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Hello all, acquired a few pieces over the past year's mix of COVID lock-downs and while eagerly waiting for the latest to arrive thought I would start a few threads to share the blades with fellow members and provide some more searchable examples of these smiths for the NMB. Also maybe start some discussion if anyone sees anything interesting. The first is a papered NBTHK TH to Ko-Mihara with a sayagaki from Tanobe Sensei. Photos are courtesy of @Ray Singer and will get an in-hand update/photos once it arrives hopefully this week… delayed due to an issue at the DPO transit point . Without a full translation yet but looks like Tanobe-sensei commented that it a representative example of the sword, dates to Nanbokucho jidai, is osuriage mumei, and yuhin (exceptional work). I had been on the lookout for a blade in this style with some helpful advice and comments on other pieces from @paulb . nagasa: 66.3cm moto-haba: 28mm saki-haba: 18mm kasane: 6.5mm The next two pieces to be posted await post-COVID shinsa but have other attributions that might spur some debate.

Here is a (Kajiwara) HIROMITSU. It is dated December 1943. It looks like it started its life as a special order Civilian mounted sword, and later, taken to war in a leather combat saya. It has no stamps. The fittings are a complete set of rare Showa Period pine tree motif in brass, and a blue/green ito wrap often seen on WW2 swords. The blade is in full polish. This famous smith was from Fukuoka, was responsible for some nice traditionally made swords.

The Chicago Sword show is starting soon. Looking forward to seeing a lot of old friends and meeting new ones. A few saftey reminders: The hotel requires masks be worn in all common areas. I will have masks available for any that need them, I will have FDA class 3 surgical masks, N95, cloth and others. There will be hand sanitizing stations. The show is in the large ballroom and tables will be spread out (social distanced) and the air circulation fans will run during the show. Please remember when in the show and in line to maintain a safe social distance. We want the show to be enjoyable but also safe for all. Lets get ready for a great show. I hear that a number of exhibitors are bringing some very special items. A great chance to study and learn, but also add something special to you collection. See you all soon. www.chicagoswordshow.com

G'day Guys, Here are some more photos. The koshirae is in almost pristine condition. The saya is the lacquered wood kind which I think is quite rare. What makes this sword really stand out is the beautiful, two piece, gold and silver foiled habaki. Unusually the fittings which are the mid-war type, are not numbered or marked in any way. The boshi is ichimai style with a long kaeri. The only down side is the blade is suriage and machi okuri. Cheers, Bryce

Sharing a very nice new shirasaya from John Tirardo, he's had a pretty steady workload, good for the nihonto community, but worth the wait. He also found a well fitting replacement habaki as an added bonus. Nagasa is 70.3 cm for size context. Cheers

Bruce & Thomas, regards the Sukenobu (post#676) dated June 1942, he was working for Seki Token Co Ltd (Seki Token Kabushiki Kaisha 関刀剣株式株式会社) [see Toki Tosho article in Downloads, p. 35] and this blade has NA & HO but no star. He became RJT and blades in Dec 1943 and Jan 1944 have star & NA.

G'day Bruce, I just discovered this thread. Here is mine from the Nobuyoshi gunto. Cheers, Bryce

Not quite sure where you're seeing the Type 98 connection, looks completely Kai Gunto.

I think you've called it Bruce. Pretty sure that is anti-rust gunto steel.

The spent so much time working on getting the Kabutogane right (which is still wrong) and then really blew the tsuba. Luckily the still love the squared-off kissaki.

Aliaksandr, the name of the worker is DAIDO or DAIMICHI (a famous name). The pictures do not allow a guess if this blade was indeed forged or factory made (very probably).

I said to him that he can show the number it is a fake sword. He was not really assumed and i would not have any clue of Japanese swords.

Bruce This Kai Gunto looks like has rocking star mark on the tang

I have a tsuba that came from a boys sword, probably cast iron and a carp one side and a dragon on the other. (quick and dirty pics taken two minutes ago).

I have a boy's sword (miniature tachi) with pretty high-class fittings (tokugawa mon), and a blade by the 5th? generation Tango no kami Naomichi (Mishina school). Hamon is one of the fancy shinshinto 'picture' hamons; perhaps waves breaking ("ura no nami" -- I can't find a drawing of that hamon, just a short description). It's a hump with crests on either side facing it, and tobiyaki (jewels) between the crests and the hump), or perhaps it's a mountain with clouds on each side (I think it's waves, though). I know I found the hamon once, many years ago, but I can't find it in my reference books now (not in Hawley, or Hakusui, or Yamato, etc, etc). It's obscure...

Looks fantastic. John

Hi guys, Just wonder what the symbol on the samurai wig stand and the character on wood box read, found online on some of the auctions coming up.. Thanks, Steve.

I want to show to picture here bevore it is gone on yahoo. sold price 377.000 Yen ( $3492 )

Fake Type 95 copper looking type on egun auction. Katana Schwert Samurai Asien - eGun The seller says the blade No. only see the buyer Price: Auktion Instant buy: 650 EUR I got this picture from the seller:

I bought all this equipment to polish old blades, now you tell me it's not appropriate? You sure know how to rain on a guys parade! (This should get me kicked off the forum for a while!).

Thank you all very much for your comments and your liking of what you see. And Michaelr commenting that there are times when we, all of us, have paid less for somethings than we feel they were worth- and that does happen often enough to even things out. By the way, the increase in price was quite substantial, by about another third. Thank you all very much again. Roger 2

Lots to enjoy with this one. I would have found it difficult to walk away from it given the circumstances, although I would have simmered a little while for the surprise pricing hike. But now you have enjoyed it for 25 years, the circumstances surrounding the process no longer of consequence. I, too, like the horse F/K and habaki is very nice.

A nice piece indeed, though I understand how it rankles to have the price suddenly boosted on you. I suspect you had the last laugh though!

I would have bought it just for the habaki and fittings

It certainly reminded me of that earlier one, Bruce. Better stamps and more true, but still the same issues we see in almost all of the fake 95s. The patina is the typical hurried affair and sloppy too. Which I'm quite grateful for, honestly. I don't like the idea that one day my historical swords will be indistinguishable from some cheap crap thrown out of a factory that day. I don't think the patina is something that they will ever get right though. Copied the pictures because I like to consolidate them in one thread.

Thank you for the example Adam. That's a nice sword, I can definitely see some similarities with the masame and itame and the hamon. It makes me wonder if both are influenced by a similar tradition. I guess the biggest difference I see is that this sword’s large nagare and masame structures seem more prominent... Or perhaps that's just a trick of the light and optical illusion because the small grains are not prominent. That is very interesting indeed. I know very little about koshirae so I assumed the menuki were just missing and those holes were just damage (even though that doesn't seem to be a typical way metal exibhits damage) but this sure does sound like your description of satsuma koshirae. It sure looks like other examples I can find. It's a shame the precious metal inlays are nearly gone in mine, but I guess that gives is a wabisabi vibe which fits in with an antique so it's not all bad. Deffinitely glad I grabbed this sword.

Oh, and also this is the first time I’ve owned an old koshirae and the tsuka feels a bit rickety. I worry that if I handle it too much it will deteriorate, or the remaining bits of gold on the tsuba will fall off. I’m not sure what I can’ do to keep in in good condition apart from keeping it in a dry environment? Could Lohman or someone else do conservation work on the tsuka and saya without it losing its originality? Also if it helps at all with the sleuthing, I've attached photos of the torokusho and export paperwork. Thank you again everyone.

Thank you for the feedback on my NCO sword. Happy to hear that it is not a fake.

Interesting thread...I did not know that so many fake NCO swords are out there. Bought this one earlier this year. Hopefully did not buy a fake! Certainly looks "aged".

I would like to introduce my omi no kami Tsuguhiro wakizashi, pilot, tank or what it is. It has a wood Saya. The condition of the leather cover is very good. Thanks for the translation Steve.

A true "boy's sword" is usually made by a smith to order and they appear as a miniature, essentially. That is, not only are they shorter than a full length sword, but they are proportionately smaller in all dimensions. Quality varies with the smith, as with regular sized swords. Some are very well made, some not so... Depending on length, they would be classified according to the standard length criteria. They are indeed rather rare. I have one here by Kinmichi that is, as mentioned above, a miniature tachi, about 16 inches in length.

It does make me wonder what Musashi had on his mind when he was in his cave. 😬

I'm sure they'll turn up here eventually asking for opinions.

But it is hard to swing a katana length gunto from one plane and hope to hit the other plane :-) Rich (Sorry,but I couldn't resist it)