Japanese

A Fabulous, Museum Grade Signed, Antique, Samurai O-Tanto, Late Shinto Period. All Original Edo Fittings Goto School.

A wonderful samurai sword, circa 1760. A large tanto almost wakazashi size. With hard lacquered leather bound tsuka. Shinshinto period, with a finely signed blade, displaying a superb gunome ham on and fine grain in the hada, and signed fittings. The signature is in a most unusual form and its translation, as yet, still eludes us but hopefully we shall know within a day or two.

The fittings are all bronze and hammered with with fine gold, and probably by the much sought after Goto school. Superb kozuka with gold foil and shaudo on a nanakko ground, and a signed blade. very rare style of black textured leather covered saya, with iron and gold kojiri. Gold mimi rimmed bronze tsuba with nanako ground and numerous gold Shishi {lion dogs}.

Nanako Ji: "fish roe ground" A surface decoration produced by forming very small raised bosses by a sharply struck punch or burin called 'nanako tagane'. Shakudo is the metal most often used, but copper and gold are quite often employed. The harder metals, shibuichi, silver and iron are rarely decorated in this way. The size of the dots vary from 0.04" to 0.008" (25 to 125 and inch) and the regularity of the work is marvelous as the dots must be spaced entirely by touch. The dots are usually arranged in straight lines or in lines parallel to the edge of the piece being decorated, but sometimes in more elaborate patterns. Used on guards since the Momoyama period although the technique existed since much earlier periods. Usually done by specialist 'nanako-shi', but sometimes done by the maker of the guard himself.

The 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 the back of a sword 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, the 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.
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. Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as lion but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. A pair of shishi traditionally stand guard outside the gates of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, although temples are more often guarded by two Nio protectors. The Shishi (like the Nio) are traditionally depicted in pairs, one with mouth open and one with mouth shut.). Others say the open mouth is to scare off demons, and the closed mouth to shelter and keep in the good spirits. The circular object often shown beneath their feet is the Tama, or sacred Buddhist jewel, a symbol of Buddhist wisdom that brings light to darkness and holds the power to grant wishes. Overall 26.5 inches long, blade 13.75 inches long  read more

Code: 25647

A Simply Wonderful Edo Period Samurai Tanto Museum Quality 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

Just returned today after the silk tsuka-ito {hilt binding} has been fully restored and it looks amazing. new photos now added.

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.

Blade length, tsuba to tip 11.25 inches, full length in saya 16.75 inches  read more

Code: 25637

Beautiful, Koto, Samurai's Paired Swords Daisho, 425-525 Years Old. Katana and Chisa Katana. Edo Period Koshirae, Ume 'Maeda' 前田氏 Clan Mon Tsubas, 'Pine Needle' & Urushi Lacquer Sayas. The Maeda Clan, Lords of Kaga, One of the Most Powerful in Japa

JUST ARRIVED!
The daisho’s blades, are both late Koto era, likely made between 1500 to 1600. They are most beautiful Koto period blades, of much elegance, one with its gently undulating notare hamon, the other its suguha hamon.

Both swords have gold and shakudo fushi kashira, one with the handachi form, with kabuto-gane pommel, decorated with gold lines on a nanako ground, the other with a fuchi that has a takebori dragon on a nanako ground, and the kashira is polished carved buffalo horn.
Mounted with a superb, Edo period, original pair of iron round plate sukashi daisho tsuba, with pierced Maeda clan mon of the ume, plum blossom, within both the daito and shoto tsuba. Pierced with the plum blossom mon pattern {with twigs}. used by the samurai connected and serving with the Maeda clan.The Maeda clan (前田氏, Maeda-shi) was a Japanese samurai clan who occupied most of the Hokuriku region of central Honshū from the end of the Sengoku period through the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Maeda claimed descent from the Sugawara clan through Sugawara no Kiyotomo and Sugawara no Michizane in the eighth and ninth centuries; however, the line of descent is uncertain. The Maeda rose to prominence as daimyō of Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate, which was second only to the Tokugawa clan in kokudaka (land value).

The daisho's tsuba are likely from the Umetada tsuba school of tsuba craftsman, Umetada were the foremost swordsmiths of their day. Their 18th Master, Shigeyoshi I, is said to have made sword-furniture for the Ashikaga Shōgun (end of 14th century), but none of his work is known. Serious study of Umetada sword guards {tsuba} begins with the 25th Master, Miōju, or Shigeyoshi II; {b.1558; d. 1631}. His headquarters, as also those of the succeeding nine Masters, were at Kiōto, but he was invited to several provincial centres and exerted a lasting influence on the local schools.
A branch founded by Naritsugu (c. 1752) worked at Yedo, while various members of the family were active at other centres. The Umetada style in general is a skilful combination of chiselling and incrustation or inlay.

The daisho’s matching sayas are stunning, both with a highly complex decorative design pattern of pine needles laid upon black urushi lacquer, in a seemingly random pattern. But, in reality each pine needle was strategically placed upon them, when creating the decorative finish, with just a single needle, and just one at a time, to give the impression they fell naturally upon the ground from above, from a pine tree. The surface was then lacquered in clear transparent urushi lacquer to create a uniform smooth surface. in the Edo period it would take anything around a year or more to create a samurai sword saya, as the urushi lacquer coating would be anything up to 12 coats deep, and each would take a month to dry as they were made using on natural materials, not modern quick drying synthetic cellulose lacquers as used today.

The samurai's daisho, {his two swords title when carried within his obi} was named as such when his swords were worn together, and it describes the combination of the samurai’s daito and shoto {long mounted sword, and short mounted sword}. In the earlier period of the samurai, a daisho were comprising the matching of his long tachi and much shorter tanto, but in the later period, much more often, it was the matching of a combination of a katana and a wakazashi. However, some samurai may choose an alternative coupling of a katana matched with an o-wakazashi or chisa katana, or, even two chisa katana, but one sword was more usually mounted shorter than the other, despite the blades being of near equal length. This particular daisho that we offer here, is the combination of the latter type, that was specifically advantageous for a samurai trained, as was the famous samurai, Musashi, using a twin-sword combat method, of a sword carried and used together in each hand, simultaneously. For Musashi, this was a combat style that was undefeatable, when combined with his incredible skill.

Using a daisho of near equal length blades was the art of twin sword combat, using two at once in unison, one in each hand, the form as previously mentioned as used by the great and legendary samurai, Miyamoto Musashi, who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday.
Miyamoto Musashi 1584 – June 13, 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezo, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Doraku, was an expert Japanese swordsman and ronin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent, and unique double bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 60 duels. He was the founder of the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu or Niten-ryu style of swordsmanship and in his final years authored the The Book of Five Rings, a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today.

Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other. A samurai's daisho were his swords, as worn together, as stated in the Tokugawa edicts. 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. 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.
In creating the sword, a sword craftsman, such as, say, the legendary Masamune, had to surmount a virtual technological impossibility. The blade had to be forged so that it would hold a very sharp edge and yet not break in the ferocity of a duel. To achieve these twin objectives, the sword maker was faced with a considerable metallurgical challenge. Steel that is hard enough to take a sharp edge is brittle. Conversely, steel that will not break is considered soft steel and will not take a keen edge. Japanese sword artisans solved that dilemma in an ingenious way. Four metal bars a soft iron bar to guard against the blade breaking, two hard iron bars to prevent bending and a steel bar to take a sharp cutting edge were all heated at a high temperature, then hammered together into a long, rectangular bar that would become the sword blade. When the swordsmith worked the blade to shape it, the steel took the beginnings of an edge, while the softer metal ensured the blade would not break. This intricate forging process was followed by numerous complex processes culminating in specialist polishing to reveal the blades hamon and to thus create the blade's sharp edge. Inazo Nitobe stated: The swordsmith was not a mere artisan but an inspired artist and his workshop a sanctuary. Daily, he commenced his craft with prayer and purification, or, as the phrase was, the committed his soul and spirit into the forging and tempering of the steel.
Celebrated sword masters in the golden age of the samurai, roughly from the 13th to the 17th centuries, were indeed revered to the status they richly deserved.

Daito sword blade length tsuba to tip 24,5 inches, overall 36.5 inches long in its saya.

Shoto sword blade length tsuba to tip 24.25,
overall 34 inches long in its saya  read more

Code: 24085

Wonderful, Original Antique, Japanese Samurai Battle Armour. A Super Pair of Edo Period Samurai Saddle Stirrups, Silver Inlaid & Signed By Yoshihira from Kashu Province. Probably a Daimyo or Seieibushi Samurai of the Maeda Clan, Lords of Kaga

Despite being designed, made and used, for samurai combat and warfare, they can be magnificent works of art in their own right, and created using the finest skills and materials with little or no consideration to the incredible cost involved.
The form of these gorgeous and luxurious stirrups is known traditionally as hato mune (pigeon breast). The stirrups were made in Kashu (now Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture), probably under the patronage of the Maeda clan, lords of Kaga and one of the most powerful families in Japan at the time. This Kaga zougan abumi, is a pair of armoured samurai stirrups, made in iron and of exceptional quality, and bears stunningly beautiful silver inlay of scrolling vines and leaves.

These are truly noteworthy museum grade works of art in their own right. There are a few most similar in the Metropolitan Museum in the USA for example. Absolutely signal examples, perfectly displaying the skill and technical craftsmanship of the highest order, for antique Japanese accoutrements, handmade for a samurai Daimyo clan lord or for a Seieibushi samurai, they were the elite, and the highest ranking of the samurai Made and used as part of his armour saddle fittings, but also for use as much when the samurai was in full armour or in regular daytime wear. The signature, of the maker Yoshihira from Kashu province, is inlaid in pure silver to match the d?cor. Abumi, Japanese stirrups, were used in Japan as early as the 5th century, and were a necessary component along with the Japanese saddle (kura) for the use of horses in warfare. Abumi became the type of stirrup used by the samurai class of feudal Japan Early abumi were flat-bottomed rings of metal-covered wood, similar to European stirrups. The earliest known examples were excavated from tombs. Cup-shaped stirrups (tsubo abumi) that enclosed the front half of the rider's foot eventually replaced the earlier design.

During the Nara period, the base of the stirrup which supported the rider's sole was elongated past the toe cup. This half-tongued style of stirrup (hanshita abumi) remained in use until the late Heian period (794 to 1185) when a new stirrup was developed. The fukuro abumi or musashi abumi had a base that extended the full length of the rider's foot and the right and left sides of the toe cup were removed. The open sides were designed to prevent the rider from catching a foot in the stirrup and being dragged.

The military version of this open-sided stirrup, called the shitanaga abumi, was in use by the middle Heian period. It was thinner, had a deeper toe pocket and an even longer and flatter foot shelf. It is not known why the Japanese developed this unique style of stirrup, but this stirrup stayed in use until European style-stirrups were introduced in the late 19th century. The abumi has a distinctive swan-like shape, curved up and backward at the front so as to bring the loop for the leather strap over the instep and achieve a correct balance. Most of the surviving specimens from this period are made entirely of iron, inlaid with designs of silver or other materials, and covered with lacquer. In some cases, there is an iron rod from the loop to the footplate near the heel to prevent the foot from slipping out. The footplates are occasionally perforated to let out water when crossing rivers, and these types are called suiba abumi. There are also abumi with holes in the front forming sockets for a lance or banner. Seieibushi (Elite Samurai)
Traditionally the highest rank among the samurai, these are highly skilled fully-fledged samurai. Most samurai at the level of Seieibushi take on apprentices or Aonisaibushi-samurai as their disciples.

Kodenbushi (Legendary Samurai)
A highly coveted rank, and often seen as the highest attainable position, with the sole exception of the rank of Shogun. These are samurai of tremendous capability, and are regarded as being of Shogun-level. Kodenbushi are hired to accomplish some of the most dangerous international missions. Samurai of Kodenbushi rank are extremely rare, and there are no more than four in any given country.

Daimyo (Lords)
This title translates to 'Big Name' and is given to the heads of the clan.

Shogun (Military Dictator)
The apex of the samurai, the Shogun is the most prestigious rank possible for a samurai. Shoguns are the leaders of their given district, or country, and are regarded as the most powerful samurai.Beautiful and sophisticated patterns in Kaga zougan have an outstanding, keen feel for designs and such fine expression is supported by the minute methods. The craftsman carves the pattern part on the metallic basis material with a burin (tagane in Japanese), making the bottom wider than the surface (this method is called "ari wo kiru" in Japanese) and inserts and drives in a different metal in the part.
Then, the metallic part for the pattern is pressed and spread inside and does not come off itself. This bonding technology was closely employed especially in Kaga to enable to express variously on the metal for expressive work and gained a high reputation as for the solid work.

Of all the techniques, "Abumi" (stirrup) has been a synonym for Kaga zougan and well known for the scrupulous technique making sure that the metallic parts of Kaga zougan never come off, in addition to its excellent novel designs and beauty.  read more

Code: 23043

A Beautiful Koto-Shinto Period Signed Yasuhiro, in KiiKuni. Antique Samurai Daisho With Rokakku Clan Mon. Traditional Daisho, the Two Swords Of The Samurai, Comprise a Fine Daito Long Sword & Signed Shoto Short Sword. With With Pierced Rokakko Mon

Signed Koto daisho, circa 16th century , with beautiful elegant blades, the saya are very fine, delicate and rare, light ‘cinnabar red’ lacquer, also known as coromandel red {named from the pink petaled flower} urushi lacquer to the saya, often made with the addition of perilla oil. The condition of both saya is very good just a couple of aged surface nicks
The colour created from urushi lacquer mixed with cinnabar was rewarded to them as the most famous warriors of all the samurai clans of Japan, the Li, and the Takeda.
The blades both have superbly beautiful notare hamon, in very good polish
Signed 記伊國住 康廣
Kii Kuni. Jyu Yasu Hiro.
The meaning is Yasuhiro, who lives in KiiKuni.
However, the first word is written as 記. But the better kanji should be 紀. It is impossible to mistake the name of the place where one lives, so one could research that kanji.
This sword was made in the 1500’s to 1600s. There were two generations of Yasuhiro there at that time.

Their clan mon tettsu tsuba have a polished surface finish bevelled towards the edge. Matching daito long sword and shoto short sword tsubas, very finely pierced with the Rokakku samurai clan's crest, the "kamon". The tsuka ito was rebound in cream silk in the post Taisho period, as is very usual due to the wear and natural aging of the Edo period silk tsuka-ito, and the signed cast fuchi kashira, that have a deep takebori design Hiranami style of crashing waves in gilt over metal, and the four gilt and silvered menuki of samurai are all very likely from that same late period.

Founded by Sasaki Yasutsuna of Omi Province in the 13th century, the name Rokkaku was taken from their residence within Kyoto; however, many members of this family continued to be called Sasaki. Over the course of the Muromachi period, members of the clan held the high post of Constable (shugo) of various provinces.
During the Onin War (1467-77), which marked the beginning of the Sengoku period, the clan's Kannonji Castle came under assault. As a consequence of defeat in the field, the clan entered a period of decline.
Like other hard-pressed daimyos, the Rokakku tried to enhance their military position by giving closer attention to improved civil administration within their domain. For instance, in 1549, the Rokakku eliminated a paper merchant's guild in Mino under penalty of confiscation. Then they declared a free market in its place.

The Rokakku were defeated by Oda Nobunaga in 1568 on his march to Kyoto and in 1570 they were absolutely defeated by Shibata Katsuie. During the Edo period, Rokkaku Yoshisuke's descendants were considered a koke clan. Historically, or in a more general context, the term koke may refer to a family of old lineage and distinction. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other. A samurai's daisho were his swords, as worn together, as stated in the Tokugawa edicts. 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. 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.
In creating the sword, a sword craftsman, such as, say, the legendary Masamune, had to surmount a virtual technological impossibility. The blade had to be forged so that it would hold a very sharp edge and yet not break in the ferocity of a duel. To achieve these twin objectives, the sword maker was faced with a considerable metallurgical challenge. Steel that is hard enough to take a sharp edge is brittle. Conversely, steel that will not break is considered soft steel and will not take a keen edge. Japanese sword artisans solved that dilemma in an ingenious way. Four metal bars, a soft iron bar to guard against the blade breaking, two hard iron bars to prevent bending and a steel bar to take a sharp cutting edge were all heated at a high temperature, then hammered together into a long, rectangular bar that would become the sword blade. When the swordsmith worked the blade to shape it, the steel took the beginnings of an edge, while the softer metal ensured the blade would not break. This intricate forging process was followed by numerous complex processes culminating in specialist polishing to reveal the blades hamon and to thus create the blade's sharp edge. Inazo Nitobe stated: 'The swordsmith was not a mere artisan but an inspired artist and his workshop a sanctuary. Daily, he commenced his craft with prayer and purification', or, as the phrase was, 'he committed his soul and spirit into the forging and tempering of the steel.'
Celebrated sword masters in the golden age of the samurai, roughly from the 13th to the 17th centuries, were indeed revered to the status they richly deserved.  read more

Code: 25536

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

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

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