Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和菜切・柳刃包丁 堺 忠 別打/丸寅 忠房

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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 Nakiri & Yanagiba Kitchen Knife Set – “Sakai Chu / Betsuuchi” & “Marutora Tadafusa” – 2 Signed Traditional Knives

An attractive and highly characterful set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a traditional Nakiri vegetable knife and a long, elegant Yanagiba sashimi knife.

Both knives bear Japanese maker's markings, with additional markings remaining on their wooden handles. The combination of a broad Nakiri and a long, slender Yanagiba offers an excellent visual representation of two distinctly different forms of traditional Japanese kitchen cutlery.

These are genuine older working knives showing considerable evidence of age and use. They are offered in their present, unrestored condition, making this set especially interesting for collectors, restorers and experienced Japanese knife enthusiasts.

1. Nakiri Knife – “Chu / Betsuuchi” (忠 別打) – Handle Marked “Sakai Chu” (堺忠)

The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Nakiri, characterized by its broad blade and relatively straight cutting profile.

Nakiri knives were developed specifically for vegetable preparation, their broad, largely rectangular blades being particularly suited to slicing and chopping vegetables.

The blade is marked:

忠 別打 – Chu / Betsuuchi

The wooden handle additionally bears the branding:

堺忠 – Sakai Chu

This surviving handle mark is an appealing detail, particularly for collectors who value vintage Japanese knives retaining their original maker or retailer markings.

The blade has a strong, traditional working appearance, with extensive patina and traces of its long history of use still visible.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: 31.5 cm
Blade length: 17.0 cm
Handle length: approximately 14.0 cm
Maximum blade height: approximately 5.0 cm

Traditional wooden Japanese handle with dark ferrule.

2. Yanagiba Knife – “Marutora Tadafusa” (丸寅 忠房) – Original “Tadafusa” Handle Label

The second knife is an impressive long-bladed Yanagiba, the classic Japanese slicing knife traditionally associated with sashimi and sushi preparation.

The blade is signed:

丸寅 忠房 – Marutora Tadafusa

The wooden handle also retains a label marked:

忠房 – Tadafusa

The survival of this handle label adds further character and visual interest to this vintage example.

Its long, narrow blade and pointed profile are characteristic of the Yanagiba form, which is designed to make long, controlled slicing cuts through fish rather than short chopping movements.

With a blade measuring approximately 27.5 cm, this is a substantial and visually impressive Yanagiba.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: 42.5 cm
Blade length: 27.5 cm
Handle length: approximately 14.5 cm
Maximum blade height: approximately 3.0 cm

Traditional wooden Japanese handle with dark ferrule and surviving Tadafusa label.

Two Contrasting Traditional Japanese Knife Forms

An especially attractive feature of this set is the dramatic contrast between the two blades.

The “Chu / Betsuuchi” Nakiri presents a broad, substantial vegetable-knife profile, while the “Marutora Tadafusa” Yanagiba has a remarkably long and slender silhouette.

Together, they illustrate the specialized nature and diversity of traditional Japanese kitchen knife design.

Both knives also retain multiple identifying details — blade inscriptions, the “Sakai Chu” handle branding, and the surviving “Tadafusa” handle label — making the set particularly interesting as a vintage Japanese culinary collectible.

Condition

These are genuine vintage, previously used Japanese kitchen knives and are offered in their present, unrestored condition.

They show considerable signs of age, use and storage, including:

Dirt and staining
Rust and oxidation
Patina and discoloration
Scratches and rubbing marks
Blade and surface wear
Edge chipping
Damage/chipping to the blade tips
Wear, dirt, scratches and chips/damage around the ferrules
Dirt, staining, scratches and other signs of age and use on the wooden handles

The Nakiri in particular shows pronounced oxidation/patina and surface wear across the blade, clearly visible in the photographs.

Please carefully examine all photographs before bidding. The photographs form an essential part of the condition description.

No professional restoration, polishing or complete rust removal has been carried out for this sale. The knives retain the scratches, oxidation, wear and other traces accumulated during their previous working lives.

Important Notice for Bidders

These knives are not presented as restored or immediately ready-to-use kitchen knives.

Due to their age and current condition, they are recommended for collectors, restorers and experienced Japanese knife enthusiasts capable of carrying out their own cleaning and sharpening.

Depending on the intended use, they may require thorough cleaning, rust removal, sharpening, correction of edge chips and tip damage, and other restoration or maintenance work.

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

All dimensions above are approximate measurements estimated from the measuring scale visible in the photographs.

A fascinating vintage pairing of a broad “Chu / Betsuuchi” Nakiri with “Sakai Chu” handle branding and an elegant long-bladed “Marutora Tadafusa” Yanagiba retaining its Tadafusa handle label. An authentic Japanese knife set with strong visual character, extensive traces of its working history and considerable potential for careful restoration.
■ 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.