Can someone help ID these knives???

Gary B

Hamon Dog
I got these pics from a local woman who got them in an estate sale and she needs to know what they are and a ball park on their value. The waki I can figure generally on my own, but the three knives stump me. I figure they are middle eastern and probably modern but can't get any farther than that. The lady says the handles on the matched pair are sterling silver?? Any help would be appreciated.
 

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The one with the black handle is a tourist grade knife from the middle East or Asia.

The other two look mismatched in the scabbards, Tourist grade Cr@P. Also it looks like Nickel silver or Brass fitting.

Nickel Silver or German Silver is a white brass.

You may have something with the Japanese Waki sword? Need better pics.

Cheers.
Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
That looks like a nice Wakizashi , Have you removed blade from tsuka to see if its signed , makes a lot of difference in price .. especially if smith is highly rated By Hawleys.. Bubba
 
Hi Laurence,
I had pretty much the same opinion but I don't have any more to go on right now than you do. The lady who got them sent me those pics in an email. The pair seem to have something stamped in the handle that I can't read. I am guessing that's where she got the Sterling Silver statement from. I am hoping to see them and the waki in person Monday or Tuesday. If so I can post more pics and info then. Thanks for the response.
 
Hi Bubba-san. I haven't been around much lately and so haven't heard from you in awhile. Hope all is well with you.

Like I told Laurence above, I hope to see the Waki in person in the next day or two. If it has a signature I will brush white chalk into it for a photo then brush the chalk back out so as not to damage the tang in anyway.
 
More pics

Hi guys. I have some better pics of the waki now. It is really a pretty nice sword up close. The profile including the point appear to be full and the nakago appears untouched to me so it isn't a shortened katana. I was surprised when I saw that the blade was signed. Many waki's aren't. Unfortubately we have just about reached the limits of my knowledge...especially reading tang signatures.

Now what can you all tell me about the sword? Oh...the measurements are Blade length 21" from mune machi to tip, OAL 27 1/8", width at machi 1 1/8", width at yokote = 3/4", 1/4" (+) thick at back of habaki and about 3/16" at yokote. Pictures follow (I hope)
 

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Nice looking piece. From what I can see I would say that it would be absolutely beautiful if polished. I can't read the mei, but I would go out on a limb and say it's 1820-1850s time feame judging by the patina on the nakago. What do you think Bubba-San?
 
Gary,
Bubba-San is the man to ask about this sword.
It could use some polishing and Bubba is trained to do it correctly. I don't know if he is taking in polishing work? But I would still contact him direct as far as Age and Value are concerned.

Don't try to do it yourself!:what!:

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com
 
Hi guys. I have some better pics of the waki now. It is really a pretty nice sword up close. The profile including the point appear to be full and the nakago appears untouched to me so it isn't a shortened katana. I was surprised when I saw that the blade was signed. Many waki's aren't. Unfortubately we have just about reached the limits of my knowledge...especially reading tang signatures.

Now what can you all tell me about the sword? Oh...the measurements are Blade length 21" from mune machi to tip, OAL 27 1/8", width at machi 1 1/8", width at yokote = 3/4", 1/4" (+) thick at back of habaki and about 3/16" at yokote. Pictures follow (I hope)



Highly rated smith might be a real keeper ...http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/SAD15

bungo kuni ju sadahide


Active Period

1160-1184


豊後國定秀作
 
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Hey Bubba-san. Thanks for the look up. That's mighty impressive. I don't think I have ever held anything that old before. My wife just said of course I have...my socks.:((

GB
 
He is rated about 150 points !! thats way up there . If sword doesnt have any cracks , breaks or bends it could be worth a pretty penny
Need to have someone look at kanji again to make sure . It looks like it to me . Nice find my friend ... congrats Bubba
 
Sold

Thanks for all your help guys. Being able to provide a little history enabled me to sell it for the lady at a pretty decent price. Darned waki's just don't bring much seems like. If it had been the first smith Bubba identified it would have gone quite a lot higher.

It really doesn't seem right that a nice old antique made the hard way and certainly better than I could have done, is worth less than what I (or any other maker) would charge for a blade like that. Life just is what it is.
 
Wish I had know you were looking to sell it for her Gary. I might have been a buyer.
 
the first knife is a janbiya dagger are is used all over Arabia and northern India. the steel handle knives are called Vaal and are used like the old ballcock dagger of late middle ages used to stab in the seams of the armer
 
the other knives look like vaal knives from north india. they are used in a martial form called kalarippayat. bad stuff.
 
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