Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 堺刀司 伝統的中華包丁・柳刃包丁

● 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
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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 Chinese Cleaver & Yanagiba Knife Set – “Sakai Tohji Masashige-saku (堺刀司 正重作)” & “Sakai Tohji (堺刀司)” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives

An interesting and distinctive set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a large Chinese-style cleaver and a traditional Japanese Yanagiba sashimi knife.

Both knives are associated with Sakai Tohji (堺刀司), while the Chinese cleaver additionally bears the inscription “Masashige-saku” (正重作).

The markings are:

Left – Chinese Cleaver: “Sakai Tohji Masashige-saku” (堺刀司 正重作)
Right – Yanagiba: “Sakai Tohji” (堺刀司)

Sakai is one of Japan’s most famous traditional centers of knife production and has a long history of producing specialized kitchen cutlery. This set offers an interesting contrast between the broad and substantial form of a Chinese-style cleaver and the long, slender profile of a traditional Japanese Yanagiba.

The Chinese cleaver has a large rectangular blade with considerable blade height, giving it a substantial and impressive appearance. It is fitted with a dark wooden Western-style handle secured with two metal rivets. The blade bears the “Sakai Tohji Masashige-saku” (堺刀司 正重作) marking.

The Yanagiba features the long, narrow and pointed blade profile traditionally associated with Japanese fish and sashimi preparation. It is fitted with a traditional wooden handle and dark ferrule, and the blade bears the “Sakai Tohji” (堺刀司) marking.

Both knives also have the previous owner’s name handwritten on their handles. These handwritten names have been left as found and form part of the history and character of these genuinely used vintage kitchen tools.

Together, the two knives create a visually striking combination of two very different styles of Asian kitchen cutlery.

Maker / Markings

Chinese Cleaver

Inscription: Sakai Tohji Masashige-saku (堺刀司 正重作)
Large rectangular Chinese-style blade
Dark wooden Western-style handle
Two metal rivets
Previous owner’s name handwritten on the handle

Yanagiba

Inscription: Sakai Tohji (堺刀司)
Traditional long and narrow Japanese sashimi-knife profile
Traditional wooden handle
Dark ferrule
Previous owner’s name handwritten on the handle
Approximate Dimensions

Chinese Cleaver

Overall length: approx. 31 cm
Blade length: approx. 18 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 9 cm

Yanagiba

Overall length: approx. 31 cm
Blade length: approx. 20 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 2.8 cm

All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the photographs.

Condition

These are genuine vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show signs of age and previous use.

Please expect:

Dirt and stains from age and use
Surface scratches and scuff marks
Wear from previous use and sharpening
Chips and small imperfections along the cutting edges
Dirt and scratches around the ferrule area
Dirt, discoloration, scratches, and signs of use on the wooden handles
Previous owner’s name handwritten on the handle of each knife
Other age-related marks and imperfections

The handwritten names on the handles have been left in their present condition as part of the knives’ history.

These knives have not been fully cleaned, polished, restored, or professionally sharpened and are offered in their present vintage condition.

Please examine all photographs carefully before bidding, as the photographs form an essential part of the description and show the actual condition of the knives.

Because these are used vintage kitchen knives, this lot is recommended only for buyers who understand the condition of older Japanese cutlery and who are capable of cleaning, sharpening, maintaining, or restoring the knives themselves as necessary.

This unusual combination of a Sakai Tohji Masashige-saku (堺刀司 正重作) Chinese cleaver and a Sakai Tohji (堺刀司) Yanagiba offers an interesting opportunity for collectors of Japanese kitchen knives, Sakai cutlery enthusiasts, professional chefs, restorers, and enthusiasts of vintage 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.