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A Good Koto Era Samurai 0-Tanto Signed Mihara ju Masaiye, An Impressive 'Shibui' Beauty

A Good Koto Era Samurai 0-Tanto Signed Mihara ju Masaiye, An Impressive 'Shibui' Beauty

Circa 1530. a large sized tanto with all original Edo era fittings and mounts, a very nice sukashi tsuba in iron, iron Higo style fittings, beautiful polish blade with fine sugaha hamon. Blue tsuka-ito over good quality rayskin, good Edo period ishime lacquer saya with recessed pocket for a kozuka knife. From the school of Mihara sword smiths. known as shibui which is old Japanese for 'quiet'. a fine early tanto mounted beautifully but unobtrusively, restrained and thus 'shibui'. Mihara den was founded at the beginning of the fourteenth century, in the Bingo province, by sword maker Masaiye. Other prominent masters of this school are Masanobu, Masanori, Masamori, Masachika and already mentioned Masaiye. The latter founded a family that made swords to the end of the Edo era. Mihara's school upheld the tradition of Yamato, which belonged to Gokaden (the school of Five Traditions). With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. 19 1/2 inches long overall, blade 13 1/2 inches long tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 23876

2375.00 GBP

A Simply Stunning 15th Century Sengoku Period Wakizashi Samurai Short Sword Circa 1480 With Shobu Zukuri Form Blade

A Simply Stunning 15th Century Sengoku Period Wakizashi Samurai Short Sword Circa 1480 With Shobu Zukuri Form Blade

Mounted in wonderous, original, full suite of Edo period mounts based entirely on pure gold and silver ponies, made somewhat in the fashion of a very famous set by Yokoya Somin. The most elegant shobu zukuri iris leaf form blade has to be one of the most beautiful blade styles ever made and is rarely seen. Shakudo nanako and gold fuchi kashira, large silver pony menuki under gold silk on giant rayskin. Matching tsuba with gold and silver ponies. cinnabar lacquer saya with ribbed top section with rubbed gold lacquer. The koto blade has wonderful grain and an undulating hamon. Shakudo is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark color is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo Was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate katana fittings such as tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Wakizashi have been in use as far back as the 15th or 16th century. The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword; it was also used for close quarters fighting, and also to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit ritual suicide. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi toshi, the chisa-katana and the tanto. The term wakizashi did not originally specify swords of any official blade length and was an abbreviation of "wakizashi no katana" ("sword thrust at one's side"); the term was applied to companion swords of all sizes. It was not until the Edo period in 1638 when the rulers of Japan tried to regulate the types of swords and the social groups which were allowed to wear them that the lengths of katana and wakizashi were officially set.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. The Sengoku period Sengoku Jidai, "Warring States period") is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615.

The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga Shogunate. Various samurai warlords and clans fought for control over Japan in the power vacuum, while the Ikkō-ikki emerged to fight against samurai rule. The arrival of Europeans in 1543 introduced the arquebus into Japanese warfare, and Japan ended its status as a tributary state of China in 1549. Oda Nobunaga dissolved the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573 and launched a war of political unification by force, including the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, until his death in the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582. Nobunaga's successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed his campaign to unify Japan and consolidated his rule with numerous influential reforms. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592, but their eventual failure damaged his prestige before his death in 1598. Tokugawa Ieyasu displaced Hideyoshi's young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and re-established the feudal system under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Sengoku period ended when Toyotomi loyalists were defeated at the siege of Osaka in 1615.

The Sengoku period was named by Japanese historians after the similar but otherwise unrelated Warring States period of China. The Edo period habaki small copper-gilt blade collar has been perfectly restored and we shall photograph it soon. The photos that show it still in place see photos 2 and 9 are before it was restored.  read more

Code: 23939

6750.00 GBP

A Beautiful Original Signed Bizen Yokoyama Sukekane 尉祐包 Dated February 1867, He Was The 13th Generation Sukesada & 58th Generation From The Founder of Bizen Smiths In Superb Polish With Edo Period Mounts of Shakudo & Gold by Yasuyuki 安随

A Beautiful Original Signed Bizen Yokoyama Sukekane 尉祐包 Dated February 1867, He Was The 13th Generation Sukesada & 58th Generation From The Founder of Bizen Smiths In Superb Polish With Edo Period Mounts of Shakudo & Gold by Yasuyuki 安随

Signed, 備陽長船住横山俊左衛門尉祐包
Biyo {Bishu} Osafune Jyu Yokoyama Shunzaemon Jo Sukekane
備陽長船住 is where he lives and 横山俊左衛門尉祐包 is his full name.
The 13th generation of Sukesada, who worked from 1835 to 1872, and this sword was made in the 3rd year of Keio, so it was made in February 1867.
The third says that he is the 58th grandson of the founder of Bizen smithing, Bizen Tomonari. It also shows the date of creation. Blades of the 19th-century Yokoyama school frequently declared their lineage as being directly descended from the 13th-century smith Tomonari.

It has a stunning urushi lacquered original Edo saya with ribbing on the black urushi middle top section, and crushed abilone, over green, black and clear urushi lacquer, on the top and bottom sections a most pleasing and artistic combination.

Original Edo shakudo fuchi kashira decorated with silver and gold birds, bamboo and flowers, on a hammered ground, signed Yasuyuki 安随. The tettsu tsuba has a geometric openwork design of an approaching wagon wheel with hon-zogan decoration of shinchu hira inlay. The tsuka ito {silk binding} is blue-green

A pair of superb menuki, in gold and shakudo, one is the turtle the other the phoenix. In Japanese folklore, the minogame, it is a legendary turtle of tremendous age. Sometimes living for up to 10,000 years, its most distinctive feature is the tail of seaweed and algae that trails behind it.

The most well known minogame {turtle} in Japan comes from the tale of Urashima Tarō, a legendary fisherman who rescues a turtle being tormented by children on a beach. A minogame informs him that he has actually rescued the daughter of the sea god Ryūjin, and takes him down to the bottom of the ocean to receive his thanks.

The other menuki is a Hō-ō bird . As the herald of a new age, the Hō-ō {phoenix} decends from heaven to earth to do good deeds, and then it returns to its celestial abode to await a new era. It is both a symbol of peace (when the bird appears) and a symbol of disharmony (when the bird disappears).

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 British Museum has a small tanto signed by the same smith Bishu Osafune Ju Yokoyama Sukekane’

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O90821/dagger-and-scabbard-sukekane/

Sukekane was the 13th mainline master of the Bizen Yokoyama school, which was founded in the later 16th century by Yosozaemon no Jo Sukesada. It is said that Sukesada relocated to the nearby village of Yokoyama after the great flooding of Osafune at this time. Sukesada’s great-grandson, Sanzaemon no
Jo Sukesada, whose personal name was Toshiro and was the 4th generation, was the first representative of the school to work in shinto times.
All these smiths were named Sukesada and as they entered the shinshinto period, although they retained the character “Suke” in their names, many used a different second character instead of “Sada”. However, although living and signing their work
with Yokoyama, they appreciated that their spiritual and cultural home was still Osafune, by including this in their mei.
This is the first of two generations named Sukekane and he died in 1872, a few years after making this blade. He was taught swordmaking by one Sukenaga who was actually from a corollary family to the mainline of Yokoyama smiths. Sukenaga also signed on his nakago that he was the 56th generation descended from Tomonari. Sukenaga’s brother, Sukemori, was adopted into the mainline school, as the 12th master and Sukekane, his natural son, became the 13th master.  read more

Code: 25542

6450.00 GBP

Beautiful, Original 'Tamashigiri Cutting Test' Antique Samurai Katana Signed By High Rated Master Smith, Masashige Tegarayama, 手柄山正繁  With Highly Rare Tamashigiri Cutting Test, By Gonnosuke Komatsubara, Dated 1799. & A Buddhist Eightfold Path Tsuba

Beautiful, Original 'Tamashigiri Cutting Test' Antique Samurai Katana Signed By High Rated Master Smith, Masashige Tegarayama, 手柄山正繁 With Highly Rare Tamashigiri Cutting Test, By Gonnosuke Komatsubara, Dated 1799. & A Buddhist Eightfold Path Tsuba

The tsuka has Higo school, Edo period, plain iron fuchi kashira, and a very nice pair of gold dragon with ken menuki, and a fine copper habaki with blue-green silk tsuka-ito over traditional samegawa {giant rayskin}.

An elegant full length hi horimono blade, with a narrow suguha hamon, with just a few, as can occasionally be expected from swords kept in the UK in the 1870’s, minuscule, age and edge marks mostly to one side of the blade, thus priced accordingly. Signed by a master smith of great status dated and tested by the execution of a criminal by a a shogunate approved tamashgiri master of the Yamada family.

By Masashige Tegarayama. 手柄山 正繁
He was famous and highly regarded as a sword smith .
On the other side is a man named Gonnosuke Komatsubara. 小松原 権之助.
He is the tamegashiri master who tested the sharpness of this sword when he was going to execute a criminal with it.
The date is August 13,1799 (寛政十一年八月十三日)and the only people who could execute a criminal were those from family recognized by the shogunate, and who were adopted by the sixth head of that family Yoshimasa Yamada. 山田吉昌. known as the Shogun's Executioners
The text next to the date indicated the evaluation of the sharpness of the sword.
The characters written are “Chichiwari Dodan “ 乳割 土壇 which means that the criminal was laid on a foundation piled with earth, and when the chest was cut , the cut reached the ground, this is a record of where the sword was actually cut and how far it cut.

The tsuba is a super example of an eight-spoke wheel that connects the rim to the plate in this Katchushi Tsuba, likely Koto period circa 450 years old. The ‘spokes’, which symbolize the ‘eight fold path’, radiate from the plate, of ribbed octagonal rim. The surface has perfect colouration and patina, the quality of iron is very good. The Buddhist Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi ('meditative absorption or union'; alternatively, unanimous meditative awareness)

Katchushi means armoursmith in Japanese.
So, it is said that the definition of Katchushi-Tsuba is tsuba made by armour-smiths.

The saya has a beautiful black urushi lacquer ribbed top section, with a bottom section of nishiji gold urushi lacquer.

Tameshigiri (試し斬り, 試し切り, 試斬, 試切) is the Japanese art of target test cutting. The kanji literally mean "test cut" (kun'yomi: ためし ぎり tameshi giri). This practice was popularized in the Edo period (17th century) for testing the quality of Japanese swords. It continues to the present day, but has evolved into a martial art which focuses on demonstrating the practitioner's skill with a sword.
The practice of tameshigiri flourished during the Edo period, from 1600 to 1868. These blade tests were mainly conducted on katanas and wakizashis, which together are known as daishōs. Samurai warriors would perform these tests for their own use to ensure the sharpness of their future weapon. They could also carry out tameshigiri tests on behalf of their daimyō, testing katanas intended for their warlord's armies.

Different types of cuts were tested on various swords, each trajectory having its own name. For example, a vertical cut from the top of the body was called kami tatewari, while a vertical cut from the bottom was referred to as shimo tatewari. After each test, the number of bodies cut was inscribed on the tang of the blade, the nakago or 茎. This number was either marked with a file or inscribed as a column, along with the date, the name of the tester, and the cutting results. This katana has that very form of highly rare inscription on its nakago.
For some tests they were placed on a sand mound, about 11.81 inches high, known as dodan. To keep the bodies in place, four pieces of bamboo were fixed to hold the targets, referred to as hasamitake. The performance of the blade was then measured in terms of the number of bodies cut and the depth of the cut in centimeters. Renowned and proud swordsmiths would attend these events to witness their creations being tested. They would dress in ceremonial white kimonos for the occasion. If a blade failed the test, it brought such dishonour that the only way to cleanse their honour was through seppuku, ritual suicide.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry. Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear exanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesized in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they could be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 25464

15950.00 GBP

A Very Good WW2 Japanese Kaiten or Zero Kamikaze Pilots 'Seppuku' {Hara-Kiri} Tanto Signed Seki {Mino} Junin Kanesada With Fine Hamon. This Is Certainly One Of, If Not The, Best Example We Have Seen in Decades

A Very Good WW2 Japanese Kaiten or Zero Kamikaze Pilots 'Seppuku' {Hara-Kiri} Tanto Signed Seki {Mino} Junin Kanesada With Fine Hamon. This Is Certainly One Of, If Not The, Best Example We Have Seen in Decades

A traditional, signed, and most rare seppuku suicide dagger in shira saya standard wooden mounting. Issued in WW2

Unusually, signed on the blade face as a form of horimono. With a very good notare hamon and good kissaki turn back. Full hi to one side, and stunning gunome hamon. Nicely naturally aged short tang with early hand punched mekugi ana.

There is no set pattern that the knives conform to as they were not a standard issue they were privately purchased by the pilot himself or was given to him as a gift.

Every example is different, some have a blade inscription (hardly any), some had a leather scabbard cover like the swords have, and most do not have a signed Tang.

The very type as were presented to the WW2 Zero pilots before their Kamikaze suicide missions {see photo in the gallery} and also given to or purchased by Kaiten pilots, the Japanese navy's one man human suicide torpedoes. Blade wartime period, traditionally made. A must have piece, for collectors of fine Samurai edged weapons, who have yet to gain one of these most interesting daggers for their collection. Photo in the gallery shows a WW2 'Kamikaze' pilot being issued his suicide Seppuku tanto in the Kaiten ceremony. Originally they could have had an exterior brown leather cover and neck strap. The pilot had the choice whether to commit suicide, or not. It was not an order, nor directive and if the pilot missed the ship he had the option of killing himself to ask forgiveness of the honourable ancestors for his failure, as many of the planes had only enough fuel for a one way trip. Because the Zero pilot was belted into a very narrow seat and wearing many layers of his cold atmospheric pilot's flying suit with the addition of his life vest; it would be impossible for the aeronautical pilot to commit traditional ritual seppuku. It is said the procedure was to pull the knife out from it's neck sheath and thrust it straight into the throat much like the ladies form of seppuku. Fortunately and obviously this tanto’s original recipient likely failed in his task, and thus this fabulous and historical tanto survived the war intact.

This seppuku tanto survived the war simply because the pilot both aeronautical or maritime} failed in their mission, one way or another

In recognition of the unfavorable progress of the war, towards the end of 1943 the Japanese high command considered suggestions for various suicide craft. These suggestions were initially rejected, but later deemed necessary. Various suicide craft were developed in the Japanese Special Attack Units.

For the Navy, this meant Kamikaze planes, Ohka piloted bombs, Shinyo suicide boats, Kaiten submarines, and Fukuryu suicide divers or human mines. The Kamikazes were somewhat successful, and the second most successful were the Kaitens.

Research on the first Kaiten began in February 1944, followed on 25 July of the same year by the first prototype. By 1 August, an order for 100 units had been placed.

The island of Ōzushima, in the Inland Sea, was used as a training site. The island was equipped with cranes, torpedo testing pits, and launch ramps, and had a large shallow bay for test running and firing. The Kaiten Memorial Museum is now situated there.

Kaiten pilots were all men aged between 17 and 28. Initial training consisted of sailing fast surface boats by periscope and instrument readings alone. When a pilot had advanced past this basic training, he would begin training on Kaitens. Training craft were fitted with a dummy warhead that contained telemetry equipment and an emergency blowing tank that could return the craft to the surface should the trainee dive to a dangerous depth. Kaiten training started with basic circular runs to and from a fixed landmark at a reduced speed; the training advanced to faster and more hazardous runs around rocks and through channels in deeper waters. The more difficult runs required the pilot to surface and check the periscope repeatedly, and required conscientious adjusting of trim tank levels because of the reducing weight as oxygen was used up. When the instructors were confident about a pilot's abilities, they would advance the pilot to open water training against target ships. Training at this level was often done at full attack speed, and either at night or in twilight. The final phase of training would be a submarine launch and more open water attack runs on target ships.

Training was dangerous, and 15 men died in accidents, most commonly collisions with the target vessels. Although the warheads were only dummies, the impact at ramming speed was enough to both cripple the Kaiten and severely injure the pilot.

In action, the Kaiten was always operated by one man, but the larger training models (Types 2, 4, and 5) could carry two or even four.

Kaiten pilots who were leaving for their final missions would leave testaments and messages behind for their loved ones

Blade has a silver foiled pewter habaki and plain shira saya with black carved buffalo horn embellished trim.

Blade length from the base of habaki, 6.25 inches overall in saya 10.25 inches



As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 25551

SOLD

A Most Rare & Fabulous Original Antique Japanese Samurai Sword Stick, a Shikomizue 仕込み杖,

A Most Rare & Fabulous Original Antique Japanese Samurai Sword Stick, a Shikomizue 仕込み杖, "Prepared Cane" With A Stunning Cloisonné Form Polychrome Urushi Lacquer Dragon Handle, & Ken Form Blade

Considering its rarity quality and beauty, this would not have been the sword of a regular samurai, but one of high status and position, possibly a Daimyo clan Lord, or a superior status samurai of high rank and wealth.

With a long and most elegant blade, this is possibly one of the most beautiful of it's types we have seen in quite some time. The blade design is in the ancient Japanese sword form known as ‘ken’, and single edged, with a false edge turn back at the kissaki. Ken is the shape of the earliest straight samurai swords in use around 1000 years ago.

The stick is fully and superbly fully lacquered with a top section of a cloisonné multi coloured lacquer design of a dragon. The cane’s haft is covered in a translucent clear cherry wood style urushi lacquer The lacquer work is naturally wear aged with light surface marks, and the blade also has signs of natural wear and age through use. But overall it is a very rare example, in nice condition for its age, with a very rare form of cloisonne work we have never seen before.

Cloisonné is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with coloured material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire. called cloisons, however, almost always it is worked in metal and enamel, but this example is extraordinarily rare in that it is achieved with differing colours of urushi lacquer instead of glass, within the cloisons. Very likely made in Ama and Nagoya of Aichi Prefecture

This piece absolutely the same form hidden sword {although with very superior high status decoration} used by the world reknown fictional blind samurai Zatoichi. He does not carry a traditional katana, instead using a very well-made shikomizue (cane sword) just as this sword is. Shikomizue were often straight-edged, lower-quality blades which could not compare with regular katana, but as revealed in Zatoichi's cane sword, his weapon was forged by a master bladesmith and is of superior quality, just like this rare and fine bladed example.

In the 1870's the Meiji Emperor disbanded the fuedal samurai order and banned the wearing of the sword. This created much unrest and rebellion between the samurai and the government, and subsequently some samurai moved to carrying the ‘hidden sword’ called shikomizue. Therefore, via a circuitous route, they still remain armed, but with their katana completely hidden from view. By that way, they felt, at least in part, their traditional samurai honour remained intact. The blade is super quality, far better that a usual shikomizue, with fine brightness, no corrosion at all, and traces of hamon, with miniscule edged contact marks. The blade is ken, and as typical, very straight.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 25560

3250.00 GBP

A Most Fine & Attractive Antique Pre Edo Period Koto Han Dachi Mounted {Semi Tachi Style} Samurai Katana With A Superb Blade in Near Pristine Condition

A Most Fine & Attractive Antique Pre Edo Period Koto Han Dachi Mounted {Semi Tachi Style} Samurai Katana With A Superb Blade in Near Pristine Condition

With two part hidden secret compartment fuchi, for concealing small intelligence notes.
Circa 550 years old, and a delight to observe the wonderful elegant curvature to the blade. It has all original Edo period mounts fittings and saya, with original saya intricately patterned pine needle urushi lacquer. Typical original Edo period handachi mounts of matching, kashira, sayajiri, kurigata in a crashing wave takebori design of gilded brass, and a brass fuchi that is disguised to conceal it seperates into two parts to reveal a very narrow section to conceal small script notes. With a beautiful Edo mokko form iron tsuba with gold onlay of immortals one holding a staff, another reading a scroll held by a third figure, beneath a prunus tree . All untouched for over 150 years since it arrived in England in the 1870's. It has a very active undulating notare hamon, and fine grain within the hada, on the stunning blade, and it’s all original Edo period tsukaito binding to the hilt, in black silk, wrapped over a pair of gilt dragon menuki, and overall it has usual light signs of wear and use upon the saya, with age appropriate wear as to be expected.

Han-dachi originally appeared during the Muromachi period when there was a transition taking place from Tachi to katana. The sword was being worn more and more edge up when on foot, but edge down on horseback as it had always been. The handachi is a response to the need to be worn in either style. The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behavior on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.
Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear expanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesised in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they may be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

it has been said that part of their military training, samurai were taught to sleep with their right arm underneath them so if they were attacked in the middle of the night and their the left arm was cut off the could still fight with their right arm. Samurai that tossed and turned at night were cured of the habit by having two knives placed on either side of their pillow.

Samurai have been describes as "the most strictly trained human instruments of war to have existed." They were expected to be proficient in the martial arts of aikido and kendo as well as swordsmanship and archery---the traditional methods of samurai warfare---which were viewed not so much as skills but as art forms that flowed from natural forces that harmonized with nature.
Some samurai, it has been claimed, didn't become a full-fledged samurai until he wandered around the countryside as begging pilgrim for a couple of years to learn humility. When this was completed they achieved samurai status and receives a salary from his daimyo paid from taxes (usually rice) raised from the local populace.

Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.

Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords

Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.

Some provinces of Japan were famous for their contribution to this art: the province of Edo (later Tokyo), for example, produced the most beautiful lacquered pieces from the 17th to the 18th centuries. Lords and shoguns privately employed lacquerers to produce decorated samurai sword saya and also ceremonial and decorative objects for their homes and palaces.  read more

Code: 25549

6950.00 GBP

A Beautiful Koto Period Samurai Chisa Katana, Around 500 Years Old

A Beautiful Koto Period Samurai Chisa Katana, Around 500 Years Old

Most handsome original Koto period samurai sword with fine quality original matching Edo period fuchigashira and menuki with gold decorated flowers and birds, a birds in flight pierced o-sukashi tsuba in iron.

Original Edo saya with a chamfered panel to one side.

A katana was two shaku or longer in length (one shaku = about 11.93 inches). However, the Chisa katana is longer than the wakizashi, which was somewhere in between one and two shaku in length. The most common blade lengths for Chisa katana was approximately eighteen to twenty-four inches. They were most commonly made in the Buke-Zukuri mounting (which is generally what is seen on katana and wakizashi). The chisa katana was able to be used with one or even two hands like a katana. The Chisa Katana is a slightly shorter Katana highly suitable for two handed, or two sword combat, or, combat within enclosed areas such as castles or buildings. As such they were often the sword of choice for the personal Samurai guard of a Daimyo, and generally the only warriors permitted to be armed in his presence. Chisa katana, Chiisagatana or literally "short katana", are shoto mounted as katana.

The chisa katana was also the long sword of choice for the art of twin sword combat, using two at once in unison, a chisa katana and wakazashi, one in each hand, a form 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.
21 inch blade tsuba to tip. 32 inches long overall

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

Code: 24954

4995.00 GBP

A Beautiful Koto to Early Shinto Period Samurai Sword Katana Signed Kanetake. Probably Azuchi Momoyama Era Mino Tradition. With a Flock Of Cranes Openwork Tsuba

A Beautiful Koto to Early Shinto Period Samurai Sword Katana Signed Kanetake. Probably Azuchi Momoyama Era Mino Tradition. With a Flock Of Cranes Openwork Tsuba

Signed Kanetake 兼 武 1500's to early 1600's
There is swordsmith named after him in Sekijuji, Noushu. The period of that smith is thought to around 1600.
Black tuska ito over gold dragon takebori menuki, a fuchi of gold shellfish on a nanako ground, and a carved buffalo horn kashira. Original black urushi lacquer saya, and a maru-gata tsuba of delightful quality, with openwork and relief decorations, depicting a takebori flock of cranes taking flight, with gold rims to the kogai ana and kozuka ana. The blade is superb for age showing a beautiful and very fine narrow suguha hamon.

In Japan, the crane, or tsuru, is a national treasure and is considered the bird of happiness. It is depicted in art, literature, and mythology as a symbol of good luck and longevity because it is said to live 1,000 years. An ancient Japanese legend promises that when you fold a thousand origami cranes, you will be granted a wish by the sacred crane.
Originally, a swordsmith named Kanetake lasted in Mino province (today’s Gifu prefecture) for generations since the late Muromachi period (the early-mid 16th century). Then, the late-gen Kanetake, active during the Azuchi Momoyama period (the late 16th century), is said to have moved to Inuyama in Owari province due to the war and founded the Inuyama school. Therefore, it is believed that the Inuyama school was influenced by the Mino-style tradition of sword forging. The swords forged by the late-gen Kanetake, active in the early Edo period, are said to be rare and have dynamic characteristics.
Mino Province is one of the most famous and historical sword-forging sites. There were so many schools forging blades during the Samurai period. It especially prospered during Sengoku Jidai (Warring State period) due to the high demand for weapons. And the location of Mino province beat others. Akechi Mitsuhide controlled Mino province, Nobunaga Oda ruled Owari province, and Tokugawa Ieyasu was the lord of Suruga (Neighboring areas). There was high demand from those powerful feudal lords and their retainers.

Furthermore, many wars occurred between the Kanto region and the Kyoto area. Mino is located in the middle, making feudal lords feel convenient to order swords from MINO swordsmiths. Many feudal lords demanded swords forged in the Mino province. The blades forged in MINO provinces also had a reputation for their practical design and sharpness.

The tradition of excellent sword forging skills had been passed throughout the Edo period. And, to look for better opportunities, many swordsmiths in Mino province moved to other parts of Japan, such as Owari province, located right next to Mino province. Those who moved to Owari from Mino are called Owari Seki.

As Owari province was active in martial arts during the early Edo period, there was much demand for swords among high-class Samurai. And there were quite a few renowned swordsmiths in Owari province, but many of them only forged blades for the Owari domain. Owari domain was known as Tokugawa Gosanke (徳川御三家) and had powerful political power, closely connected to Tokugawa Shogunate in Edo city.  read more

Code: 25544

6395.00 GBP

A Stunning, Antique, Edo Period Shinto 'Dragon Horimono' Katana With A Carved Horimono Blade of a Dragon. With a Superb Suguha Hamon

A Stunning, Antique, Edo Period Shinto 'Dragon Horimono' Katana With A Carved Horimono Blade of a Dragon. With a Superb Suguha Hamon

Horimono, a type of carving, often adds other decorative Horimono to the blade in addition to grooves. The properties of horimono are usually traditional images, such as swords, dragons, deities, Buddhist patterns, bonji, Chinese characters, and so on.Among the blades of the Koto period of sword manufacture (1600), many of the carvings display religious meaning: Bonji (sanskrit), Su-ken, Fudo Myo-o,Kurikara, Sanko-tsuki-ken, Goma-bashi, Hachiman-daibosatsu, Namu-myoho-renge-kyo, and Sanjuban-shin.In the Shinto period of swordmaking (1600), the carvings become more decorative with depictions of cranes and turtles, ascending and descending dragons, shochikubai (pine, bamboo and plum), and the deity of wealth, Daikoku.These images are carved with hammers hitting small chisels of various sizes. The internal surface of horimono is ground smoothly and finely, and polished during the polishing process. Making horimono is both difficult and time-consuming; Swordsmiths mostly carve grooves and simple Sanskrit characters themselves, while the more magnificent horimono is made by specialized craftsmen. After deciding which image to use, carefully draw a detailed pattern with a brush at the position to be carved, and then complete the horimono. The ideal horimono has a moderate proportion, the size matches the word to be carved, and is engraved in the appropriate position

The decorative horimono were introduced during the Edo period on the katanas and are generally larger than the votive ones. They often depict a dragon, taking up traditional iconography but using superfine techniques to embellish the blade.


The saya has a split to repair so the katana’s availability will be only once the restored saya is completed.  read more

Code: 25541

6650.00 GBP