who is collecting Katana's

[nuggethill]

This is another of my collecting interests,I've been collecting these for a few years now but still only a small collection comaired to some,the collection consist's of Katana's,Wak's,Kozuka's,Tsuba's and a Tanto I do love them as much as my coins and stamps.
regards Harry

[AdamL]

I used to collect katanas, waks, tantos and other asian style blades. I've sold many of them. But its something I've considered getting back into. Most of my extra money goes to coins though.

[Triggersmob]

Can you show us some pics, Harry.

[Nevol]

Tantos sound a bit tantalising. 

Wonder what they look like. 

[nuggethill]

Thanks for your interest Adam,Steve and Nancy (tanto's like a little kitchen knife  )
G'Day all,most of the Japanese blades as you know are very old but still retain there polish providing there cared for,but some aren't well cared for and have to be repolished,this is the way with the tanto as when I won it in auction it had been sadly neglected and is at the polishers (the person polishing the tanto is more accomplished than I) .
I also polish blades so I'll show you some I have polished but later,I think every castle need a knight and every knight needs a sword so here are mine.

The first 3 blades are Koto Wakizashi's,these are companion blade to the Katana,both of these together that is the Katana and Wak are call Daisho (Dai-sho).




First a Kaga Province Konenaka Mino school Azuchimomoyama period (1568 to 1600)
wak in civilian koshirae,the harmon is called Hako Midare or horse tooth.




This next one is in shirasaya (wooden fittings) Mie (signature) Kanetsugu (Kanesada mino school)  Muromachi period (1393 to 1568) bo hi on blade (blood groove),the harmon is suguha or strait with a signature O notare near the habaki.
this is half way through the polishing



This one is in missmatch fitting blade only,Mie Bishu Osafune Sukesada Bizen smith from the Muromachi period (1393 to 1568)renown for the Tamahagane steel.
this one I have just started to polish



so more to come Katana's,Kozuka's and Tsuba's
P.S. sorry for the spelling
 

[nuggethill]

Oh P.S. sorry for the delay in responding to this,I've just downloaded the photo's to photobucket.
regards to all

[nuggethill]

Shirasaya is a tempory sword holder,you either have the Katana in it's fittings or in the shirasaya,when the blade is in the shirasaya there's a wooden blade that holds the fitting together and with the blade in the fittings the wooden blade resides in the shirasaya.





more to come starting with this Katana

[Triggersmob]

Thanks for showing them, Harry.
A lot of work goes in to making those blades. I saw a program on T.V. a long time ago.
They hammer out the metal and then fold it over, then hammer it out again, then fold it over again,
repeating this process many times.

[nuggethill]

About a 100 time Steve   20/06/09 
edited 21/06/09
One of my bigest probloems is I tend to over inform.
If this is to much information just let me know.
 

[tyjulie]

Keep the info coming
have really enjoyed

[nuggethill]

Thanks Buda I do need some encouragement,the first wak I found at an arm's fair the other two are from eBay,I brought this next katana from one of the blokes I knew in the Japanese Sword Society of Australia (or the JSSA for short) when I was a member there,I asked around for a sword I could polish and he sold me a rusted blade which is the next one I'm going to show you but first a bit of history.
After the last war (WWII) alot of surrendered Japanese blades lay idle and uncared for as this next katana was,blade was rusty fittings in disrepair so with the help of a couple of mates and a bit of hard work between the three of us we restored this katana and koshirae,the fitting included a sword sheath or saya a new handle or tsuka,tsuba,menuki and fuchi/kashira these will be explained as we move along.
this blade is signed Amahide (showa smith) and was in gunto mounts
The theam for this katana is Rain Dragons and Ho birds.
 
The tsuba ( knuckle guard)has carvings both sides,on the other side is rain dragons on this side is Ho bird.



(Yachting watch  )
Fuchi/kashira (collar and promel) Ho birds.



menuki (raised lump under handle binding for grip) Rain dragons.



Harmon is Guname with some Midare.



more to come (more of Amahide)

  

[nuggethill]

another Katana to follow (1844 Shinshinto Munesada katana)

[nuggethill]

Before I post the Katana you may like to see a change or something different,this is the first Tsuba (knuckle guard) that I brought at an arms fair.

This tsuba is called rabbits in the surf



I'll wait for a response before I post more

[tyjulie]

What other cool stuff do you have

[nuggethill]

G'Day Buda and thanks jmate for the comment,
I'll just breeze through these last katanas I want to show you,
Kanesada 1844 and a Kaneshige 1865 these are called shinshinto period but just a quick look with no details.





well thats that
steak knifes to come

[nuggethill]

These three are Kozuka's (handles) with the Kogatana's (knife's)in them.



these are a small utility knife that slides into a nook in the saya (scabbard)of the wak

[nuggethill]

This is a signed Tsuba (knuckle guard)



and this one is shakado it means it's about 20% gold and the rest copper



just a few more to go 

[nuggethill]

This next tsuba is a signed Soten (Soheishi school).



also this one but I'm not sure if it's a Soheishi school (Soten) or a Mogarashi school tsuba.



only a few more to come

[nuggethill]

Do you want to see more or has the excitement been too much LOL 

[Humpybong]

WOW! That is something a little different.

[ElleKitty]

I would love to see more of these! They've always fascinated me and I browse through them on eBay frequently, but I've never bought anything.   I love the artwork and craftsmanship.  I doubt we could produce anything like this today with all of our technological wonderment.  

[Templar]

 HOW FASINATING!--HOW DO YOU TELL AUTHENTIC ONES FROM FRAUD? ESPECIALLY ON EBAY----WHAT IS A GOOD BEGINNING PRICE FOR ONE OF THESE?---IS THERE A WEB SITE TO GO TO AND SEE MORE OF THEM?
   THANKS FOR SHARING--YOUR SERVANT--THE TEMPLAR!

[nuggethill]

Most of these are privat sales or Arms Fairs,the first two Waks in shirasaya were eBay buys,now you have to know what to look for,shape of sword,name of smith,shape of harmon or kisaki are good indications.
there are other ways to buy Japanese authentice antique items,this is a link to a shop in Tokyo,sales of all kinds of armes and fittings and don't forget the prices you see are the going prices around the world for these items.
This is the link  http://www.aoi-art.com  that's the best one I've found so far

O.K. another couple of tsubas oh the ones I've posted are the ones I have on show and these aren't.



and this is the one next to the stack.



more to come 

[nuggethill]

P.S. sorry all I should have thanked you for the comments and yes Elle the carving are great,if you have a look at the rabbits in the surf thats a prize peice of carving,go into that link I gave you and klick on Tsubas and then klick on the photo of the tsuba to gain access to the sales photos and prices in U.S. dollars and don't forget 100,000.00 Japanese Yen is $1000.00 U.S.
Humpy there are arms fairs all over Australia,if you buy a shooter annual they usually have the places and dates.
Tempar the prices on eBay (1)don't reflect true prices (2)they keep the good stuff to sell in other places (3)they sell the rubbish off on eBay.
that is the overpolished,rusted,faulty blades and cast Tsubas (not the real thing)
hope this helps
regards Harry  

[nuggethill]

I do have more that's if you would like to see them,these are sukushi tzubas there not everyones cup of tea but I like them.

regards Harry

[Yass]

Harry,
You cn post as many of these photos as you like. They are very interesting.  Do any of them have any history attached, apart from the manufacturer?  Were any owned by famous people, or used in battle, or found in unusal places?

[Templar]

I AM VERY INTERESTED IN SWORDS BUT I DON'T OWN ANY.........THE CLOSEST THING I HAVE IS A CIVIL WAR BAYONET FROM THE TOWER WORKS IN ENGLAND..........IT FITS NICELY ON MY 1860 MUZZLE LOADER RIFFLE........THEY DID NOT COME TOGETHER AS THE OLDER BAYONETS TENDED TO RUST AWAY.........I PICKED THIS ONE UP AT A GUN SHOW A FEW YEARS LATER----IT HAS A TRIANGLE BLADE WHICH LEFT A NASTY WOUND WHEN IT WAS USED.....TRIED TO FIT IT INTO MY SCANNER  BUT IT WAS JUST TOO LONG......

          YOUR SERVANT AND FRIEND..............THE TEMPLAR

[TwoShadows]

Well I have learned something by having a look at this thread. Thank you Nuggethill. Now when I see such items at flea markets I will actually know what they are!

[nuggethill]

G'Day Graham and yes a few have war wounds or blade cuts tzubas included but as for there storys no there are non,as most of these come from the second world war and are captured wepons,only a wak from Hiroshima with the inscription on the shira sayer (not yet translated) is the only one with a story.
Terry I have more to show but as you know my work has taken me away so when this project is finished I'll have more time to post,at the moment I have to much to catch up on here at home and only have to-morrow as the day after I return to the country for another two to three weeks,thanks all for you kind comments.
Regards Harry