to one hand armour lacquer. Japanese armour is thought to have evolved from the armour used in ancient China and Korea. Cuirasses and helmets were manufactured in Japan as early as the 4th century.Tanko, worn by foot soldiers and keiko, worn by horsemen were both pre-samurai types of early Japanese cuirass constructed from iron plates connected together by leather thongs.

During the Heian period 794 to 1185 the Japanese cuirass evolved into the more familiar style of armour worn by the samurai known as the dou or do. Japanese armour makers started to use leather (nerigawa) and lacquer was used to weather proof the armor parts. By the end of the Heian period the Japanese cuirass had arrived at the shape recognized as being distinctly samurai. Leather and or iron scales were used to construct samurai armours, with leather and eventually silk lace used to connect the individual scales (kozane) which these cuirasses were now being made from.

In the 16th century Japan began trading with Europe during what would become known as the Nanban trade. Samurai acquired European armour including the cuirass and comb morion which they modified and combined with domestic armour as it provided better protection from the newly introduced matchlock muskets known as Tanegashima. The introduction of the tanegashima by the Portuguese in 1543 changed the nature of warfare in Japan causing the Japanese armour makers to change the design of their armours from the centuries old lamellar armours to plate armour constructed from iron and steel plates which was called tosei gusoku (new armours).Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku or (bullet tested) allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms.

The era of warfare called the Sengoku period ended around 1600, Japan was united and entered the peaceful Edo period, samurai continued to use both plate and lamellar armour as a symbol of their status but traditional armours were no longer necessary for battles. During the Edo period light weight, portable and secret hidden armours became popular as there was still a need for personal protection. Civil strife, duels, assassinations, peasant revolts required the use of armours such as the kusari katabira (chain armour jacket) and armoured sleeves as well as other types of armour which could be worn under ordinary clothing.Edo period samurai were in charge of internal security and would wear various types of kusari gusoku (chain armour) and shin and arm protection as well as forehead protectors (hachi-gane).

Armour continued to be worn and used in Japan until the end of the samurai era (Meiji period) in the 1860s, with the last use of samurai armour happening in 1877 during the Satsuma Rebellion. This is one of the most attractive ones we have had since we supplied two full antique gosuko, with eight museum grade katana and tachi, to a world famous artist  read more

Code: 22649

12950.00 GBP

A Superb Original Koto Samurai Katana, Circa 500 Years Old & Relatively Untouched Since Its Arrival In England in 1876. All Original Edo Koshirae  {Sword Mounts and Fittings}. A Beautiful Blade in Near Pristine Condition with a Fine Suguha Hamon

A Superb Original Koto Samurai Katana, Circa 500 Years Old & Relatively Untouched Since Its Arrival In England in 1876. All Original Edo Koshirae {Sword Mounts and Fittings}. A Beautiful Blade in Near Pristine Condition with a Fine Suguha Hamon

Any visitor to our gallery-shop will know we are packed to the gunnels, from floor to ceiling, with thousands upon thousands of beautiful original antique or ancient historical pieces. In reality, probably the largest concentration of intriguing, original and wonderful stock, of its kind, within any shop in the whole of Europe.

This is a wonderful original samurai sword, with a beautiful 500 year old blade, that has lain untouched for over around 150 years. it's tsuka-ito was poorly perished so we have just expertly rebound with traditional, finest Japanese, indigo blue silk ito in the workshop, so it now looks just as it did in the 1870's, when it came to England, after the Satsuma rebellion in Japan. It has all its original mountings, of Edo period fuchigashira, fittings and tsuba, a pair of copper dragon form menuki, on the original giant rayskin {samegawa}, and its original, Edo period {1599 to 1868} saya, with its original black urushi ishime lacquer.

The fuchi is shakudo on a nanako ground, with a pure gold onlaid long armed monkey, attempting to grasp the reflection of the moon in a river from the boughs of a tree. This imagery is derived from a popular Buddhist story that warns how the spiritually unenlightened cannot distinguish between reality and illusion. The kashira is a tettsu ground decorated with a takebori relief samurai's tobacco pouch, inro, and netsuke, with gold and silver highlights. The tsuba is very nice indeed, in tettsu, o-sukashi form, and signed.

The name katana derives from two old Japanese written characters or symbols: kata, meaning side, and na, or edge. Thus a katana is a single-edged sword that has had few rivals in the annals of war, either in the East or the West. Because the sword was the main battle weapon of Japan's knightly man-at-arms (although spears and bows were also carried), an entire martial art grew up around learning how to use it. This was kenjutsu, the art of sword fighting, or kendo in its modern, non-warlike incarnation. The importance of studying kenjutsu and the other martial arts such as kyujutsu, the art of the bow, was so critical to the samurai, a very real matter of life or death, that Miyamoto Musashi, most renowned of all swordsmen, warned in his classic The Book of Five Rings: The science of martial arts for warriors requires construction of various weapons and understanding the properties of the weapons. A member of a warrior family who does not learn to use weapons and understand the specific advantages of each weapon would seem to be somewhat uncultivated. This fine samurai sword, like all true and original samurai swords, would have been the prize possession of every samurai that owned it. It would most likely have cost more than his home, and would certainly have been more important.
This is just one reason why fine Japanese sword steel, even of this tremendous age, is in such good state of preservation. When a katana such as this has been, for its entire existence, so highly revered, treasured and appreciated, it will have been cared for most sensitively and treated with the utmost respect during its entire life. In many regards it will have represented the only thing that stood between its samurai owner, of which there may have been 30 or more during this swords great history, and his ultimate downfall in a combat situation. The late Muromachi period was a time of continuous upheaval and war. The demand for swords was high and they needed to have excellent cutting ability

Condition; The blade is near faultless. All the mounts are in excellent condition for age. The original Edo saya has a carved buffalo horn kurikata {sageo cord mount} and has a very few, tiny, old surface marks  read more

Code: 25612

SOLD

A Fabulous Museum Grade Samurai Daimyo's Art-Sword. From The Koto Era. A Samurai Wakizashi Sword By Master Tadamitsu With Rare Gaku-mei Nakago. Blade, Circa 1440-1460. Mino Goto Koshirae, With Deep Red Ishime Lacquer Saya & Black Silk Binding

A Fabulous Museum Grade Samurai Daimyo's Art-Sword. From The Koto Era. A Samurai Wakizashi Sword By Master Tadamitsu With Rare Gaku-mei Nakago. Blade, Circa 1440-1460. Mino Goto Koshirae, With Deep Red Ishime Lacquer Saya & Black Silk Binding

With very rare gaku-mei framed nakago, where the mei (signature) was moved from this original nakago tang, and inserted into the shortened tang, and framed in order to preserve the important master smith’s signature, upon his museum grade blade. Overall this stunning art-sword is in incredible near flawless condition. The term art-sword refers that highest grade of samurai sword, that was certainly made for all forms of combat use, yet are decorated with such beauty and skill that they are as much works of art as a samurai's combat arm. Likely made for for the highest ranking samurai or daimyo clan lord.

With its spectacular suite of beautiful, original, Edo period Mino-Goto fittings, with tsuba, in shakudo, and uttori of pure gold decor of flowers, cricket, catydid and praying mantis. Deep red ishime urushi stone finish lacquered saya, with carved buffalo horn fittings and a Mino-Goto throat mount.
Superb black silk tsuka-ito over fine pure gold decorated menuki.

A wonderful Muromachi era blade almost 600 years old, with a superb, incredibly active hamon, in a beautiful polish with gold foil habaki and blade smith shortened tang with its original preserved ‘folded over’ signature inlaid and inserted within the tang.

The hamon forms a delightful gunome pattern, mixing with clove (Choji) outline which is slanted generally. The founder of the sword maker school, Tadamitsu in Bizen, is referred in the Shouou period (1288-93) and the oldest existent Tanto by him has the date year, Teiji 3,1364) during the Nanbokucho period, then later generations shows the records of Ouei to Bunmei era (1394-1486) in Muromachi period. The preserved 'folded over' system, that can be seen beautifully done on this blade, in order to preserve the blade smith's signature, was only reserved for the best and most highly revered blades, often of historical significance to the samurai's family. The ancient province of Kibi (of which Bizen was the easternmost region; now Okayama prefecture) possessed excellent ironmaking technology, which helped make Kibi into a powerful state. The region is blessed with all the vital ingredients needed for Japanese sword making: iron sand, water, and charcoal of Japanese red pine, which has excellent thermal efficiency. Research on Japanese swords since the Meiji period has revealed five different features or styles based on the regions in which they were made: Yamashiro (Kyoto prefecture), Yamato (Nara prefecture), Bizen (Okayama prefecture), Sagami (Kanagawa prefecture), and Mino (Gifu prefecture. The characteristic styles of these five regions were passed down from master to disciple and from one region to the next. These are collectively known as Gokaden (five traditions of swordmaking). The province of Bizen was located far from Japan's political center throughout its history, allowing it to prosper regardless of the political state of sovereignty of the day. The most typical Bizen blade has a steel surface grain called itamehada (wooden board grained) with a unique pattern called chōji (clove-shaped) on the blade. This pattern is a feature of Bizen swords and it is what makes Bizen swords special.

The Gotō School of sword-fittings makers was founded in the fifteenth century by Gotō Yūjō, who is said to have been patronized by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1435–1490). The work of the Gotō masters is characterized by painterly designs carved in high relief on a ground of shakudō (an alloy of copper and gold chemically treated to turn a rich blue-black), finished in nanako (tiny circles punched regularly over the surface to give it a granular appearance) with colorful accents in gold and silver. The succeeding generations of Gotō masters continued to work in these soft metals and concentrated on the smaller sword fittings, such as kozuka (the handle of the small utility knife fitted into a slot on some swords, on the the back of a sword’s saya or scabbard), kōgai (a skewer-like hairdressing tool carried in the front of the scabbard), and menuki (a pair of grip ornaments secured by the handle wrappings). The production of the stouter sword guards, or tsuba, was left to other masters. While earlier generations had not signed their work, some Gotō masters in about 1600 began to authenticate the work of their predecessors; the attributions usually were engraved on the backs of the pieces themselves. These attributions bear testimony to the keen interest in early sword fittings as status symbols for high-ranking samurai.
Fuchi kashira,menuki and tsuba from the Mino School. Sometimes known as an offshoot from the Goto School, the Mino tradition of kinko have their roots from the Koto period, Known as Ko-Mino, that style led to the Edo Mino tradition which used the difficult technique of Uttori, or gold foiling. The gold on these stunning pieces are not plated, but rather have generous hammered gold foil applied in a very difficult technique not seen today except in habaki work. Because it was so time consuming and difficult, there are relatively few works by this school. Design is very traditional of kiku (chrysanthemums) and flowering blossoms and leaves, with catydids and praying mantis etc. and is executed very well indeed

Overall blade length from base of habaki to tip 21.5 inches long.  read more

Code: 23519

11995.00 GBP

Truly A Samurai Tanto of Museum Grade & Quality. Worthy of the Finest Collection. A Stunning Samurai Aikuchi Tanto With An Around 500 Year Old Blade, Signed Kaneyoshi,

Truly A Samurai Tanto of Museum Grade & Quality. Worthy of the Finest Collection. A Stunning Samurai Aikuchi Tanto With An Around 500 Year Old Blade, Signed Kaneyoshi,

THE LANES ARMOURY, Supplying The World’s Collectors for Over a Century. We offer to you to view on our website all of our wonderful and exciting pieces, that we have the tremendous privilege of owning, even for just a brief period, and offering them to discerning clients around the globe. For example, we have one of the largest selections of original, antique and ancient Japanese weaponry for sale in the country, if not the world, and we have been doing so for just over 100 years. It’s our experience, based over generations, that we offer to all our clients, based on our established, world renowned traditions, offering wondrous delights, that we believe, one can simply not see in such incredible variety anywhere else in the world.

This is a simply fabulous tanto with its simply stunning and sublime full suite of original Edo period koshirae fittings including, the finest ‘lobster scale’ lacquer saya, decorated, with fantastic skill, and the fittings decorated with hand painted pure gold lacquer butterflies throughout, and its saya pocket is complete with a very fine quality shakudo and pure gold kozuka utility knife, decorated with a gold cockerel on a taiko war drum. The ‘cockerel on a drum’ is a combination often seen in netsuke art (or other forms of Japanese art), representing a symbol of peace and contentment, as legend says that a war drum was lying around for so long (during unusually peaceful times of the Edo period) that hens and roosters began to live in it. The rooster, is carved with the most finely carved plumage you can imagine. The skill of the craftsmanship is breathtaking. The Japanese believed that butterflies were the souls of people, according to Lafcadio Hearn in his book Kwaidan. Hearn wrote that the belief that butterflies were human souls was so popular that when a swarm of butterflies appeared over Kyoto just before a huge rebellion was about to take place, the Japanese took it as an omen that they represented the souls about to perish in the battle to come.

There were numerous important connotations of the butterfly in life in Japan------if a butterfly came through your screen door, it was said that the one you loved the most would soon visit. However the moth, like the butterfly, can be a symbol of the psyche. But, unlike the butterfly, it does not usually carry the sense of the psyche's rebirth.The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tanto are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana. Some tanto have particularly thick cross-sections for armour-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto becoming the most popular styles. 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 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.

During the era of the Northern and Southern Courts, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The 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. With the beginning of the Muromachi period, constant fighting caused the greater production of blades. Blades that were custom-forged still were of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the curvature shallowed. 22 inches long overall, blade 11.5 inches. The blade has three miniscule edge combat cuts, it would be fascinating to know their origins. Over the 500 years it has been repolished, but they have consistantly left the tiny edge cuts as signs of honourable combat scars. Maybe created in a most significant hand to hand combat of an ancestral owner. See photo 8 in the gallery, they are so small to be near invisible to the naked eye.  read more

Code: 23538

7750.00 GBP

A Beautiful Antique Samurai Wakazashi With A Fine Signed Blade. Kunitsuna(国綱)In Beautiful Polish Showing Narrow Suguha Hamon. With the Moon & Bamboo Kashira. Lobster Scale Urushi Ishime Lacquer Saya

A Beautiful Antique Samurai Wakazashi With A Fine Signed Blade. Kunitsuna(国綱)In Beautiful Polish Showing Narrow Suguha Hamon. With the Moon & Bamboo Kashira. Lobster Scale Urushi Ishime Lacquer Saya

Signed 越 echi 前 zen 住 jyu(越前住 It is pronounced Echizenjyu. The other side is 相模守 sagaminokami 藤 fujiwara. 相模守藤原.
The part below Fujiwara has been cut off to shorten its length.but it must be assumed that Kunitsuna’s name was engraved there. Kunitsuna(国綱)
Was a swordsmith who was active around 1648. He was an apprentice of the first-gen Echizen Kanetane. He belonged to Shimosaka School located in Echizen province (Today’s Fukui prefecture). He is also known as Taheibei (多平兵衛). He received an honorable official title of Sagami no Kami from the imperial court for his excellent craftsmanship. He moved from Echizen to Edo city in his career as well. It is said that the first-gen Yasutsugu was the founder of the Echizen Shimoasaka school. He was born in Shimosaka town in Shiga prefecture at the end of the Muromachi period (Late 16 century ). He built his career there until the beginning of the Keicho era(1596). However, he moved to Echizen province due to the relocation of the lord he served. He eventually was noticed and supported by Matsudaira Hideyasu, the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was the founder of the Edo government.

Hideysu was the feudal lord of Echizen province during the early Edo period. With the support of Hideyasu, the first-gen Yasutsugu was able to establish the Echizen Shimosaka school. And his school’s fame became nationwide. By Hideyasu’s recommendation, the first-gen Yasutsugu became Okakaekaji for the Tokugawa shogun family, meaning that he exclusively forged swords for the Shogun family. Yasutsu was acknowledged by the first and second Tokugawa Shoguns, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Tokugawa Hidetada.

The first-gen Yasutsugu received 康(YASU) from Tokugawa Ieyasu and changed his maker’s name. He was also allowed to inscribe the holly oak symbol(family crest of Tokugawa) on the tang. The school flourished during the Edo period and trained many skilled apprentices. We believe Kunitsuna mastered superb level of the craftsmanship by belonged to this school.

Echizen province was prosperous during the Edo period, being ruled by the Echizen Matsudaira clan, a direct retainer of Tokugawa clan who ruled the Edo government. Many skilled swordsmiths moved to Echizen from different regions because of high demand among Samurai who lived there. Among them, there were many renowned swordsmiths who were originally from the Mino province (Gifu prefecture). They are called Echizen Seki swordsmiths. His master, the first-gen Kanetane was one of them.

All original Edo period mounts. The menuki are of gilded cranes in flight, wrapped under black silk tsukaito, over rayskin samegawa. the kashira is on iron with silver and gold highlights of a full moon in the background part obscured by clouds with a vole climbing a bamboo stalk in the foreground. The fushi is patinated soft metal inlaid with silver bamboo leaves. The tsuba is a round tettsu plate chisselled with a rain fall pattern and kozuka ana. The blade is in good polish showing a typical narrow suguha hamon with a nicely defined boshi with turnback.

The saya is ishime urushi lacquer finish with to top section in lobster scale ribbing and plain middle and bottom section in graduating mid brown at the top down to black at the bottom. Carved buffalo kurigata, saya jiri and throat mounts.

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.

There are many reasons why people enjoy collecting swords. Some people are drawn to the beauty and craftsmanship of swords, while others appreciate their historical and cultural significance. Swords can also be a symbol of power and strength, and some collectors find enjoyment in the challenge of acquiring rare or valuable swords.

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25614

4750.00 GBP

A Most Handsome Shinto Katana That Would Grace Any Museum Grade Collection. Signed Mutsu Daijo Fujiwara Kaneyasu

A Most Handsome Shinto Katana That Would Grace Any Museum Grade Collection. Signed Mutsu Daijo Fujiwara Kaneyasu

Late 17th century sword, bearing signature that approximately translates to "of the Fujiwara Clan, the Daijo (a honourific lordship title) of Mutsu Province, Kaneyasu made this''. With all original Edo period koshirae sword mounts, including a superb antique original Edo 'lobster scale' cinnabar urushi lacquer saya.

A truly stunning combination of materials that has created a iconic Japanese Art Sword of ancient tradition.
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.

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!

Higo school silver inlaid tettsu fuchi kashira and iron plate tsuba. very interesting menuki of a panel separated and placed over two bows, decorated with relief kanji. Beautiful blade with a gradually undulating gunome hamon. An impressive sprauncy sword almost certainly made for a mounted samurai considering its power and dimensions.

Of all the weapons that man has developed since our earliest days, few evoke such fascination as the samurai sword of Japan. To many of us in the, the movie image of the samurai in his fantastic armour, galloping into battle on his horse, his colourful personal flag, or sashimono, whipping in the wind on his back, has become the very symbol of Japan, the Empire of the Rising Sun. And, truly, to the samurai of real life, nothing embodied his warrior's code of Bushido more than his sword, considered inseparable from his soul.

Indeed, a sword was considered such a crucial part of a samurai's life that when a young samurai was about to be born, a sword was brought into the bedchamber during the delivery. When the time came for an old samurai to die and cross over into the White Jade Pavilion of the Afterlife his honoured sword was placed by his side. Even after death, a daimyo, or nobleman, believed he could count on his samurai who had followed him into the next world to use their keen blades to guard him against any demons, just as they had wielded their trusty weapons to defend him against flesh-and-blood enemies in this life. In a samurai family the swords were so revered that they were passed down from generation to generation, from father to son. If the hilt or scabbard wore out or broke, new ones would be fashioned for the all-important blade. The hilt, the tsuba (hand guard), and the scabbard themselves were often great art objects, with fittings sometimes of gold or silver. The hilt and scabbard were created from the finest hand crafted materials by the greatest artisans that have ever lived. Often, too, they told a story from Japanese myths. Magnificent specimens of Japanese swords can be seen today in the Tokugawa Art Museum's collection in Nagoya, Japan. The saya has a few age seam lines, but at all detrimental to its beauty and entirely commensurate to its age
Blade 29 inches tsuba to tip  read more

Code: 24040

8500.00 GBP

A Very Fine Yasutsugu School Katana, circa 1675-1684 Likely the 4th Generation, Signed, with Aoi Mon, Namban Tetsu Oite  Bushu  Edo  Echizen  Yasutsugu

A Very Fine Yasutsugu School Katana, circa 1675-1684 Likely the 4th Generation, Signed, with Aoi Mon, Namban Tetsu Oite Bushu Edo Echizen Yasutsugu

With a stunning bi coloured, black ribbed and cinnabar red lacquer saya, hand decorated with a wonderful light feathering and a scrolling silver saya jiri bottom mount. The mounts [fuchi kashira and menuki] are gold and shakudo decorated of the chrysanthemum. The story of the Yasutsugu lineage starts with the birth of the first generation, Ichizaemon, who is believed to have been born around the middle of the sixteenth century. His place of birth was in Shimosaka of Shiga-gun in the province of Omi. Omi is next to Mino and contains Lake Biwa. Yasutsugu was born into a sword making family headed by his father, Hironaga, reputed to be the last descendent of Yamato no Kuni Senjuin. Though his father was from Omi, he was trained in the Mino tradition. Around the 11th or 12th year of this same period of Keicho (1606-1607), Yasutsugu’s fame reached the point that he was called to Edo (Tokyo) to share his forging skills with Tokugawa Ieyasu. About this time Yasutsugu was given the privilege of using the character “Yasu” (康) from Tokugawa Ieyasu’s (徳川家康) name. Thus, from that point on, he changed his name to Yasutsugu. About the same time (some feel it was a few years later) he was given the additional privilege of carving the Hollyhock crest (Aoi mon) on his blades. These privileges were given in perpetuity to Yasutsugu and his descendants. Thus the Yasutsugu swordsmiths became the kaji of the Tokugawa Family.
Yasutsugu worked in Echizen and Edo as was the custom with the Tokugawa family in those days. It was much like the practice of Sankin Kodai (alternate year attendance) that was required of the Daimyo of the country. He died in seventh year of Genna (1621) probably in his 70’s.

Upon the death of the first generation Yasutsugu , the family mantle was taken up by his son, Ichinojô.
Nidai Yasutsugu made swords in the same style as the first generation. Some say that his ability was nearly the equal of his father’s. While all do not agree, there seems to be a consensus that he was without a doubt a close second
The two branches of the Yasutsugu school continued for many generations. The Edo school continued through eleven generations. It is generally agreed that the only two smiths of the last eight generations that were of note are the fourth our sword and the eleventh generations. The fourth generation had the advantage of being trained by the third generation, a quality smith. In addition, the fourth generation left several works in which he collaborated with the well-known smith, Izumi (no) Kami Kaneshige. The fourth generation’s working period was from 1675, the third year of Enpo to 1684, the first year of Teikyo era.
Interestingly, the steel used to produce this sword was in part sourced from Europe, likely from
Dutch traders. This steel was known as “Namban tetsu”, (lit. Southern Barbarian steel). It would
have been expensive and unique to produce swords with steel from faraway lands in the late
1600s. Thus the nakago (tang) is chiselled with the words Namban tetsu.

it is mounted with An Antique Edo Period Iron Large Tsuba Inlaid with Silver Aoi Leaves
The Tsuba can be solid, semi pierced of fully pierced, with an overall perforated design, but it always a central opening which narrows at its peak for the blade to fit within. It often can have openings for the kozuka and kogai to pass through, and these openings can also often be filled with metal to seal them closed. For the Samurai, it also functioned as an article of distinction, as his sole personal ornament. The tsukaito is beautifully traditionally rebound as is the black ribbing lacquer, on its original Edo lacquer saya.
As can be seen it is likely in its last original Edo polish in stunning condition which is beautiful, with just the tiniest natural aged surface mark. The kashira is carved buffalo horn with an applied gold lacquer partially complete aoi mon

Overall length in saya 38 3/4, blade tsuba to tip 27 3/4 inches long  read more

Code: 24038

12950.00 GBP

The Lanes Armoury, Europe’s Leading Original Samurai Sword Specialists & Gallery. Plus 1000’s of Other Magical & Rare To Find Ancient and Vintage Wonders. Another Historic Collection Acquired This Week Including Amazing Medieval Swords & Antiquities

The Lanes Armoury, Europe’s Leading Original Samurai Sword Specialists & Gallery. Plus 1000’s of Other Magical & Rare To Find Ancient and Vintage Wonders. Another Historic Collection Acquired This Week Including Amazing Medieval Swords & Antiquities

Including a small exclusive & original collection of Medieval and Roman rings and crucifixes. Thanks to us being so long established here in Brighton we are contacted or visited every day by private families interested in selling their long past collected antiques and antiquities. Artefacts of all kinds, from all eras and all nations. Some collected by their ancestors hundreds of years ago. And this week has been particularly fascinating for the diversity and beauty of our finds.

After more than 54 years personal experience by Mark, in our galleries, since 1971, and David’s 44 years since 1981, we are also regarded, by many, as Europe’s leading original samurai sword gallery, and probably the leading samurai sword specialists in the world, outside of Japan. With hundreds of original ancient and antique samurai swords to view and buy online, or, to journey to our world famous gallery in Brighton on a personal visit, 6 days a week.

By train we are just under an hour from Victoria Train Station in London.

We are also now offering a handmade bespoke frame or casing service. Created by a local specialist we have known for many decades. See the gallery for an example of a lidded box display casing just created for an item acquired from us for one of our esteemed regulars.

It has been said that the Hawkins family, have, in their sword dealing history, handled, bought and sold more original Japanese swords than any other sword dealers outside of Japan since World War I, trading over 100 years, numbering well into the tens of thousands of samurai weapons and artefacts. In one single acquisition alone, in the early 1960’s, David senior {the current partner’s father} purchased, in one collection, over 500 original antique and vintage Japanese swords, and Mark helped to disassemble each and every one of them, and was in charge of stringing together the tsuba sword guards into loops, 20 at a time. In those days tsuba were more collectable than swords. It was one of Mark’s very first introductions to the workings of the wonderful works of art that make up a complete samurai sword.
He can still remember listening to the very first hit of the Beatles ‘Love me do’ on the radiogram, in late 1963, while stringing together 25 loops of 20 tsuba, before he started school that early morning.
Our close family association with the legendary samurai sword continues unabated. In fact we still know of no better and varied original samurai sword selection, for sale under one roof, anywhere in the world today, outside of Japan, or possibly, even within it. Hundreds of antique pieces for sale to choose from, and some up to an incredible 800 years old.

Why is The Lanes Armoury probably the worlds most popular, original Japanese samurai gallery? well, we believe that not only are we the oldest still thriving store of our kind outside of Japan, but we have an entirely historical view of all our samurai artefacts, be they armour, helmets, swords, spears or accoutrements,

We place each piece within its historical context, a unique, holistic view if you like, never concentrating on such as simply the minutiae of blade detail alone {that has never been our forte} but of the entire sword as a work of art, and an example of the worlds highest craftsmanship, and thus it’s potential place within all of over 1000 years of samurai history.

Can they be expensive? Well, they certainly can appear so, however up to 70% of our completely fitted swords may still be half the price of just a newly made sword blade alone, commissioned from one of the few still remaining fine sword smiths in Japan, and ours could well be up to 500 years old, completely and stunningly fitted in fabulous quality original antique mounts, and potentially used in the past by up to 30 samurai within their own working life and history. And yet, they can still look as good as new.

A samurai sword for example, is in many respects, more the sum of its parts, although always dated by its blade’s vintage, each sword can have amazing koshirae mountings of equal beauty to the blade, displaying the skill of likely the most talented artisans in sword making history, and representing the most intriguing and certainly one of the most popular forms of ancient hand to hand combat in the world today.

For example one of the greatest films ever made in the history of cinema is Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 “Seven Samurai”. A groundbreaking epic of such influence on modern cinemas it is said to inspired more films in its genre than any other film ever made. A well deserved masterpiece of cinema, based entire on a simple single event of legendary samurai combat.

Still today, more incredible films in the genre are made involving the legendary samurai sword than any other, such as some of the billion dollar epics made by the Marvel Universe, that still enthral the worlds movie watching audiences.

There is no other country in the world that continually used the very same form of weaponry, in hand to hand combat, for over 800 years. A samurai sword of around 800 years of age, would be just as recognisable and as usable to any 19th century samurai, or even current exponent of samurai martial arts, if he were alive today.

Finally, a visit to The Lanes Armoury is considered and remarked upon, by near every single visitor to our store, that is is an unforgettable experiance, and every samurai sword buyer is afforded the best possible attention, not just for the time that they may view, choose, and buy a sword, but for as long as they own the sword. We are available for every aspect of ownership to its new owner, essentially forever. Our world renown 5 Star service knows no time limit.

And be assured, every single item, from a cap badge to a 800 year old ancient samurai sword, to an Ancient Greek solid gold crown, will be accompanied with our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Based on over 100 years and four generations of experience.  read more

Code: 24230

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