Japanese

A Good Shinto Aikuchi Tanto Samurai Dagger With a Fine & Beautiful Polish Blade. Around 400 years Old. All Original Edo Period Koshirae

The blade has a fine Hamon with a full, back edge temper, and a running itami grain hada. With giant rayskin bound hilt grip and black speckled dark red lacquer saya. Flying geese kozuka, carved buffalo black horn fittings. Shinto period, circa 1620.

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. all the fittings and lacquer are original Edo period, the old saya lacquer has some usual wear marks, and the kozuka small utility knife handle has a small area of age denting.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor, Victor Harris, to us here in our gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword {all samurai edge weapons are called swords, despite however small} - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords
Overall length in saya approx 16 inches, blade 11 inches.  read more

Code: 20925

A Good, Antique, Edo Period Iron Plate 17th Century Saotome Tembo Katana Tsuba, From The Tembo School of Tsubako.

A well hammered rough surface forged iron plate Saotome Tembo tsuba.

The first master of the Saotome school was Nobuyasu of Shimotsuke. Nobuyasu moved to Odawara in Sagami were the Saotome school itself was founded. Some of the early Saotome makers were Nobuyasu, Iyenori, Iyetsugu, Iyetada and Iyesada although there is some disagreement on the lineage of the school. There were many other generations working well into the late Edo period. The Saotome School gave rise to the Tembo School of tsubako.

Tempo {Tembo} school and the yakite finish (heat treatment) is typical, as is the excellent iron. Typical wildness of the hot-stamping, and it is very finely constructed. The patina is amazingly soft and velvety, kozuka and kogai ana, on each side, numerous deep stamps, kozuka and kogai hitsu ana (suhama) copper ume infills. 74 mm  read more

Code: 22454

A Very Good & Beautiful Shinto Long Katana Signed Chikanobu. Very Good, Unique Matsushiro Sinano Sinchu & Silver Line Koshirae. Gold and Shakudo Dragon Clutching The Pearl Of Wisdom Menuki. Circa 1680.

All original Edo period mounts and lacquer saya. Fine iron tsuba. With a very beautiful choji hamon to the blade is an absolute beauty, and fully polished.
Long kissaki. Dark blue silk tsukaito over traditional giant rayskin with gold and bronze menuki of dragons. Fully matching suite of sinchu and contrasting silver line mounts to the tsuka and saya, of the Matsushiro Sinano school. A well hammered rough surface...smooth rim though, Saotome Tembo tsuba with kakine kokuin stamps, udenuki-ana, lead ume, uchikaeshi mimi rim, boars eye piercing.
The first master of the Saotome school was Nobuyasu of Shimotsuke. Nobuyasu moved to Odawara in Sagami were the Saotome school itself was founded. Some of the early Saotome makers were Nobuyasu, Iyenori, Iyetsugu, Iyetada and Iyesada although there is some disagreement on the lineage of the school. There were many other generations working well into the late Edo period. The Saotome School gave rise to the Tembo School of tsubako.

The Tembo School (also spelled Tempo, Tenpo or Tenbo) also worked well into the Edo Period. They are most noted for the use of kokuin (hot stamps) on their plates,

This unique original mounting is called “Matsushiro” koshirae which was specially made in Matsuro-han in Shinano (Nagano) province in the edo period.

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.
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 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 were 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 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.
An individual 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. Swords in Japan have long been symbols of power and honour and seen as works of art. Often times swordsmiths were more famous than the people who used them.
likely details on the Chikanori nobu. Slight name change here, he was then actually signing Chikanobu as he did on this blade, appears in kanji reference notes as nori, nobu is next to nori, and thus often confused . He also used to be known as Shigechika

Chikanobu, previously known as Shigechika, studied under 1st generation Aizu Kanetomo, circa 1660.

Chikanobu received the name nobu from Kanetomo as an honour to therefore thus change his name.

Kanetomo also used to be known as another name once, Kanenobu and thus passed the nobu name to Shigechika as an honour, who thus changed his name to Chikanobu  read more

Code: 23063

A Wonderful Late Koto to Early Shinto Period Samurai Katana In Superb Condition Circa 450 Years Old. Superb Original Full Suite of Original Edo Koshirae, Including Gold and Shakudo Goto School Mounts & Signed Tsuba

The blade is absolutely stunning in very fine polish, and showing a beautiful billowing, very deep hamon of extraordinary fine quality. Goto gold and shakudo fuchi kashira of deep takebori chrysanthemums and tendrils. Gold menuki of hawks, and a complimentary signed mokko form iron plate tsuba with a hawk in flight with gold highlights. Original Edo tsuka-ito and blade polish, and original Edo saya with fabulous original ishime pattern urushi lacquer of top quality, with minor age bruising and a saya jiri mount of pierced openwork.

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

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

The 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 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, it has been said, that if they 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.

Long 29 inch blade, overall in saya 40.3 inches long

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 trading  read more

Code: 24998

A Very Fine & Beautiful Handachi Katana Dated 1539 signed Bizen Kuni Osafune ju Tsuguiye

Just under 500 years old, and a delight to observe the wonderful curvature to the blade. It possesses a very long signature by the smith on the nakago. It has all original Edo period mounts fittings and saya, with original saya intricately patterned urushi lacquer. Typical Edo handachi mounts with a beautiful iron tsuba with gold onlay of prunus and grasses. It has a very active hamon on the stunning blade and it’s all original Edo tsukaito binding to the hilt, now somewhat pleasingly colour faded in part and usual signs of combat use age appropriate wear as to be expected.

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.

27.25 inch blade tsuba to tip.

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: 24332

A Superb Samurai, Shinto Period, 350 Year Old, Ryo-Shinogi Yari Polearm Spear, Signed Bushu ju Shimosaka Fujiwara Kazunori, In Incredible Polish, Showing Fine Grain in the Hada and Wide Fine Suguha Hamon, With 12 'Notch' Tang

An Edo Period Samurai Horseman Ryo-Shinogi Yari Polearm on original haft, circa 1680. Fantastic polish showing amazing grain and deep hamon.

The blade is signed Bushu ju Shimosaka Fujiwara Kazunori, and bears 12 hand cut notches to the tang, which often represented the number of vanquished samurai by the yari weilding samurai, likely in a single battle

With original pole and iron foot mount ishizuki. Four sided double edged head. The mochi-yari, or "held spear", is a rather generic term for the shorter Japanese spear. It was especially useful to mounted Samurai. In mounted use, the spear was generally held with the right hand and the spear was pointed across the saddle to the soldiers left front corner.

The warrior's saddle was often specially designed with a hinged spear rest (yari-hasami) to help steady and control the spear's motion. The mochi-yari could also easily be used on foot and is known to have been used in castle defense. The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari on it's pole can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet). The longer hafted versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest hafted versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter hafted yari. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability.
Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods.

70.5 inches long overall,5.5 inches long blade, blade with tang overall 15 inches long  read more

Code: 25131

An Edo Period, 1603 -1867 Tanto Tsuba, Tetsu With Silver Inlaid Rim

A charming tsuba with traces of silver inlays around the entire rim. Probably made around 1680.
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 tanto would most often be worn by Samurai, and it was very uncommon to come across a non samurai with a tanto. It was not only men who carried these daggers, women would on occasions carry a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi which would be used for self-defence. In feudal Japan a tanto would occasionally be worn by Samurai in place of the wakizashi in a combination called the daisho, which roughly translates as big-little, in reference to the big Samurai Sword (Katana) and the small dagger (tanto). Before the rise of the katana it was more common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and tanto combination as opposed to a katana and wakizashi.
46mm

 read more

Code: 24234

A Fine Edo Period {1600-1868} Samurai Pole Arm Yari, A Hira Sankaku Yari, The Samurai's Combat Lance With Full Tang and its Original Long Haft With Abilone Shell Decor

A super antique samurai's combat pole arm with a three sided blade in the form of an Isosceles triangle with a very sharp point and two sharp edges on a sockle, in beautiful polish, with narrow suguha hamon, and a full length tang. Mounted in its original haft of traditional form, with copper banding and the top section decorated with crushed abilone shell under urushi lacquer. Interestingly, the nakago {tang} has two clear and obvious filed edge notches {see photo}. In the world of arms such concealed notches go back centuries, and often could be symbolic of victories in combat. This might be for single hand to hand combat, or, for a combined victory in a battle. This aspect would only be known by the combatant that created them, but they are immensely intriguing as to the specific combat events that they represent.

Ideal for use by samurai both on foot and horseback and especially effective as an armour piercing blade.

Yari is the Japanese term for a spear, but technically it is actually a lance, or more specifically, the straight-headed lance.

The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet). The longer versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter yari , up to around 8 feet long, such as this example. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.
The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare.
The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods. Around later half of sixteenth century, ashigaru holding pikes (naga yari) with length of 4.5 to 6.5 m (15 to 22 feet) or sometimes 10 m became main forces in armies. They formed lines, combined with harquebusiers and short spearmen. Pikemen formed two or three row of line, and were forced to move up and down their pikes in unison under the command.Yari overtook the popularity of the daikyu for the samurai, and foot troops (ashigaru) used them extensively as well
Various types of yari points or blades existed. The most common blade was a straight, flat, design that resembles a straight-bladed double edged dagger. This type of blade could cut as well as stab and was sharpened like a razor edge. Though yari is a catchall for spear, it is usually distinguished between kama yari, which have additional horizontal blades, and simple su yari (choku-so) or straight spears. Yari can also be distinguished by the types of blade cross section: The triangular sections were called sankaku yari and hira sankuku, the latter for Isosceles of two equal sides as opposed to three.
This hira sankaku yari has clearly seen combat service as the blade has an impact curvature.

92 inches long overall mounted upon its original Edo pole {haft}, the steel blade is 6 inches long, plus the nakago which is 9.25 inches. Total 15.25 inches long.

In its full length, upon its haft, regular export delivery is not available. UK mainland delivery is available though for its full and complete length. In museum collections only the blade is displayed, with the haft, if kept at all, stored separately.  read more

Code: 25665

A Delightful Edo Period 1600 Japanese Noh Mask, Possibly Amazakuro Akujo

From the ancient Japanese tradition of mask drama that can trace its origins to the Bugaku Imperial Court dancing of the 9th century. Noh is the classical theatre of Japan which was codified in the 14th century under the father and son actors Kan'ami and Zeami under the patronage of the Shogun (supreme military leader) Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. The performances utilise masks and elaborate costume. This is a substantial though small size mask, robustly carved from a thick piece of hinoki, with the carving confidently executed. The original colour of the mask appears to be of a predominantly a pinkish skin colour over a very thin layer of gofun, with details of the lips painted in red. The whites of the deep-set eyes are with details. The high domed forehead and the raised eyebrows together with the delicately carved wrinkles add to the overall image of a benevolent deity. It is significant that the mask is called Omote, which means the front surface facing the audience. But there is a reverse side, too, called Ura, behind which the actor conceals himself. Unlike the smooth finished outer surface of a Noh mask, the Ura is a roughly finished indented shell with just two tiny holes, more rudimentary than what we might call eyes. By including himself in this primitive space, the Noh actor transforms himself into a person of another world and attempts to draw the audience after him, by radiating a sense of the existence and non existence of an inhabitant of that other world. This mask is of symbolic size, not a wearing type.

The Ayakashi mask expresses god or ghost possessed of mysterious powers. It is also used for a vindictive warrior. Okina (Old man masks) This type of mask originated from sarugaku, the predecessor of noh, in the latter part of the Heian period. This is the oldest type of noh mask.

The surface still has a large proportion of fleshy skin tones remaining, with areas of loses overall. This intriguing piece would make a superb display piece of famous Japanese traditional art.

6 inches x 4.25 inches.  read more

Code: 20901

A Japanese Edo Period Processional or Ceremonial Pole Arm Yari

Set on a very good mother o'pearl decorated haft. With a over lacquered blade cover. A yari on it's pole can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (almost 20 feet). The longer hafted versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest hafted versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter hafted yari. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century. The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods. Ceremonial yari were used for parades of Daimyo travelling through regions or traditional public ceremonies in the Edo era. MOP losses to haft.  read more

Code: 19524