Highest Priced Yet?

[seattle1]

On AOI this morning up pops a Tokubetsu Juyo mu mei Ko Bizen with a 12,000,000 JPY starting price. Has anyone seen a higher priced example on that site? AS17384.

 Arnold F.

[Gakusee]

Yes, Kiyomaro and Ichimonji he had before

[Ray Singer]

https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-bizen-koku-osafune-junin-samamosuke-sanemori-zo23th-nbthk-tokubetsu-juyo-paper/

[Valric]

Why would these blades sell better on western compared to domestic markets? For the mu-mei "kyomaro" it's rather clear but for the tokuju ko-bizen I just don't get it. Have they fallen out of fashion? That's a lot of money up front he needs to invest into a piece like this, compared to 5-10 of his usual mid-tier blades which sell well. 

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Chris' question is rather hard to fathom; perhaps some folks for whom buying and selling such things will chime in. Ko Bizen, even if only an attribution as in this case, have always been a gold standard. Good length, good state, boshi intact, the extra value adding comment of Tanobe sensei of Chin Chin, Cho Cho present, and a koshirae of classic form if not age, adds to the issue raised. The tsuba is not entirely in keeping, but that is minor.

 Arnold F.

[Gakusee]

Tsuruta San sells to both Westerners and Japanese. Do not believe for a second that he does not sell on the local market. In fact, a lot of the better blades (advertised or not on his website) go local.