Nihonto (Samurai Swords

Lot 124 Hay Internment Camp, Three Pence, WWII $4000-$5000 UNC Camp Seven Bank, Three Pence (1941) No. 477, signed R.Stahl, superb uncirculated, like the day it was made, extremely rare, one of only 3-4 known.

Lot 125 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Wakizashi $3200-$5000

Japan: Late Edo Period 1844–1848 Antique Wakizashi signed Inshu Jyu Kaneyuki. Wellmade blade with wide undulating Gunome Hamon, tempering pattern. Mounted in koshirae with shakudo & gold fuchi kashira with designs of cherry blossoms & family crest of crane on the kashira. It has silk tsukaito handle wrap over gold & shakudo menuki of Peony flowers. Iron sukashi tsuba. Scabbard has black Ishime lacquer with shibuichi band. Overall Length: 56cm Blade Length: 33cm

Lot 126 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Bizen School Wakizashi $2800-$4500 Japan: Early Edo Period 17th century 1650–1680 Antique Wakizashi unsigned. Shinogi zukuri style blade with wide undulating irregular Gunome, Midare Hamon, tempering pattern. Mounted in koshirae with shakudo & gold fuchi with design of carp ascending through waves in high relief with Nanako base. Kashira is of black buffalo horn. It has silk tsukaito handle wrap over shakudo menuki. Iron pierced tsuba in form of bamboo. Scabbard lacquer is crushed pine needle with buffalo horn kurikata. Missing kozuka. Lot 127 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Fuyuhiro Wakizashi/ Sunnobi Tanto $4000-$5000 Japan: 16th century late Muromachi era Period 1500–1550 Antique Wakizashi signed Fuyuhiro. Hirazukuri style blade with Hi / Fullers, undulating medium width Suguha Hamon with some undulation. Mounted in koshirae with shakudo fuchi of nanako design. Kashira of black polished buffalo horn. Silk tsukaito handle wrap over gilded menuki in the form of horses galloping. Shakudo tsuba. Scabbard is a brushed style textured lacquer with buffalo horn kurikata & koiguchi. Fully restored in Japan. Overall Length: 51cm Blade Length: 31.5cm

Lot 128 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Tomotaka Wakizashi $3550-$4750 Japan: Late Edo Period 19th century 1800–1850 Antique Wakizashi signed Tomotaka. Large wide heavy Hirazukuri style blade with regular width undulating Hamon, some areas of Hitatsura breaking away. Mounted in koshirae with highly detailed fuchi kashira in key fret design. Silk tsukaito handle wrap over shakudo dragon menuki. Iron pierced Tsuba with motif of aoi leaves. Black lacquered Scabbard. Overall Length: 60cm Blade Length: 38cm

Lot 129 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Kunitoshi $5000-$7000 Japan: Late Kamakura Period 14th century 1280–1320 Antique Tanto signed Kunitoshi. Hirazukuri style blade with regular width undulating Hamon in an older but good polish. Mounted in early wooden shirasaya, storage sheath with sayagaki / Japanese script. Copper habaki. Areas of coarser forging grain & small pitting typical of early blades. Overall Length: 39cm Blade Length: 24cm

Lot 130 Japanese Antique Samurai Katana Bizen Sukesada $4000-$6000 Japan: Early Edo Period 16th century, made on a lucky day in February 1553 A very long Katana signed Bishu Osafune Jyu Sukesada. Shinogi Zukuri style blade with medium width Suguha Hamon with some undulations. Mounted in early wooden Shirasaya - storage mounting. Copper Habaki. Overall Length: 105cm Blade Length: 76.5 cm

Lot 131 Japanese Rare Imperial Diplomats Sword $4500-$6500 Japan: A Diplomatic Sword in Imperial Mounts Meiji Period 19th century circa 1875 An very rare Japanese Imperial diplomat’s sword. The blade is ornately decorated with scrolling vines with chrysanthemums & with a paulownia near the hilt. There are small areas of surface corrosion. The handle & guard are gold gilt & highly decorated on the surface with chrysanthemum crests of Nashimoto no Miya Imperial House & paulownia crests. The hand guard terminating in a phoenix head. The scabbard is blacklacquer & mounted with gilt hardware carved with chrysanthemums & vines against a nanako fine ground. This type of sword was carried by higher ranking Chokunin officials appointed by the Emperor himself. Lot 132 Japanese Antique Samurai Tanto Kanenori $6000-$8000 Japan: Muromachi period 1550–1591 16th Century An excellent Muromachi period Koto Tanto Signed Kaneyoshi. From the Mino Province, present day Seki. Hirazukuri blade with hi - fullers either side Suguha hamon with Gunome undulations on both sides of blade. Mounted in Shirasaya, also comprising original Koshirae. Fuchi Kashira are made of Shakudo with Nanokoji ground with motif of Taoist Dragon & Immortals, as are the Menuki in shakudo & gold iroe. Iron Tsuba of irregular shape with plum blossom & branch on the lower & silver crescent moon on the upper. The lower scabbard Kojiri is iron with gold Sakura / cherry blossoms inlaid in a nunome Zogan. Blue & white silk Sageo. It has been fully restored in Japan. With certificate from the NBTHK Japanese Sword Museum for the preservation of Japanese art swords. Overall Length: 46cm Blade Length: 27cm

Lot 133 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Katana Nobutaro $7000-$9000 Japan: Edo Period 1624–1644 Choshu-ju Fujiwara Nobutaro Antique Katana signed Choshu-ju Fujiwara Nobutaro. Superbly forged blade with excellent grain pattern, medium width Suguha Hamon Tempering pattern. Mounted in Koshirae with Shakudo & Gold Iroe. The fuchi kashira has designs of Dragons in a fine Nanakoji ground. Silk tsukaito handle wrap over gold & shakudo menuki of Matsu - Pine trees with Silver Moon in the background on one menuki. Iron Sukashi Tsuba in the form of vine tendrils & leaves. Scabbard black lacquer. With NBTHK Certificate. NBTHK Hozon Certificate.

Lot 134 Japanese antique Samurai Sword Katana Hizen Tadakuni $16000-$20000 Japan: Edo Period 1624–1644 Antique Katana signed Harima Daijo Fujiwara TadaKuni with chrysanthemum seal above the signature. Magnificent blade with super fine excellent grain pattern. Flamboyant Hamon with areas of Hitatsura, tempering pattern & carved Horimono of Imperial Chrysanthemum family crest (Kikumon) on the blade itself. Mounted in highest quality Handachi Koshirae, all metal fittings are of Iron base Fuchi Kashira & kojiri designs of stylised dragon & clouds inlaid in a gold Hirazogan. Silk maroon tsukaito handle wrap. Menuki of Buddhist Ken sword & large Shakudo Dragon. Iron Namban tsuba. Scabbard maroon lacquer. Overall Length: 91.5cm Blade Length: 62.6cm

Lot 135 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Tachi long Sword $22500-$32000 Japan: late Kamakura Period 1280–1320 Rare Tachi from the Kamakura period Signed Ryokai. Shinogi Zukuri the Jigane - grain forging is a dense Ko-itame with fine Ji-nie. The Hamon is a gently undulating Chu Suguha combined with Elements of Ko chogi & Ko gunome with some Ashi & a faint utsuri. Ryokai was son of Rai Kunitoshi, who was born when he was just 17 years old. He left the Rai family of Kunitoshi at the age 16 taking the priest name Ryōkai. Extant date signatures range between the fifth year of Shōō (1292) & the second year of Enkyō (1309). The blade is in shirasaya, plain wooden traditional storage mounting. Tachi were the earliest form of Japanese Sword in the curved form we know today, the Tachi was developed in around the 10th Century known as the Heian Period. Overall Length: 100cm Blade Length: 70cm Lot 136 Japanese Antique Samurai Sword Wakizashi in Army Mounts $2800-$3500 Japan: Early Edo Period 1660-1670 WW2 Surrender Sword. Antique Ancestral Wakizashi Blade signed Noshu Jyumyo. Mounted in WW2 Period Imperial Japanese Army officer Shingunto mounts from the 1940s. Good example of a Samurai family blade, remounted to be taken to war. Overall Length: 88cm Blade Length: 52.8cm

Lot 137 Japanese Army Officers Sword in Army Mounts $3200-$4300

Japan: Period 1938–1943 WW2 Officers Sword Surrendered to an Australian Officer in PNG, a fine example by a well-regarded maker. Japanese Army Officers Sword WW2 Period, Imperial Japanese Army officer Shingunto. Made by Asano Kanezane, signed & also stamped with his personal seal from the 1940s. Kanezane is one of the better documented swordsmiths of the Showa (WW II) Era. He was born Asano Shinichi on December 19th, 1910 in the city of Seki in Mino (Noshu) Province & was apprenticed to master swordsmith Kojima Kanemichi in 1923. In April of 1930, he became an independent swordsmith. He established a school of swordmaking in Seki City. He won numerous awards for sword making including the silver medal in the 1934 Fine Art Exhibition, the gold medal at the same exhibition in 1935 & gold medals in each successive exhibition from 1936 to 1941. He was ranked second sea (quasi national smith) in the 1941 newly made swords exhibition. In 1942 he received a Special Award at the last Fine Art Exhibition held prior to the end of the war. Overall Length: 94 cm Blade Length: 64.5cm

Lot 138 USA Naval sword $2500-$3500

USA: New York 1914 USA Naval Officers Presentation sword made by Ridabock & CO. New York. Overall, in mint condition. The blade is ornately etched with the American Eagle USN insignia, anchor other detailed inscriptions. Signed Ridabock & Co New York. With original Officers tassel leather sheath, in excellent condition. Overall Length: 88cm Blade Length: 97cm