Sayagaki Reliability

[Ken-Hawaii]

How much should we depend on a sayagaki's reliability? Obviously, we should buy a blade on its own merits, but if it also has a Honami sayagaki, does it add significantly to either value or provenance?

 

Ken

 

[Jean]

Depends on different factors Ken. The first one being: does the shirasaya belongs to the sword?

[BIG]

Hi Ken...with your words ... the writer and his reputation

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16159-sayagaki/

 

Best Regards

[Jean]

Depends equally if the sword is signed or not

 

Sayagaki as Kanteisho are only written opinion

 

Whoever wrote the sayagaki can see his opinion overthrown by Shinsa

[paulb]

As stated it depends who wrote it. I greatly value sayagaki by Honami Kozon and Tanobe Sensei. Infact I regard them as generally of more value that later papers. 

However as in everything else of value there are fake sayagaki (certainly Honami ones) as there are fake papers in existence.

Sayagaki from unknown or obscure writers actually have less benefit. I once proudly sent a copy of one of the first sayagaki I ever had to Cary Condell for translation which he kindly did. I am paraphrasing but the signature translated as "the ramblings of an idiot hermit from and obscure cave" which I think would add little credibility or confidence to the attribution.

[BIG]

I think that Jean is on spot with " an opinion " , but more important is the sensei's decision to write and sign. So the value is the senseis gift to rank a sword ( and a smith) higher than others.

 

Best Regards

[Ken-Hawaii]

Well, of course I'd want to be sure that the shirasaya was for that blade, & making sure that the sayagaki was written by the appropriate (& well-regarded) appraiser. Like Paul, I almost prefer Tanobe Sensei or Honami Koson to an NTHK & most NBTHK origami, but have been lucky enough to not encounter any of their forgeries...so far.

 

Jean, why would you want the blade to also be signed? Would the sayagaki (all other things considered) not be sufficient provenance? What does the mei add, if the sayagaki is sho-shin?

Ken

 

[Jean]

Ken,

 

If the blade is signed and the mei Sho shin, fat chance the sayagaki can be contradicted by Shinsa, so the sayagaki is not a question of authentification/attribution but a question of appreciation