S F Show

[Stephen]

Mark

 

Id send it to another shinsa way before id think about having the mei taken off. If you do id use Bob Benson.

[Icepic]

Thanks Stephen, Great advise. The sword is old and so is the mei, so a few more years shouldn't matter much.

 

Hey Stephen, I am sending you a PM.

[Gordon]

Hi all,

 

I just wanted to make a couple of comments about some of the topics raised here. Regarding unsigned Showa era swords that were pinked at the SF shinsa. We have always rejected such blades at shinsa in Japan, and do so at shinsa outside of Japan. The reason is not just one of quality, but is in regards to Japanese laws. All Showa era swords must be signed by law. Modern unsigned swords have been altered for reasons that have nothing to do with usage, which is somethat that could be claimed for swords dating to before the ban on wearing swords during the early Meiji period (there may be some exceptions to this, but only one i can think of). Such alterations are illegal and are attempts to hide something, such as the modern period of manufacture. In many cases, but not all, the nakago has been worked on to make the blade appear older. I do not know for certain, but I expect the NBTHK would do the same thing.

 

Secondly, this was a very tough shinsa. The standards for acceptance were extremely high. I did have some heated discussions on a number of swords that I thought should have been papered. In a few cases, I successfully got opinions to change, but most of the time, the team discussion resulted in a rejection. If you got a paper at the SF shinsa, you can rest assured that it will be a paper with some value. I have not seen the final numbers, but I would not be surprised if we passed less than 50% of the swords submitted. This was not the case with fittings. The quality level here seems to have been much higher, and while the standards for pass were just as rigorous as with swords, I believe the pass rate was close to 80%. There were fewer fittings submissions, but the fittings people seem to be pretty good with their stuff. I also expect that since fittings are cheaper, it is harder to pay for a $250 paper when your tsuba is only worth $500.

 

Finally, I had a great time seeing lots of old friends and making a few new ones. I was sorry I missed most of the show, but from what I could tell, I wasn't the only one having a good time.

 

Gordon

[David Flynn]

Thanks for the report Gordon. I remember at the Sydney Shinsa, we had some discussions on why some swords pinked. There are still a few ruffled feathers. However, on the whole, I think, it's always better to err on the side of caution. Congratulations on a successful Show and Shinsa.

[cabowen]

The reason is not just one of quality, but is in regards to Japanese laws. All Showa era swords must be signed by law.

 

This is not true, unless the law has been changed very recently. According to the JuToHo, the Japanese laws governing all things swords and firearms, Chapter 3, Article 1, the only requirement given for licensing a sword is that it has "artistic value", regardless of period of manufacture. I know this because I had to point it out to the Mombusho overseer at a toroku shinsa who told me I could not receive torokusho on any blade dated in the war years of the showa era. After he actually read the law (the NBTHK publishes a booklet which contains the complete text and I always take it with me to toroku shinsa for just this sort of situation), he gave the shinsa team "permission" to issue the license, if the blades met with their approval. They did. One of the blades was indeed a mumei, war era blade. It too received a torokusho.

 

I do not know for certain, but I expect the NBTHK would do the same thing.

 

A quick web search yielded the following. It is a mumei tanto, with kantei-sho, attributed to Tsukamoto Okimasa (a showa smith) by the NBTHK. It is in Japan so it has been licensed.

 

http://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords/KT114661.htm

 

Further searches will produce more of the same.

 

To summarize, you can indeed license and own a mumei Showa era blade in Japan and the NBTHK has issued kantei-sho for the same....

[Gordon]

Just a clarification. I do not think I mentioned anything about licensing in my comments. I do not have the laws in front of me, but my comments were about signatures at the time of manufacture. However, thank you for sharing the Showa 47 green paper. Got anything recent?

 

Gordon

[cabowen]

Just a clarification. I do not think I mentioned anything about licensing in my comments. I do not have the laws in front of me, but my comments were about signatures at the time of manufacture. However, thank you for sharing the Showa 47 green paper. Got anything recent?

 

Gordon

 

No, you didn't mention licensing, you wrote:

 

"All Showa era swords must be signed by law."

 

That is a false statement. Again, there is nothing in the JuToHo that states a Showa era sword has to be signed at the time of manufacture or that a Showa era sword must be signed to be licensed, which in Japan, means it is "legal" to own. There were huge numbers of unsigned swords made in the Showa period and if they are judged to be traditionally made, they are legal and licensed. And sometimes even awarded kanteisho.

 

Show us the law.....

[nihontoau]

Hi All,

 

Just got back from the US, had a great time at the Token Kai. Lots of great blades there once again. The Shinsa seemed to created a lot more activity, we found Gordon and the Shinsa team to be very professional, unfortunatley not every blade submitted will pass at any shinsa as we are all aware when we submit blades.

 

Thanks Barry for being so tolerant, seeing as my tribe took up so much of the space..

 

We have uploaded some pictures on our newly made facebook page - Nihonto Australia.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1 ... 3572984575

 

We are looking forward to next years show.

 

regards

 

John

 

Nihonto Australia

[ububob]

Thanks for the photos John except for the one featuring my own backside! :D

Didja do well in Vegas?

[nihontoau]

Hey Bob

 

Vegas was Hot, We picked the hottest day of the year to arrive, had good time though , Kristies the photographer so you can blame her for the picture.

:lol:

 

Regards

 

John

 

Nihonto Australia

[jason_mazzy]

Don't worry, this is not the start of a trend....There will be future shinsa by other teams. Resubmit.

 

I believe Chris will be bringing in some of the best in the shinsa world. And I am sure each of our blades will get the attention to detail and time they deserve. I can not wait for the shinsa and show. It is the closest one to me, and should be cheaper than flying to cali!

[Eric H]

We have uploaded some pictures on our newly made facebook page - Nihonto Australia

John,

spectacular photos of that Kiyomitsu, may I ask what camera Kristie was using?

 

Eric