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Hello, The answer to this question really depends on which segment you operate in. The best strategy depends on your personal circumstances: the level of your collection, the tax policies of your country, and the family dynamics between the heirs. S Tier collection: At this level, items remain locked up post-death. Purchases are most often realized through a foundation, and items are preserved in a museum. The attrition rate on top items is driven by these types of Japanese collectors with a focus on legacy and creating persistent cultural institutions. See Sano Museum, or the more recent Token Museum of Nagoya. A tier collection: Top auction houses like Sotheby's and Christies are generally tasked with disposing of the collection (e.g., Paul Davidson, Compton collection) , but not always. Often, there are pre-agreements with the owner on the post-death sale of specific items. This is one of the only ways to access truly outstanding items, and some of the most formidable collections have been formed by placing these sort of "dibs" on items that owners would otherwise never sell. Another strategy is progressive dispersion: some owners will start trimming their collection from the bottom up early on, keeping only a few but extremely exclusive pieces for which there is ample demand, and have post-death sales or consignment agreements in place for what remains. If consigned, these truly exclusive items will be sold discreetly and without fanfare through trusted relationships with the dealer to his absolute top clients. B Tier collection: Items are usually triaged between first tier auction houses as part of a general "Samurai Art" sales and second tier auction houses for lower tier items. For example, promising items go to Bonhams, other less promising items go to Zacks. Consignments of entire collection with dealers are not uncommon here. C Tier collection: Consignments with dealers becomes the norm here. There is bargaining involved, as usually the dealers are unwilling to consign items of lower value. There can be quite some wait involved for heirs to "see the money" and this is where it becomes tempting to sell it all as a large discount for cash upfront. Partial cash and partial consignment arrangements are also possible, and should be planned ahead of time. D Tier collection: Ebay listings by family or friends, listing on the board here, and so forth. There are also major cultural differences, some of which are driven by tax policies across countries, suffice to say I won't elaborate. Family circumstances also play a major role, as sometimes heirs are distrustful of each other and auction houses act as "neutral arbiters" to pre-empt potential conflicts. Hope this helps, -Hoshi

I have done this several times in the past as a paid professional service for higher-end collections. That is, collectors were paying for the flight, two nights in a nearby hotel, with a prior discussion about number of objects and desired level of detail so that I was able to give a rough quote in advance. Pictures, and as many notes as possible taken on the ground, then compiled a folder or booklet of the collection back home, including rough estimates, comparables, etc., from past auctions and other sales, for example.

Hi Dee, I know this is ragebait, but it's not healthy for the community and should still be called out. It is profoundly unwise to post such a take on a forum devoted to the preservation and study of Nihonto. * edit admin * I trust you'll get back on your feet and grow a thicker skin. Get better soon, Hoshi

One way of looking at it: Top level guys doing fittings for the govt Tokugawa types go to = Goto, individually hand tooled stuff Higher officials needing work appropriate gear go to = Yoshioka shop, good formal. Some minor time saving shortcuts ex: https://www.aoijapan.com/kozuka-kogatana-yoshioka-inabasuke/ Other bureaucrats needing a rig, but a bit more cost go to = Yasuda shop, also pretty good- but maybe more gold plated or lacking in specifics of design. Example: https://www.aoijapan.com/kozuka-mumeiyasuda/ Or ... Fifth Avenue NYC, vs Off Fifth Avenue, vs Filene's Basement / Century 21. All decent, but how bespoke is it? You have Tokugawa mon on the kozuka and kogai. They look very clean yet not too ostentatious in execution. If you look at the nanako, probably it is very uniform and consistently the same size. Yoshioka work is often very clean and strongly uniform elements in the execution. Put another way, they had High quality control. Often unsigned. When they wanted to, they could kick it up a notch or two- so not all Yoshioka work is the same level. Tokugawa mon+ fairly formal with no signs of gold loss + very precise nanako => first guess is Yoshioka.

If I were to die unexpectedly (I'm only 36), my collection would be left with my wife. For years now, she has patiently put up with me talking about swords, sword deals, and watched me travel all over the place and meet all sorts of people. I've conveyed to her the people I trust in this field. She will have the option of contacting them, or keeping my swords for herself. I wouldn't have married her if I didn't trust her; and I think i've set her up to make the right choice. Lets hope that day doesn't come anytime soon -Sam

Hi Marcus, This is an Oei bizen hamon structure, it was first introduced by Chogi and the Soden-Bizen group. You can tell by the groupings of gunome and choji formations. Specifically, notice how they cluster together in series of peaks, before receding? Another sign is the relative quietness of the ha, it is fully rendered in nioi, and there is not much activity within, this is also quite typical of these Oei blades. The three most representative smiths of this group are known as the "Three Mitsu" (Yasumitsu, Morimitsu, Norimitsu). They stewarded the Osafune school into the turbulent Oei period (1394-1428). It is very difficult to distinguish between them. There exists multiple generations that extend into the beginning of the Muromachi, but on the basis of the conspicuous utsuri, I would place it with the first generation, and Yasumitsu as the most likely candidate. There are other candidates in Oei: Iesuke, Iemori, and Tsuneie. Here is a masterpiece by Chogi ranked Tokubetsu Juyo, where you can see the origins of the hamon of your blade: https://eu.zonerama.com/Nihonto/Album/11057812 The standout midare utsuri is lovely, and indicates that the blade is in good health. Once upon a time, this was likely a proud tachi with a Kamakura-inspired sugata that Yasumitsu was fond of emulating. Best, Hoshi

Now onto the koshirae... I cant understate how impressed I was, upon seeing it in person- And its left me with a newfound appreciation for Tosogu. I'm really fond of the subject matter; 'Tigers in Bamboo Grove'- a theme that carries on into the design of the Fuchi-Kashira, Koiguchi, Kurigata & Kojiri. As a complete set, it gives a nice sense of continuity to the Koshirae. But for me, the stand-out quality of the Futakoromono was the biggest highlight. Both the Kogai & Kozuka feature a golden trio of Aoi-Kamon, framed by an incredibly fine nanako-work background. Its very much the focal point of the koshirae set, when on display. Again, ill be sure to share photos. Thanks All- hope you enjoy, - Marcus.

I appreciate your candor, I of course was not expecting you to air your actual fees, but now that you have, $125/h seems extraordinarily reasonable in today's market for the amount of knowledge and experience you bring. Also serves to infuriate those like myself who have paid mechanics and other contractors, similar rates, for subpar knowledge and services. Such is life.....

Basically, it boils down from my standard (non-translation related) consultation fee of $125/h. Has to make sense for both parties. For example, I would never dare to charge, let's say, $5k for a huge collection of objects, but which likely will only reel in $15k at the end of the day, that's not economically reasonable. It really depends on the breakdown @Hoshi posted earlier.

Hi Volker I'm alive and doing well....well I hope I'm well... Don't know why your emails were not delivered. Have not updated the website for some 6 years however hope to do so in the near future. The website is more a Hobbie to me, and I have been busy with my professional work these past few years. Plus I have moved house and faced a serious health issue. I 'm also what they call Technology Challenged and rely on my son to do the updates on the site, and he is working on updating the complete website when you gets the chance. I have lots of good gunto items currently stored that will be listed...Koshirae, Saya, Tsuka, Leather Combat Covers, Gunto Metal Fittings, Belts, Etc. Kind Regards Doug

An important and exceedingly rare Japanese efu tachi made by Imperial Household Artisan Kanenori to commemorate the Ascension to the Throne of Emperor Taisho. This sword is dated August, 1912. Emperior Meiji passed away on July 29, 1912. Yoshihito, his son, ascended to the throne in August 1912. Emperor Yoshihito was later awarded the name Emperor Taisho, 123rd Emperor of Japan. Efu Coronation court tachi were made in very limited numbers–often just 12 were made. Another such example was returned by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Japan in 2016. It was presented to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. That sword was made for the ascension to the throne of Emperor Hirohito (Showa). A quick google search will bring up an article about that sword. This sword is signed ‘Teishitsugigeiin Sugawara Kanenori’ (Imperial Court/Household Artisan). The reverse is dated ‘An auspicious day in August, First Year of Taisho Era’ (1912). The nakago is also marked ’83 Okinasaku’–which refers to Kanenori’s age of 83 at the time he made this sword. The koshirae is adorned with the Go-shichi no Kiri (5-7-5) Paulownia crest. The blade nagasa is 63.8 cm. This fine Coronation tachi comes with shirasaya as well. Each piece (tachi and shirasaya) comes in a silk sword bag. CONDITION: This important and exceedingly rare Coronation tachi is in quite perfect condition. This sword was well cared for. SOLD --Matthew Brice StCroixBlades.com

Hi Rebecca! What you have there is a Navy blade made by the Tenshozan sword company in the last days of the war, but mounted in souvenir fittings. Tenshozan contracted with the 8th Army PX (military version of Walmart) to sell over 8,000 of these souvenirs from 1946 to 1950'ish. The painted number - 11402 - tells us the blade was likely made before the war's end, but never used in combat. Many surplus blades were re-fitted for the souvenir contract and sold through the PX in Japan and later in Korea. Value? When honestly sold as souvenirs, they normally run about $450 USD. Navy kaigunto (Navy blades in proper Navy fittings) can go as high as $2,000 plus/minus. You can read about the souvenir operation in this article - The Mysterious NLF Gunto - A Souvenir PS: Could I possibly get a full length photo of the nakago (tang) for my records? I file and track these.

My experience is that if someone thinks history ended in 1945, they're on the older side, like me, and actually probably believe that history ended with the end of the Vietnam war. Some younger people I know seem to believe history began when the internet began, and everything was effortlessly online. Everything before that is prehistory . They have a certain point . My nihonto will definitely not be buried with me. I love the idea of gifting them to a younger person who is excited about them, but has limited capital. I have so many amazing things that I've inherited from previous generations - that kind of passing things on is really meaningful to me.

I understand your sentiment and am not outraged by it. I will say it sounds a little selfish. Perhaps you could have your executor sell off your swords and use the money to help others, like orphans, victims of abuse, veterans or wildlife. At least some good would come from your collection opposed to dumping historical artifacts to the bottom of the sea. I have a friend sending me his collection to sell and donate the money to St. Judes Hospital for pediatric cancer research. BTW: Once I have them I will post them here if anyone would like to help.

We all just got to witness the selling of the Plimpton collection. A few of our guys got to help disperse large chunks, but I don't remember who the primary guy was that seemed involved in the beginning. Mine, when I get hit with the proverbial truck, goes to wife, then daughter, neither of which is interested in them. So, I've made a notebook with the basics about each sword and have listed the contact info of a couple of guys they can reach out to if the want to sell them off.

So I got a package a while ago from my dear friend Kazuhiro Hayashi, who as many of you know had recently passed. In the package, a bare blade, no fittings. . He did this from time to time, sending me unusual pieces that he thought I would be Interested in. I like the odd sort of things. Its a Wakizashi with just shy of a 22 inch Nagasa and a deep bohi running the lengh of the blade into the nakago. The sori is about 1/3 inch measured from the Mune machi. It has a very very slight bend but I think that could be sorted by someone who knows how. The polish is not great, but some of the details are visible. Of note, the Hamon is all over the place, which is why I think he sent it to me to begin with. No clear pattern. There is a lot of activity. Big Nie crystals. Lots of sunegashi all up and down the blade. I cant really see much of the hada. It is signed. KUNIHIRO. old style kanji. The nakago does still have some yasuri mei, and there are 3 mekugi ana. one was plugged, one towards the bottom looks recent, and the main looks to be hand punched. I'll post up some pictures and we can all have a discussion about it and what I should do with it next. I'm considering full restoration considering the personal meaning it has.

A quick look at the first two pictures of this tsuba and I expect many of you will jumping up and down shouting ‘Easy! Echizen Kinai tsuba of aoi leaves.’ Just like the one I’ve included for comparison signed Echizen ju Kinai saku. Problem with my tsuba is the it is probably shibuichi and mumei (Kinai were never shy about adding signatures). The tsuba is 7.2 cm x 6.9 cm x 0.4 cm, Weight: 132 g and is essentially a standard Echizen aoi design. The tsuba is almost totally symmetrical about the vertical axis, having two kogai hitsu ana and matching tagane around the nakago ana, making assignment to the omote or ura impossible. The inlay karakusa scrolls are the same, but the raindrops on the leaves differ. So who made it? I have never seen a shibuichi Kinai tsuba, but this does not mean they did not make any. The quality looks above their standard output, so why not sign it? Best explanations I have are that maybe it was made for a high-ranking samurai, by another workshop, who liked to wear a bit of bling on formal occasions but still wear the tsuba design that lesser ranks used, or it was made by a kinko artist as a copy of an iron Kinai tsuba to make a more saleable product for the Western market. Either explanation would explain the lack of wear. Look forward to your comments. John Just a guy making observations, asking questions and trying to learn

For those of you who haven't noticed - Ito Mitsuru (well-known Japanese collector which you know for writing the 3 Higo books, Nobuie articles, book on Katanakake,...) has started a blog. This looks like it will be well worth the read. Blog

Nanban or Hizen... not Jakushi (although there's a similar look to the nunome, Jakushi never did this tsuba shape or did this type of design theme). It's probably a Chinese craftsman working in one of the ports in Japan (therefore should get a hybrid combined attribution of both Nanban and Hizen... which never happens in the papering world, because they are fixated on sticking to the narrow set of categories that were agreed upon in the past. Both categories of Nanban and Hizen are loosely defined at best and have lots of issues... so the exact attribution under those two labels is kind of arbitrary anyway. Either way, it's an unusual tsuba so congrats on your first purchase.

I like shinto blades though But serious counterpoint, nihonto aren't just weapons - they have both historic and artistic value too. (Limited doesn't mean none?) Imagine what all previous owners of that blade would think of us intentionally destroying them... We can surely do better than that? They say a person dies twice - once with their own body, and then next when the last person that remembers them eventually dies. Make sure that second death is a long time off - go give a blade to some young adult that couldn't dream of affording them, sparking an interest in them for life. This is a forum for the preservation of Japanese swords right? 😅

He was not particularly known for bo utsuri, it sort of overall Muromachi trait, somebody copied from some book. Its all hair splitting since they are very similar, but with Oei Morimitsu and alike you don't expect groups of the same height, 4 elements+. You expect large choji-gunome joined with a few others, quite a bit more non-uniform appearance. Strong groupings with flat hight/similar width are associated with Eikyo-Onin-Bunmei pieces. But they very seldom have midare utsuri shooting to shinogi and ashi tend to start closer to the edge, overall hamon can be narrower on average. Sanemitsu did flat height large grouping with very wide and expressive hamon, with some ko nie sprinkled around the hamon's upper portion. Its a good match.

Depends how old you are. I’m officially “old” and far closer to the end than the beginning so I have just sold my sword collection and enjoyed it all nearly as much as buying them all. Also I didn’t want to risk losing my marbles so that I became incapable of handling things. Yes I have a gun collection to sort out and I’m about to start that. Of course I agree if you are young it’s different and there is always the proverbial bus that could scupper plans but Nihonto is such a specialist field I think it’s safer to handle the dispersal ourselves…..when we approach the end of the line. I also think the tax implications are often forgotten about if your estate is considerable. Selling stuff before departure means you are only looking at capital gains (or capital losses!) whereas after departing it becomes full inheritance tax liabilities depending on whatever your local taxation requirements are.

万金産業袋 (also written 萬金産業袋), published in 1732, describes how to make iron tsuba. The method is to recycle old farming tools, no casting. https://kokusho.nijl.ac.jp/biblio/100258979/31?ln=ja It is all in Japanese and written in kuzushi-ji, but you can scan it with the miwo (みを) free application, which will give you the writing in typed text, which you can paste in a translation software.

The best one can hope is that treasured items go to those who appreciate them.

They still keep turning up - I guess they will always be there! https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1202559131 At least you don't have to drop it to tell it was cast! Extraordinarily the description is accurate: "Tsuba with a picture of a tower landscape, by Munenori, cast iron, round, with double hole holes (modern work)" A few touches of gold to increase the "value" Price: 600 € Artist: Soten Period: 18th century https://www.proantic.com/en/1136826-tsuba-in-cut-iron-damascened-with-gold-nunome-zogan-school-of-soten-Japan-edo-18.html

made by Naruki Issei (成木一成 ) - mukansa 2009 - he was a very prolific tsuba maker and especially his Owari tsuba were very nice Born on September 10, 1931 (Showa 6) in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, as the eldest son of Seiichi Naruki. 1945-1950 (Showa 20-25) He studied ancient ceramics under Fujio Koyama and Toyozo Arakawa. In 1960 (Showa 35), he was unable to move his lower body due to illness and had to abandon his research into ancient ceramics. He was deeply impressed by an iron tsuba his father showed him, and began researching and prototyping. 1963 (Showa 38) He began full-scale production of iron tsuba in Saneto, Nakatsugawa City. 1966-1969 (Showa 41-44) He learned the Kaga inlay technique from Isamu Takahashi. Around 1975 (Showa 50), he began considering creating the base metal for tsuba by blowing iron sand. Prior to that, he experimented with Western iron and collected reclaimed iron from the Edo period, which he then commissioned a swordsmith to roll into sheet form for his tsuba crafts. In 1977 (Showa 52), he held his first solo exhibition, "Tracing the Four Seasons of Mino," at Ginza Matsuya. He expressed the simple yet powerful painting of ancient Mino ceramics on his tsuba. He was awarded the Gifu Prefectural Governor's Award for Outstanding Craftsmanship. In 1978 (Showa 53), he began making tsuba from his own steel. He was awarded the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon. He held his second collaborative exhibition, "Reproduction of the Tetsuhirumaki Tachi Koshirae," at Ginza Matsuya. In 1981 (Showa 56), he was designated a holder of an intangible cultural property by Nakatsugawa City for his iron tsuba-making techniques. In 1982 (Showa 57), he began performing the entire process, from charcoal making to tatara (smelting) work. From November 1982 to January 1983, he worked daily on the kettle pressing and kept records. He collected iron sand and iron ore from over 50 locations across Japan. In 1983, he held his second solo exhibition, "Making Tsuba with Homemade Steel," featuring homemade steel made from iron sand from various regions. He compared iron made from iron sand and iron ore from various regions across Japan. He also published "Making Tsuba with Homemade Steel." In 1986, he received the Medal with Yellow Ribbon. In 1987, he held his third solo exhibition, "Yagyu Thirty-Six Immortal Poets Tsuba," at the Kuwana City Museum. Yagyu Ren'ya passed away just as 31 original Yagyu tsuba had been produced. The drawings, drawn 20 years later, reveal that the illustrations for the remaining five tsuba are unknown. Naruki, based on the secrets of their names, also produced those five, resulting in a total of 36 pieces on display. In 1998, the "Tsuba: The Keystone of Japanese Swords: Naruki Kazunari and Ishida Tetsuo Exhibition" was held at the Hoshi to Mori no Uta Museum. In 1999, he received his first Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the Nittoho New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. Since then, he has received the award 11 times in a row, and his award has been included in the "Special Exhibition: The Beauty of Tsuba: The Challenge of Tsuba Craftsman Naruki Kazunari." In 2000, he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. In 2001, he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Swords Exhibition. The "In Pursuit of the Purple Rust-Colored Steel Bark: The World of Naruki Kazunari" exhibition was held at the Hoshi to Mori no Uta Museum. In 2002 (Heisei 14), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. Held the exhibition "Pursuing the Beauty of Naruki Kazunari's Worldwide Iron Tsuba" at the Gifu Prefectural Museum. In 2003 (Heisei 15), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2004 (Heisei 16), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2005 (Heisei 17), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2006 (Heisei 18), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2007 (Heisei 19), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2008 (Heisei 20), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. In 2009 (Heisei 21), he received the Grand Prize (Chairman's Award) at the New Masterpiece Sword Exhibition. Certified as a non-judgmentalist Since 2010 (Heisei 22), he has entered competitions every year. Since he was non-judgmental, he did not receive any awards. In 2011 (Heisei 23), he was awarded the Gifu Prefecture Traditional Culture Inheritance Award. In 2013 (Heisei 25), he held the exhibition "The Beauty of Tsuba: The Challenge of Tsuba Craftsman Kazunari Naruki" at the Gifu Prefectural Museum. He passed away at the facility in 2022.

Wakizashi Attributed to Sōshū Masahiro, Ōei Era (NBTHK Hozon) Price: $4,500 + shipping This mumei wakizashi has been attributed by the NBTHK to Sōshū Masahiro and is accompanied by a current NBTHK Hozon kanteisho. The blade is from the Ōei period, a time during which the activity of the second and third generations of Masahiro overlapped. While both generations produced work under the same name, the characteristics of this blade align more closely with the nidai. The presence of a vibrant hitatsura with bright nie, ara-nie, tobiyaki, and muneyaki, along with an active jihada, suggests the hand of the second generation more so than the sandai, whose work tends to exhibit a quieter and less nie-laden surface. The blade measures 1 shaku 5 sun 8 bu and is in an older but intact polish, with a few minor stains. The hitatsura is highly expressive, featuring rich nie activity across the ha and ji. Ara-nie forms strong kinsuji and sunagashi in areas, with tobiyaki scattered across the monouchi and muneyaki continuing along the back. The boshi is deeply tempered with nie-kuzure. The jihada is itame with some small ware, and the blade shows possible evidence of historical use, including several kirikomi along the monouchi. The sugata is elegant and in the style of a kodachi. The form of the habaki suggests it was once fitted in a koshirae in the efu-tachi style. Masahiro is considered a direct descendant of Hiromitsu, who in turn transmitted the most technically advanced aspects of the Sōshū tradition after Masamune. Hiromitsu is credited with the perfection of hitatsura. Masahiro’s early work clearly reflects the techniques and aesthetic principles developed under Hiromitsu’s hand. An example of shodai Soshu Masahiro is listed below. https://nihonart.com/portfolio/shodai-soshu-masahiro-ko-wakizashi/ The nidai Masahiro worked through the Meitoku and into the early Ōei period. He is distinguished from the sandai by his liberal use of nie and a more active chōji-midare and gunome-midare structure. In contrast, the sandai’s blades are quieter, occasionally verging toward suguha-based interpretations with reduced nie. This blade, with its dynamic hataraki and exuberant use of nie-deki, is more consistent with the nidai’s approach. The overall construction and shaping of the nakago also supports an earlier attribution within the lineage. MASAHIRO (正広), 1st gen., Jōji (貞治, 1362-1368), Sagami – “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広), “Masahiro” (正広), “Sōshū-jū Masahiro saku” (相州住正広作), first name Kurōjirō (九郎二郎), student of the 1st gen. Sōshū Hiromitsu (広光), he worked in the style of his master whereas his hamon is somewhat smaller dimensioned as that of Hiromitsu, he also adds some togari elements, there are tachi, ko-wakizashi and tantō extant, chūjō-saku MASAHIRO (正広), 2nd gen., Meitoku (明徳, 1390-1394), Sagami – “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広), “Masahiro” (正広), suguha-chō mixed with slightly undulating notare, gunome, ashi, yō, sunagashi and small tobiyaki in nie-deki, higher gunome elements towards the bōshi area can be connected to the kaeri and muneyaki MASAHIRO (正広), 3rd gen., Ōei (応永, 1394-1428), Sagami – “Sagami no Kuni-jūnin Masahiro” (相模国住人 正広), “Sōshū-jū Masahiro” (相州住正広),, “Sōshū-jūnin Masahiro” (相州住人正広), only few blades are extant by him, the jiba is no longer noticeably nie-laden with his generation

There very much can be. I know it's said tanto didn't use kawagane and shingane, but there is no doubt that some tanto were made that way, and I have a late koto/early Shinto tanto showing shingtetsu after many polishes. I have zero doubt some smiths did make tanto the same way they made wakizashi and katana. We already had this debate way back: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/49145-shintetsu-good-bad-or-acceptable/ http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/shingane.html

Hi Jay and welcome. I believe it is a typical Shoami school piece, they are relatively common and tend to have a waterfall and mountain scene - with minimal soft metal overlay [nunome] and some inlay. There is a notch at the bottom of the nakago-ana that suggests it has been mounted [but probably only briefly]. I am a little surprised that it is not signed, most are. [not being signed can be a "good" thing - many have fake signatures] Compare it to this one that is cast, the hitsu are rough and not filed smooth the "signature" is crude and to my eyes obviously cast-in [IMHO] Fake signature : 正阿弥包矩 (Shoami-Kanenori) Compare the cast signature to the tachi-mokko one. I strongly believe Jay's piece is hand carved, the cloud swirls on the ura are carved-in not cast. Another selling on ebay - signed and with the characteristic waterfall on one side, rocks on the opposite. Some appear "rushed" and like this one are often neglected [unsigned as well] The Tachi-mokko shaped examples are also common, each have subtle design differences, check this thread: You can also check out this auction site https://www.eldreds.com/auction-lot/iron-shin-no-maru-gata-tsuba-signed-eichizen-kin_6EB3733865 They don't know their stuff, as it is NOT signed Echizen Kinai!

美乗 – Yoshinori/Mijo (reading?)

Hi Rebecca, the various small parts will have a one or two digit number stamped or written on them. For example, the tsuba (crossguard) will have this number. Take a picture of this number and post it. This number will match to one of the combination of numbers painted on the nakago (tang) of your sword. When time permits, below is a link to an article about postwar souvenir swords that will answer most of your questions. The Mysterious Naval Landing Forces Sword And finally, many thanks for sharing pictures of your sword.

The era designations are just tools for kantei, in general swords looked like A in the Koto period and looked like B in the Shinto period. When you do Kantei there is only Koto and Shinto - if you bid on a Shinto smith for a Shinshinto maker they do not say "Wrong period". Of course we like to (need to) break it down further, most of the eras cited are political ones EG Nanbokucho and Muromachi while there are given dates for these periods swordsmiths did not change styles based on a specific date, rather they worked in the style of their teachers and perhaps followed trends seen in the capitals, only changing slowly and if you were out in the country you got the news much later. The time periods are generalizations to help you break down all the tremendous data on makers into digestible bites and think in terms of trends. A smith who was born prior to the Haitorei and who worked primarily in the Shinshinto period is a Shinto smith. Born before the Haitorei but working primarily in the modern era = Gendaito smith. There will always be smiths that overlap these dates, some who are trendsetters and some who only follow the trend later...

Most of this is beyond my reading skills, but the characters in the leftmost column in the first and fourth images are a name: 山田耕三郎 (Yamada Kōzaburō, probably this guy).

This has been an interesting thread even though some of you seem to like to argue about some really meaningless, silly s**t. Stop wasting time on silliness guys. Having said that, and turning back to a more practical response to the OP, I just turned to my wife and asked the “what if” question, and while she is not ‘helpless’, her pause and uncertain answer made me realize I need to create a more ‘concrete’ plan for her to follow. Lucky for her, I’m a bit anal in my documentation, cataloging, and labeling my modest collections (nihonto, tea ceremony equipment, firearms, etc). What I will be putting together for her are avenues for her to consider when she is ready to part with my things and a ‘tour’ of the stored items and where documentation is located. Of course, if given the opportunity, I will part with my collections on my terms. If not, at least she won’t have to worry about being totally lost.

I don't get the notion that it would be a burden to your loved ones to inherit your collection. I love all the weird things my dad and (great?)grandparents collected, even if I didn't get to know some of them. The idea that they thought it worthwhile to get and preserve those things, and I get to wonder why is the closest connection I have to some of my grandparents. I guess the only problem with nihonto is the maintenance, so I guess accompanying the collection with a letter and some obligatory reading would help. Worst case scenario they pawn everything off and have a party, but then at least I tried.

There is no defined age cut-off point. When do you stop driving, for example? Everyone is different, though health and advancing years do play an increasing part. Some of the people I know in Japan have been discussing decluttering, and letting go of some of their collections. I know people who have gradually narrowed it down to their two or three favorite blades, wishing then to either pass them on to an interested relative or to donate them to a museum. Personally I am not yet ready to give up driving, but I have found that my general enthusiasm and desire to collect in various fields has gently begun to evaporate. Having said that, if I see something nice...

STUNNER sword... I'm sure the tsuba is by one of the YOSHIOKA artisans, an excellent tsuba. Thanks for sharing. BaZZa.

A few bonus tosogu shots... -Marcus

I have two sons. Both have stated that upon my demise, the swords will be sold and the money received, split evenly. I like Dee, don't see these as "Spiritual Items", I do see them as Weapons and Art. As much in my mind, I would like them to go to a good home, realistically, unless I manage to move them along before hand, I'll not have a say in the matter.

I can only add that for collectors, whose families have no interest, It might not be a bad idea to handle the sales for oneself. It can be quite the burden to leave it to loved ones. While I'm only 50, and hopefully still around for awhile, I have sold off several different collections knowing that if something were to happen it would be a big drag on my family. I keep a couple items that have meaning and sell the rest, which can be just as thrilling as the hunt and study of the object. I suppose this circles back to the question of quality over quantity. Of course, large and important collections, are a different animal.

Agree, a little on the large side at 9.0cm! Many thanks Steve, greatly appreciated Thanks John, I’d been watching it (and the monkey item) for a while on a gun dealers website (at huge prices) but then he put his whole collection into an auction and bingo! Both the above came from his dispersal at slightly more realistic prices! Personally I think the pine tree and moon item is utterly beautiful and in pristine condition. ….and here he is in Haynes THANKS GUYS!

Aritsune 有恒 Another example below https://www.tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/b00085.html

Hi John….here goes….

Another discussion that goes somewhere. I know a few dealers whom I reasonably trust on descriptions, photography and moneyback guarantee. I never bought much from them - they deal in things somewhat outside my interest. On the other hand Christies are awful in photography, descriptions, no warranty, false promises, random people. I bought from them and many people do. Because they have a brand and good items. Simply don't pay attention to most things they write down. There are more dangerous guys, those who do put in the effort when writing things, but either far more incompetent than they think they are (99% of dealers), or they are shrewd. Or both. Yes, Aoi Art has a thingy where they affix a koshirae to most blades they sell. I loved it as a beginner (its a real samurai sword), less than thrilled now, but there is some match between blade quality and koshirae, and even at the bottom its not "awful-awful". Big thoroughput shop with many good items.

As someone who has dealt with sales of other types of collectables, IME they are dispersed like any other property. Some collections may be split up among several heirs, particularly if these heirs have interest in specific pieces. If none of the heirs are interested in curating the collection further, most of the time it will end in auction or sold to private entities who have made contact privately. Some collections are left to people outside the family to act as brokers, selling the items and depositing the sales into a trust, minus a commission. Once all the items have been sold, the revenue from the collection is dispersed equally amongst those specifically named. Lastly, we have collections that are passed to individuals who do intend to keep them as heirlooms and they are never seen until *that* person expires and the cycle starts all over again. Autos, arms, firearms, jewelry, art, real estate........all the same

This is a private letter penned by General Baron Shigeru Honjō who commanded the Kwantung army during the Mukden Incident and the invasion of Manchuria. After being arrested as a war criminal by SCAP in 1945, he committed seppuku before the trials began. I would greatly appreciate any even partial translations. Thank you.

For decades I have Interpreted the gendai era as follows... Gendaito 1876-1945 - traditionally made as weapons. Shinsakuto 1953-present - traditionally made as ART.

Thanks for all the comments guys. Sorry for being so late in acknowledging them as I have been a bit busy with other things. Thanks Piers for pointing out that the NBTHK Hozon does state that it has a tsuchime-ji finish. My bad, I guess I am getting a bit lazy with my translations in my old age and missed those kanji and meant to translate them later. Good to hear that I am not the only one that thinks that the NBTHK shinsa is not perfect, I too have seen identical looking tsuba with different attributions. I just feel that these guys know more than me, so make fewer mistakes and I have so much to learn. I guess that mumei iron tsuba must be the hardest category to evaluate, especially as most of the artists are lost to history and were unrecorded. If only carbon-14 dating was cheap and readily available it would make dating easier, but then we would not want to drill samples out of our tsuba! Elemental analysis using XRF would also be a fascinating area for study to see if different schools had different amounts of trace elements in their iron. Sorry, its just the scientist in me getting carried away. Thanks again, John

Not only nanban or Hizen https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/642391 https://alchimiablogdotcom.wordpress.com/weekend-courses/nunome-zogan/

Not so strange in Nanban tradition, as you can see in the tsuba I already posted.