Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和柳刃・出刃包丁 三吉/文明

● 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
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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 Yanagiba & Deba Knife Set – “Sankichi / 三吉” & “TokUSEN Bunmei / 特撰 文明” – Signed Blades with Original Vintage Labels

A distinctive set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a traditional Yanagiba and Deba, two of the most characteristic specialized blade forms in Japanese culinary culture.

Both knives are signed and retain their original vintage labels on the wooden handles, an attractive detail that adds considerably to their authentic period character.

The long Yanagiba on the left bears the inscription “三吉” (Sankichi) together with the Sankichi emblem/mark. Its handle retains an old label reading “SUNMYLE 特撰 三吉 シャープな手ごたえ”.

The Deba on the right is marked “特撰 文明” (Tokusen Bunmei / Special Selection Bunmei), while its handle retains a gold-colored label reading “特撰 文明 ハガネ”, indicating Hagane (steel).

These knives have clearly seen genuine use over many years and are offered in their unrestored vintage condition, retaining patina, oxidation, scratches, sharpening wear and other traces of their working history.

1. Yanagiba – “Sankichi / 三吉”

The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, recognizable by its long, narrow blade and pointed profile.

The blade bears:

三吉 – Sankichi

together with the Sankichi emblem/mark.

The wooden handle retains an attractive original label reading:

“SUNMYLE 特撰 三吉 シャープな手ごたえ”

This may be translated approximately as:

“SUNMYLE – Special Selection Sankichi – Sharp, Responsive Cutting Feel.”

The surviving label is an especially appealing feature, as such paper/foil labels are often lost or heavily deteriorated through decades of kitchen use.

The long and slender Yanagiba form is one of the classic specialized Japanese knife profiles, traditionally intended for long, smooth drawing cuts when preparing fish and sashimi.

Approximate dimensions
Overall length: approx. 35.5 cm
Blade length: approx. 22.0 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 13.5 cm
Maximum blade height: approx. 2.7 cm
2. Deba – “Tokusen Bunmei / 特撰 文明”

The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Deba, with the broader and more substantial blade profile characteristic of this type.

The blade is marked:

特撰 文明
Tokusen Bunmei / Special Selection Bunmei

The wooden handle retains a gold-colored label reading:

“特撰 文明 ハガネ”

or:

“Special Selection Bunmei – Hagane (Steel)”

The Deba is traditionally associated with fish preparation and heavier work than a Yanagiba. Its broad blade provides an excellent visual contrast with the long, slender slicing profile of the accompanying Yanagiba.

Approximate dimensions
Overall length: approx. 27.5 cm
Blade length: approx. 14.5 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 13.0 cm
Maximum blade height: approx. 4.5 cm
A Classic Pair of Traditional Japanese Knife Forms

This set combines two highly characteristic Japanese culinary knife profiles.

The Yanagiba is long and slender, traditionally designed for smooth drawing cuts and precise slicing, particularly in the preparation of sashimi and other fish dishes.

The Deba, by contrast, has a shorter, broader and more robust blade traditionally associated with fish preparation and butchery.

Together they demonstrate the highly specialized nature of traditional Japanese kitchen cutlery and make an appealing pair both for collectors and for enthusiasts interested in restoring vintage Japanese knives.

Original Inscriptions and Vintage Handle Labels

One of the particularly attractive features of this lot is that both knives retain not only their blade markings but also old labels on their wooden handles.

Yanagiba

Blade: 三吉 (Sankichi) + Sankichi mark
Handle label: SUNMYLE 特撰 三吉 シャープな手ごたえ

Deba

Blade: 特撰 文明 (Tokusen Bunmei)
Handle label: 特撰 文明 ハガネ

The labels themselves show age-related wear, but their survival contributes significantly to the vintage character of the set.

Authentic Unrestored Vintage Condition

These are genuinely used vintage Japanese kitchen knives, not newly manufactured knives or restored pieces presented to look old.

They retain visible traces of their working lives, including oxidation, scratches, sharpening marks, wear and discoloration.

They have intentionally not been extensively polished or restored for this sale, allowing the next owner to decide whether to preserve their present patina or undertake cleaning, sharpening and restoration.

Condition – Please Read Carefully

Both knives are offered in used, unrestored vintage condition.

They show various age- and use-related signs, including:

Rust and oxidation
Dirt and staining
Patina and discoloration
Scratches and rubbing marks
Surface wear
Sharpening wear and previous sharpening marks
Edge chipping
Damage/chipping to the blade tips
Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
Age-related wear around the ferrules
Dirt, staining, scratches and wear on the wooden handles
Wear and deterioration to the original handle labels
Other signs consistent with prolonged use and storage

Please carefully examine all photographs before bidding, as 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 knives are not offered as restored or immediately ready for culinary use.

They are particularly suitable for collectors, restoration enthusiasts and experienced Japanese-knife users who understand vintage blades and are capable of carrying out their own cleaning, sharpening and maintenance.

Depending on the intended use, further work may be necessary, including rust removal, cleaning, sharpening, correction of edge chips or tip damage, and maintenance of the handles and ferrules.

Please bid only if you fully understand and accept their present vintage condition and are able to carry out the necessary cleaning and sharpening yourself.

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

A characterful vintage pairing of a Sankichi Yanagiba and Tokusen Bunmei Deba, distinguished by their signed blades and surviving original handle labels—an attractive lot for collectors of traditional Japanese culinary tools and enthusiasts looking for authentic knives with restoration potential.
■ 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.