Anonymous

Edo period, 18/19th century

1615-1868

Wakizashi

An Edo period wakizashi signed by Kuni Suki. Many smiths signed with this signature and so is difficult to pinpoint a specific maker. Saya in roiro ground agoai nashiji makie and antler kojiri, the butt of the sword. Bronze and gilt fuchi and kashira in samurai design. A silver menuki in the form of a dragon with ray skin and a black silk braid handle. The Tsuba is iron openwork in a wisteria motif. The wisteria in Japan symbolised long life and immortality making it a fitting symbol to have on a sword probably in the belief it would protect the user.

Signed KuniSuki

620mm x 70mm

Kogatana

Edo period 18th century

1603-1868

A agoai nashiji makie Kozuka.

unsigned kogatana

unsigned kozuka

214mm x 13mm

Anonymous

Edo period 19th century

1615-1868

Kozuka

A iron kozuka inlayed in gold and silver depicting the Taoist sage Koreidjin also known as Ku Ling Jin in Chinese with a tiger in mountain and pine scenery.

Japanese Sword Fittings Naunton Collection H.L.Joly 1912

A similar kozuka from the Naunton collection shows Koreidjin on the back of his tiger with a halo around his head No 1501.

Size 96mm x 19mm

Anonymous

Edo period 19th century

1700-1868

Tsuba

A beautifully designed iron tsuba with gold highlights and silver inlay. Two rice plants circle the tsuba with its leaves having gold highlights representing the reflection of the sun and silver inlay at the leaf tips representing water drops

This tsuba is of the Sunagawa school of Yedo. Founded by Masatora, one of the Akasaka, the Sunagawa was known for producing iron sword guards of the same designs and compositions of its parent family Kinai. Their sword guards are usually in clearly cut reliefs and to a high finish.

A very tsuba of almost identical design is found in the Cleveland Museum collection by the maker Yuchikdo Seisen.  

Cleveand Museum No.1919.369 signed Yuchikudo Seisen with Kao.

Unsigned

Size 71mm x 74mm

Goto Mitsuyasu

Late Edo period, 19th century

1800’s

Kosuka

A Shakudo and gold kosuka signed and made by Goto Mitsuyasu lived in Kyoto. He was the 5th master of the Hanzaemon line and was also known as Goto Benjo. Shakudo is a copper alloy on average 4-10% gold to 96-90% copper. Gold inlay and high relief chrysanthemum.

Signed Goto Mitsuyasu

97mm x 14mm

Kogatana

Naniwa Ju Gassan Sadayoshi

Late Edo period 19th century

1800’s

A Kogatana blade signed by Gassan Sadayoshi. He was one of the premiere smiths of the Shinshinto period born under the name Yahachiro in 1800 to the swordsmith Gassan Sadachika. While he descended from the Gassan school, at this point the school had lost all prominence and had nearly extinguished itself. Sadayoshi went on to study under the great Shinshinto master Suishinshi Masahide in the early 1800s, and when Masahide died in the 1820s he moved to Osaka to re-found the Gassan tradition.

Signed Naniwa Ju Gassan Sadayoshi

218mm x 13mm

Hiromasa

Muromachi period 16th century

1336 – 1573

Tanto

An early tanto blade in the Unokubi style, a large sweep of the back of the blade is removed near the tip down past the middle. Unokubi translated means “neck of the cormorant”. It’s understood that this originally was to lighten the blade while retaining its functionality.

Alone the blade edge is the Hamon, this line is created with clay applied to the edge of the blade before tempering. This creates a harder edge to the blade allowing it to be extremely sharp.

Size 465mm x 28mm

Signed Hiromasa

 
 

Anonymous

late Edo / Meiji period, 18th/19th century

1800-1912

Bokuto

A wood and lacquer hand-carved bokuto “imitation sword”. also known as a doctor’s sword. Peonies and lattice patterns cover the body of the bokuto with ginkgo leaves on the handle.

Bokuto were imitation swords worn for security by the common Japanese man who was not permitted to wear real swords. Also known as Chato (doctors sword) the belief that doctors would carry these for protection seems to be untrue. Depending on your status in Japanese culture determined whether you could carry a blade or not. it's understood that doctors were of high enough status to carry a short sword.

Far more likely is that the common man would have a wooden imitation sword to create the illusion of carrying a real sword at night and could obviously be used to protect themselves if needed.

Unsigned

460mm x 45mm

Anonymous

Edo Period 18th/19th century

1615-1868

Kozuka

A shakudo and mixed metal kozuka. Inlayed metals in the form of a Jumonji Yari spear and a kabuto helmet. The jumonji yari (十文字槍) is a cross-shaped spear, also known as magari yari (curved spear). The spear has never had the same notoriety as that of the bow and sword in japan but has nonetheless been one of the most important weapons used in feudal Japan.   

Unsigned

97mm x 13mm

Anonymous

Edo period 19th century

1800-1868

Tsuba

A beautifully worked iron tsuba in a wave pattern. Hand-carved on every surface are waves with silver and gold inlay representing water drops. The Kogai hitsu (hole) has a shakudo inset.   

This tsuba is of the Chōshū school, the province of Chōshū is on the west side of Japan and home to eight or more important families engaged in making sword fittings. Chōshū tsuba are often in iron of a rich black patina of solid or perforated form sometimes with a sparing enrichment of gold.

Unsigned

Size 78mm x 72mm

Anonymous

Edo period 19th century

1615-1868

Tanto Kashira-e

A mid-19th century kashira-e housing for a tanto blade. The saya (scabbard) finished in a red-brown lacquer, the tsuka (hilt) covered in same (ray skin) in white silk tsukmaki wrapping in lozenge pattern, menuki (hilt grips), fuchi (hilt collar), koiguchi (scabbard mouth) kurigata (cord runner), kaerizuno (cord hook), and kojiri (end of scabbard), all in chiselled bronze work covered in gilt.

Dragons over wave motifs decorate the fitting. The dragon is seen as the lord of beasts holding all the aspects of the zodiac animals. Known as a spirit that can control the rain it is often depicted flying among clouds or water.

The two menuki fittings are of the same design as a pair previously in the possession of the G.H. Naunton collection seen here in the private publication of 1912 by Henri L. Joly. Collection number 4386.

G.H. Naunton collection, Henri L. Joly 1912

Unsigned

Size 435mm