Μαχαίρι κουζίνας - Χάλυβας, Ξύλο - Ιαπωνία - Παραδοσιακά ιαπωνικά μαχαίρια Deba και Yanagiba, κατασκευασμένα από 兼正作 / 菊秀本鍛錬

● IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CERTAIN EU COUNTRIES - IOSS SHIPMENTS UNDER EUR 150

Due to recent changes in EU import procedures, temporary shipping restrictions may apply to IOSS shipments under EUR 150 to the following countries:

- Austria
- Germany
- Finland
- France
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Portugal
- Poland

Shipping availability may change depending on Japan Post and the destination country's postal procedures.

Please consider this possibility before placing a bid.

***
Vintage Japanese Deba & Yanagiba Knife Set – “Kanemasa Saku / 兼正作” & “Kikuhide Hontanren / 菊秀本鍛錬” – Traditional Signed Japanese Kitchen Knives

A fine set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a substantial Deba and a long traditional Yanagiba.

Both knives bear Japanese inscriptions on their blades and retain traditional wooden wa-style handles. The contrasting profiles—the broad, powerful Deba and the long, slender Yanagiba—make this an attractive representation of two of the most characteristic specialized knives used in traditional Japanese cuisine.

These are authentic vintage working knives showing clear evidence of long-term use, sharpening and storage. They are offered in their current unrestored condition, making them particularly interesting for collectors, Japanese knife enthusiasts and buyers capable of carrying out their own sharpening and restoration.

1. Deba – “Kanemasa Saku / 兼正作”

The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Deba, distinguished by its broad blade, substantial profile and pronounced pointed tip.

The blade is signed:

兼正作
Kanemasa Saku

“作” (saku) means “made by,” so the inscription can be understood as “Made by Kanemasa.”

The knife is fitted with a traditional wooden Japanese handle and a light-colored ferrule. The darker patina of the handle and discoloration around the ferrule give it the characteristic appearance of a genuinely used vintage culinary tool.

The Deba is one of the classic Japanese fish-preparation knives. Its broad and robust blade was traditionally suited to breaking down and preparing fish, contrasting strongly with the delicate slicing function of the Yanagiba included in this lot.

Approximate dimensions
Overall length: approx. 32.5 cm
Blade length: approx. 18.0 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 14.5 cm
Maximum blade height: approx. 5.0 cm
2. Yanagiba – “Kikuhide Hontanren / 菊秀本鍛錬”

The knife on the right is a long and elegant traditional Japanese Yanagiba.

The blade bears the inscription:

菊秀 本鍛錬
Kikuhide – Hontanren

The term 本鍛錬 (Hontanren) literally refers to genuine/traditional forging or forging and tempering, and was used as a quality designation on Japanese cutlery.

Its long, narrow blade and pointed profile are characteristic of the Yanagiba form, traditionally associated with the precise preparation and slicing of fish and sashimi.

The blade has a particularly graceful elongated silhouette, providing an attractive contrast to the broad Deba.

It is fitted with a traditional wooden handle and dark-toned ferrule, both displaying signs of age and use.

Approximate dimensions
Overall length: approx. 35.0 cm
Blade length: approx. 22.5 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 12.5 cm
Maximum blade height: approx. 3.0 cm
Two Classic Japanese Culinary Knife Forms

This lot offers an appealing combination of two traditional Japanese knife types with distinctly different purposes and blade geometries.

The Deba is characterized by its relatively thick, broad and robust blade. It is traditionally associated with fish preparation and heavier cutting work.

The Yanagiba, by contrast, has a long, narrow blade designed for smooth drawing cuts. It is one of the quintessential knives associated with Japanese sashimi preparation.

Together, these two knives illustrate the specialized nature of traditional Japanese culinary cutlery and would make an interesting addition to a collection of vintage Japanese kitchen tools.

Signed Vintage Blades

Both knives retain clearly identifiable Japanese inscriptions:

Deba

兼正作 – Kanemasa Saku

Yanagiba

菊秀本鍛錬 – Kikuhide Hontanren

The engraved inscriptions, traditional blade profiles and wooden handles contribute to the authentic vintage character of this pair.

Rather than being extensively polished or cosmetically restored for sale, the knives retain visible evidence of their previous working lives.

Condition – Please Read Carefully

These knives are offered in used, unrestored vintage condition.

Both show age- and use-related wear, including:
Rust and oxidation
Dirt and staining
Patina and discoloration
Scratches and rubbing marks
Surface wear
Sharpening wear and previous sharpening marks
Edge chipping
Chips/damage to the blade tips
Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
Wear and discoloration around the ferrules
Dirt, staining and wear on the wooden handles
Other age-related traces from prolonged use and storage

The condition differs between the two knives, so please examine all photographs carefully.

The photographs form an important part of the condition description.

No professional polishing, complete rust removal, sharpening or restoration has been carried out for this sale.

Important Notice for Bidders

These are vintage used Japanese knives and are not offered as restored or immediately ready for culinary use.

Depending on the intended use and the buyer's preferences, they may require cleaning, rust removal, sharpening, correction of edge chips or tip damage, and maintenance of the handles and ferrules.

For this reason, this lot is particularly recommended for:

Collectors of traditional Japanese knives
Enthusiasts of vintage Japanese culinary tools
Knife restoration enthusiasts
Buyers experienced in sharpening and maintaining Japanese blades

Please bid only if you fully understand and accept their present vintage condition and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning, sharpening and maintenance yourself.

All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the measuring tape visible in the photographs.

A characterful pair combining the powerful form of a Kanemasa Saku Deba with the elegant elongated profile of a Kikuhide Hontanren Yanagiba—an appealing set for collectors and restoration enthusiasts seeking authentic vintage Japanese kitchen knives.
■ IMPORTANT NOTICE - PLEASE READ BEFORE BIDDING

● NO SHIPPING TO DENMARK,UNITED KINGDOM,UNITED STATES (USA)

● bidding and payment
please do not place a bid if you do not intend to complete the purchase and make payment. by placing a bid, you confirm full intention to complete payment if you win. non-paying bidders cause serious delays. if payment is not completed after reminders from catawiki, the order may be cancelled under catawiki policy.

● condition of the item
all items are vintage, antique, or pre-owned unless stated otherwise. signs of age, wear, scratches, stains, rust, oxidation, patina, repairs, sharpening marks, and other imperfections should be expected.
please carefully examine all photos before bidding. photos form an important part of the description.
please also understand that some defects or imperfections may not be visible in photographs. hidden or non-visible flaws may exist.
in addition, the condition of the item may change during transport due to vibration, impact, temperature, humidity, or handling.
therefore, items are sold strictly for buyers who have knowledge and ability to perform cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair if necessary. this lot is not suitable for buyers expecting fully restored or ready-to-use items without maintenance.
all measurements are approximate.

● important notice regarding traditional japanese knife handles
traditional japanese kitchen knives (wa-bocho) use replaceable wooden handles. handles are consumable parts and may require repair or replacement due to age, drying, shrinkage, cracking, looseness, or transport stress. replacement parts are not included.

● shipping restrictions - knives
due to uk law, we do not ship knives to the united kingdom. due to strict regulations, we also do not ship knives to denmark. shipments to other countries may also be restricted depending on local laws. bids from restricted countries will be cancelled.

● international shipping - customs
import rules for knives vary by country. buyer confirms legality of import. seller ships from japan with accurate customs declarations. customs delays, inspections, confiscations, taxes, or import issues are outside seller control.

● countries we do not ship to
We do not ship to the United States at this time due to ongoing international shipping restrictions.
Shipping service to the United States remains temporarily suspended and we are currently unable to accept orders with US delivery addresses.
We also temporarily do not ship to Portugal due to logistics instability.
Bids from these countries will be cancelled.

● international situation - shipping limitations
due to global conditions, sanctions, transport restrictions, or postal issues, shipping may become impossible to certain countries. in such cases, orders may be cancelled.

● important notice for italy
delivery to italy may take one month or longer due to customs and postal delays. please bid only if you accept this.

● no combined shipping
each item will be shipped separately even if multiple items are purchased.

● shipping method and delivery time
all items are shipped from japan via japan post. estimated delivery time is 3?4 weeks. delivery time is not guaranteed.

● import duties and taxes (EU buyers)
import duties, VAT, and other taxes are not included. buyer is responsible for all charges.

● customs contact and buyer responsibility
buyer must respond to customs requests promptly. failure may result in delay, return, confiscation, or destruction of parcel.

● returned parcels
if returned due to customs refusal or non-response, reshipping requires double shipping cost.

● force majeure
seller is not responsible for delays or failures caused by war, sanctions, disasters, postal suspension, or other force majeure events.

● agreement
by placing a bid, you confirm you have read and accepted all conditions and understand the item may contain non-visible defects and may require cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair.