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Yes, I sent them an E-Mail last night. Haven´t heard back yet.

I got info that his version's print was made after Mr Slough death.

dont need bundle deal $100 usd or sep

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I believe Mr. Cillo has passed. I used to see him at Gun Shows here in the Northeast USA in the 1980s. His table was literally heaped with Japanese swords. Steve

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Thank you all for your feedback and kind words. I'll keep you updated on when the exhibition opens and whether there will be any special traveling exhibitions in Japan this year. The awards ceremony will be held in June. I attended last year for the occasion. I must say I found NBSK to be a pleasant and cordial place. It was an honor to be there with such excellent Japanese craftspeople. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask if any of you saw the exhibition at the Meiji Jingu Treasure Hall in November during the last DTI, and if you happened to have taken photos of the oshigata on display.

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A sturdy and powerful Satsuma wakizashi Signed: Made by Kunihira of Satsuma at age 85 Dated: On an auspicious day in February, Horeki 9 (1759) A very impressive Satsuma blade. Blades connected with Satsuma are especially attractive to collectors because they evoke the severe and proud sword culture of the Shimazu samurai. In a domain famous for its martial character, Satsuma sword traditions came to embody practicality, strength, and disciplined warrior taste, giving such blades a particularly strong samurai identity. The inscription indicating that the blade was forged by the Satsuma smith at the remarkable age of 85. Japanese sword forging is an intensely demanding art, both physically and technically, and for a smith to still be forging at that age is highly impressive. It suggests a craftsman of exceptional dedication, discipline, and lifelong experience. This is the kind of detail that gives a blade real personality. One can imagine an elderly master, after decades at the forge, still producing work with the confidence and judgment that only a lifetime of swordmaking can bring. That sense of history and human achievement adds a special charm to the piece and makes it far more than just another wakizashi. Measurements: Nagasa: 54.3 cm Sori: 1.3 cm Motohaba (width at the hamachi): 3.2 cm Sakihaba (width at kissaki): 2.6 cm Kasane (thickness) at base: 9 mm Thickness at kissaki: 6 mm Weight: 754g (a heavy blade) The tang bears the inscription: “Made by Kunihira of Satsuma at age 85, on an auspicious day in February, Horeki 9 (1759).” This inscription gives the piece strong historical character and reflects the tradition of Satsuma swordsmith workmanship. This sword was probably carried and valued by a Satsuma samurai in the Edo period. Price: 1950 USD

The beginnings for the licensing system were bit funky. I believe the registering started at bit different dates in some provinces, some started earlier and some later. I did quite a bit of research about this in 2025 when I was calculating the total number of licenses issued. Now I can't even understand why I got so invested in quite useless information like that. The license in Gerrys OP is amongst the first issued in Shizuoka. The license in Johns post is from Tochigi. Here are some numbers from Tokyo that I have found, items highlighted in yellow are ones in which the numbering does not fit the running numbering. As you can see pretty much after S26 the running numbering starts to flow in Tokyo area. I think currently Tokyo must be passed 330,000 licenses issued, for comparison I think Tochigi is somewhere above 55,000 licenses and Shizuoka might be around 75,000 licenses (unfortunately the last certificate I found for each early last year when I searched were 2024, 2023 and 2018).

How You want to made common registry without computers in 50’s It would be taking years with this blade volumen to get something changed

Here is an even earlier one, dated the first day registrations were possible under the modern system. Apparently there was a provisional registration in effect from late 1950. The number is 2048 so that confirms each prefecture had their own registration system and the numbers are by no means indicative of a nationwide order.

@Sukaira Oh i wish but my budget is about half of that currently 😆 dream blade tho

Ask them to make a copy for you, before it is deregistered.

If you’re looking for a Sue Bizen…

I think one of the senior forum members here recently purchased a sword from them that went on to paper for TH.

From memory the registration numbers were contextual to the prefecture. That seller has many suspicious items, the kinpun mei is dreadfully poor.

I have not seen this kind of wrap before (not saying it doesn't happen, I just haven't seen it). I don't think the wrapping methods have changed. The nihonto world tends to resist modern materials and methods in order to preserve tradition. As to the paper, you are correct in that washi is glued to the top and bottom of the tsuka prior to wrapping. This allows the area to be built up to achieve the proper shape when the same (ray skin) is glued to the sides. During wrapping, small traingular folded pieces of paper are tucked under each side of the turned ito to tuck the edges under neath and smooth out the look. All of this (and the placement of the menuki) creates the proper shape so the tsuka fits comfortably in the hand. There should be plenty of videos on youtube, and even a link to a good one on NMB somewhere. John C.

With the parts you have, plus the parts pictured below. You should have a complete Type 95 gunto. Scabbard has likely been repainted since the war, but otherwise original. Like Rob has said, you would be preserving some history, it will be much easier to sell, and for more. Best of luck, -Sam

thanks Zack...appreciate your openness and honesty. My unsolicited advice? If your friend has asked you to sell it then do everything possible to make contact with the person who bought the tsuka etc and do a deal (this seems to be the universal term these days ) As I see it, what you are selling now is really not worth much. A collector won't be interested unless they have all the missing parts (UNLIKELY) and even then, its mismatched. A sword enthusiast is better buying something recently made and cheap, at least the bits would have been made together and it will cut (unlike a Type 95 blade). The person who bought the tsuka etc would be crazy not to pay a good price for the matching blade etc given they can put it all back together (or find someone who can/NMB will help there) and it will be worth a squillion more than it is now in two houses with two different people. and....you would be doing the collecting world a big favour! Rob

I haven't seen the actual paper so far, since it wasn't of priority for me, but I hope they include a copy. It's still waiting for export permits, but it looks to be an interesting/dubious blade as a whole

That would be interesting to see. Two weeks prior to the actual start date. Might be a pre-flight or test of the program. John C.

Thanks John. Why do all these videos of people wrapping the ray skin around the sword handle show them doing it directly? Is this a method that is no longer in use (putting paper underneath)? In my research I only see people using washi paper under the thread wrapping, AFTER the ray skin has been glued on. If you have any source or reading material that I can look at, about using fabric under the ray skin, please let me know, I'm very curious and want to know more, especially if this reflects changes in craftsmanship over time.