Μαχαίρι κουζίνας - Χάλυβας, Ξύλο - Ιαπωνία - Παραδοσιακά ιαπωνικά μαχαίρια Yanagiba και Usuba (柳刃・薄刃) 関孫六梅/堺かじ甚上作

● 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

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

Please consider this possibility before placing a bid.

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Vintage Japanese Yanagiba & Nakiri Knife Set – “Seki Magoroku Ume (関孫六 梅)” & “堺かじ甚上作” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives
An attractive pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, combining two distinctly different traditional blade forms: a long and slender Yanagiba and a broad Nakiri vegetable knife.
Both knives retain Japanese blade inscriptions and traditional wooden Wa handles with black ferrules. The Yanagiba is marked “関孫六 梅” (Seki Magoroku Ume), while the Nakiri bears the distinctive inscription “堺かじ甚上作”.
The elegant, narrow profile of the Yanagiba contrasts beautifully with the tall, broad blade of the Nakiri, making this an appealing set representing two classic forms of traditional Japanese kitchen cutlery.
Both knives remain in unrestored vintage condition and retain visible traces of age and previous use. They are particularly suitable for collectors, sharpening enthusiasts, and buyers who enjoy cleaning and restoring traditional Japanese knives.
1. Yanagiba – “Seki Magoroku Ume” (関孫六 梅)
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, characterized by its long, narrow blade and sharply pointed tip.
The Yanagiba is traditionally associated with slicing prepared fish for sashimi and sushi. Its elongated blade allows long, smooth drawing cuts, making it one of the most recognizable forms of traditional Japanese fish knife.
The blade bears the inscription:
関孫六
梅
Seki Magoroku – Ume
The knife is fitted with a traditional wooden Wa handle and black ferrule, complementing its long and elegant blade profile.
Please note that the exact production period and steel composition of this vintage “梅” example have not been independently verified. No specific steel grade is therefore claimed in this listing.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 34 cm
- Blade length: approx. 21 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 2.7 cm
2. Nakiri Vegetable Knife – “堺かじ甚上作”
The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Nakiri, immediately recognizable by its tall, broad and almost rectangular blade.
Nakiri is one of the characteristic Japanese vegetable-knife forms. Its broad blade and relatively straight cutting profile make this style particularly suitable for slicing and chopping vegetables.
The blade bears the distinctive Japanese inscription:
堺かじ甚上作
The presence of “堺” (Sakai) in the inscription is an interesting feature, reflecting the terminology associated with one of Japan's best-known traditional cutlery-producing regions.
For accuracy, the original Japanese inscription is retained as the primary identification. No unsupported claims are made regarding the exact maker, workshop, production period or steel composition.
The knife is fitted with a traditional light-colored wooden Wa handle and black ferrule.
Important condition detail:
The wooden handle of this Nakiri has a visible crack. This is an important part of its present vintage condition. Depending on the intended use and the extent of the damage, repair or replacement of the handle may be required before practical use.
This knife should therefore be considered not only a vintage kitchen knife, but also a suitable candidate for someone experienced with sharpening, maintenance and restoration of traditional Japanese knives.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 30 cm
- Blade length: approx. 17 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 4.8 cm
Please note: All measurements are approximate estimates based on the photograph. Slight differences from actual measurements should be expected.
Two Contrasting Traditional Japanese Knife Forms
One of the strongest features of this lot is the combination of two fundamentally different Japanese blade profiles.
The approximately 21 cm Yanagiba has the long, slender profile traditionally associated with slicing fish for sashimi and sushi.
In contrast, the approximately 17 cm Nakiri has the tall, broad profile characteristic of Japanese vegetable knives.
The Yanagiba carries the recognizable:
“関孫六 梅”
inscription, while the Nakiri is distinguished by its:
“堺かじ甚上作”
marking.
Together, their Japanese inscriptions, traditional wooden Wa handles, black ferrules, dramatically different blade profiles and visible traces of long-term use give the pair strong vintage Japanese character.
Rather than being fully restored display pieces, these are older working knives with genuine signs of use, offering considerable potential for buyers who enjoy sharpening, cleaning and restoring vintage Japanese cutlery.
Condition
These are vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age and previous use.
The condition includes:
- Age-related dirt and staining
- Rust / oxidation
- Rubbing marks, scratches and scuffs on the blades
- Chipping / damage to the blade tips
- Chips and imperfections along the cutting edges
- Wear from age and previous use
- Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
- Dirt and signs of use on the wooden handles
- A visible crack in the wooden handle of the “堺かじ甚上作” Nakiri
- Other age- and use-related imperfections
The knives have not been fully cleaned, polished, restored or professionally sharpened and are offered in their present vintage condition.
In particular, buyers should carefully note the crack in the wooden handle of the Nakiri. Depending on the intended use and the condition of the handle, repair or complete handle replacement may be necessary.
Please examine all photographs carefully before bidding. The photographs form an essential part of the description and show the actual condition of the blades, cutting edges, tips, ferrules, wooden handles, inscriptions and the handle damage.
These are vintage working knives rather than fully restored or maintenance-free modern kitchen knives. Depending on their condition and intended use, cleaning, rust removal, sharpening, handle repair or replacement, and other maintenance or restoration work may be required.
Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the vintage condition—including the dirt, rust, scratches, tip damage, edge chipping, wear and the cracked Nakiri handle—and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning, sharpening and restoration yourself.
With the long and elegant “関孫六 梅” Yanagiba and the broad “堺かじ甚上作” Nakiri, this is an appealing pair for collectors of vintage Japanese cutlery, sharpening and restoration enthusiasts, and admirers of traditional Japanese culinary tools.
■ 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.