Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和出刃・柳刃包丁 堺商標正孝作/関哲五郎

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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
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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 Deba & Yanagiba Knife Set – “Masataka-saku (正孝作)” & “Seki Tetsugoro (関哲五郎)” – Traditional Japanese Fish Knives
An appealing pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, combining two classic forms traditionally associated with Japanese fish preparation: a substantial Deba and a long, elegant Yanagiba.
Both knives retain clearly visible Japanese inscriptions as well as additional maker/brand markings on their traditional wooden Wa handles.
The Deba on the left bears the blade inscription “正孝作”, while its wooden handle retains a branded mark reading “堺商標 正孝作”.
The Yanagiba on the right bears the distinctive inscription “関哲五郎”, and its wooden handle also retains a matching “関哲五郎” label.
The combination of blade inscriptions, surviving handle markings, traditional Wa handles and visible traces of long-term use gives this pair strong vintage Japanese character.
1. Deba – “正孝作” / Handle Branded “堺商標 正孝作”
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Deba, characterized by its broad, substantial blade and pointed profile.
The Deba is traditionally used in Japanese cuisine for breaking down and filleting whole fish. Its substantial blade profile distinguishes it clearly from the much longer and narrower Yanagiba. Takefu Knife Village
The blade bears the inscription:
正孝作
The traditional wooden Wa handle is additionally branded:
堺商標 正孝作
The presence of the “堺” (Sakai) wording on the surviving handle branding is an interesting detail and adds further character to this vintage knife.
For accuracy, the original Japanese markings are used as the primary identification. No unsupported claim is made regarding the exact workshop, production date or steel composition.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 31 cm
- Blade length: approx. 17 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 4.7 cm
2. Yanagiba – “関哲五郎” / Matching Handle Label
The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, immediately recognizable by its long, slender blade and sharply pointed tip.
Yanagiba knives are traditionally used for slicing prepared fish for sashimi and sushi. Their long blade allows the cook to draw the knife through the fish in a smooth pulling motion rather than using repeated short cuts. Suwada1926
The blade bears the inscription:
関哲五郎
The wooden Wa handle also retains a vintage label bearing the same:
関哲五郎
marking.
The survival of the same identification on both the blade and handle label is an attractive feature of this knife.
The knife is fitted with a traditional light-colored wooden Wa handle and dark ferrule.
For accuracy, the Japanese inscription “関哲五郎” is treated as the authoritative identification; this listing does not make unsupported claims regarding its exact production period or steel composition.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 35 cm
- Blade length: approx. 22 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 2.7 cm
Please note: All dimensions are approximate estimates based on the measuring tape visible in the photograph. Slight differences from actual measurements should be expected.
A Classic Pair for Traditional Japanese Fish Preparation
One of the strongest features of this lot is the combination of two complementary traditional Japanese knife forms.
The approximately 17 cm Deba has the broad, substantial profile traditionally associated with breaking down and filleting fish, while the approximately 22 cm Yanagiba has the long, narrow profile traditionally used for smooth slicing of prepared fish. MADE in JAPAN.JP
The Deba retains:
Blade: “正孝作”
Handle branding: “堺商標 正孝作”
while the Yanagiba retains:
Blade: “関哲五郎”
Handle label: “関哲五郎”
The fact that both knives preserve not only their blade inscriptions but also additional identifying marks on their wooden handles makes this pair especially appealing from a vintage cutlery perspective.
Condition
These are vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age and previous use.
Condition includes:
- Age-related dirt and staining
- Rust / oxidation
- Scratches and scuff marks 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
- Misalignment around the ferrule areas
- Dirt and signs of use on the wooden handles
- Age-related deterioration to the surviving handle markings / label
- 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.
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, branded marking and label.
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 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 ferrule misalignment—and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning and sharpening yourself.
With the “正孝作” Deba retaining its “堺商標 正孝作” handle branding and the “関哲五郎” Yanagiba retaining its matching handle label, 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.