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After all these months, this Masatsugu tanto surfaced again today. It's still in the UK, in the same condition and with a dealer. Andrew

Thanks Chris. email sent

Could someone help me with these two mei please? http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink Thanks Andrew

Stephen, Do you think it may be original and the odd looking nakago is down to re-tempering? Thanks for your translation by the way - even after you told me what it was, I still couldn't make it out! Andrew

I've added some more photos to the link which include the sabi giwa area and nakago mune kado. Also after a few hours with the uchiko, I'm seeing some activity which I've tried to photograph. I hope there may be some additional information in these photos that is of use. Stephen - I can't spot evidence of a weld, but then again I don't have a trained eye. Andrew

I would appreciate any thoughts and a translation on this kai gunto; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink At the moment I can see little in the blade (hada ware present), and assumed it was a WW2 machine made blade. But the nakago has 2 mekugi ana and the "appearance" of an older blade that has been shortened. No obvious yasurime. I was wondering if the nakago has been messed about with to try to give the appearance of an older traditional blade? Is the patina and "corrosion" artificial? Lots of photos on the link above, but if anyone needs anything specific that is not shown, let me know. Andrew

Thank you all for the opinions. After considering the points raised, I've decided to pass on this one, and carry on looking for a koto to edo katana, in good polish and koshirae. Andrew

Here is the sales description if it helps; Antique Japanese sword. Long, thin tachi blade. Nagasa 73.7cm, O-suriage Hamon : gunome midare, healthy. Hada : combination of itame and mokume. Seems to refer to the Yamato tradition. Signs of wear with age : hadaare, but no flaws, no kizu anywhere. Beautiful polish from Japanese togishi Mounts : Long old tsuka with matching iron fuchi-kashira depicting a temple in a traditional landscape. Matching shakudo dragon menuki. Shoami school tsuba with takabori work of dragon in clouds. The saya has been recently restored with an ishime finish black lacquer.

Thank you all for your responses. Isn't the o-kissaki a feature of the mid -Nanbochuko period, so if not Nambokucho, then when may it have been made? Is there any doubt that it's koto? I appreciate it's a bit tired, but that's ok if the age is about right. I think the seller has been very open about the condition The asking price is around the equivalent of $4100. Not cheap, but I have seen similar swords for around the same or a bit more. Mark, please don't be concerned about "getting in the middle of a deal " the seller is quite aware that I am asking opinions, and we both want to be happy with the deal. I also appreciate that I am asking opinions from a few photos which makes things difficult. At the end of the day the decision to buy it or not is entirely mine, so please feel free to make whatever comments you want. Andrew

I'm at the point of buying my first decent Nihonto, and would appreciate thoughts and opinions about it before I do. Photos are on this link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink I've been given permission to post the photos and I have the following information about it; " It dates from the Nambokucho era (1333-1392) and shows slight wear from the many polishes on one side, as it is frequently seen on swords that old which have been used at war at various ages. No problem for showing my pics to others. Just, I wish to address in advance potential remarks, as the sword in question is not a luxurious one, but a very affordable one for a blade 600 years old that showed to have been fighting over the ages. The mounts are antique, there is some wear to the ray skin on the 150 year old tsuka, and I had to get the saya relacquered as it was too damaged. So today the lacquer looks new, but it will patinate with time. - the hadaare is located on the right side of the blade ahead of the habaki, over a 15cm-long section over the shinogi-ji. This is typical of blades that sustained numerous polishes, as the polisher's body weighs more on one side of the blade (right side) than the left one, due to the polisher's traditional working position. If you look at koto blades, many of them have more wear on the right side than the left one. - the only other tired part of the blade is the kissaki. It is a long and slender O-kissaki, which is more fragile than average. " Thanks for your time. Andrew

It sold in auction today for around £1700 ($2550 approx) I bid up to £1500, but that was as far as I was prepared to go - I don't know who the buyer was. Thank you all for your help. Andrew

Thank you all for your comments. Please could you tell me more about it? - it seems to have aroused some interest. Andrew

I've seen this tanto for sale, and was wondering if someone could help with the script on the shirasaya. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get any other pics than those on this link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/janesalke ... directlink Thanks Andrew

Thanks Chris, that was impressively fast. Andrew

Please can anybody help me out with the translation of this Mei on the following link: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/janesalke ... directlink Sorry about the quality of the photos, but that's all I've been able to get. Thanks. Andrew

After some hours with uchiko, the hamon is clearer, so I've uploaded more pics to the following link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink Please excuse the quality, I've taken lots and included them all, as I hope someone will find something of interest amongst them. Stephen, I think they will help with the boshi you spotted. Andrew

A few scans and photos added. Andrew

I've added a lot more photos to the link, but they aren't good I'm afraid. I just can't seem to get a photo of the hamon that is as good as I can see it by eye. Andrew

Thanks Brian and Ian. I will try and get better blade photos for you today. From what I can deduce, the tsuba may have been damaged (or damaged further) relatively recently, as most of the broken pieces came with it. I think it may be cast iron. I know that the nakago should not be cleaned, but if there is no obvious mei, would it be ok to very carefully remove a little of the surface rust to see if there is one underneath? I expect even mentioning that thought has probably got somebody frothing at the mouth in anger -but it's a huge learning curve for me. Is there any other info or photos that I can supply to help? Andrew

As a newbie, I bought this wakizashi at a local sale mainly to get "hands on" experience and learn about it. There are lots of photos on the following link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink There is no mei that I can see, but there is a fair bit of rust. Faint hamon, unokubi-zukuri style blade? iron washer menuki, 2 mekugi-ana. From my very limited knowledge and some research , could this be a "rebellion" blade, or possibly an earlier one remounted? Any help would be appreciated. Andrew

Thanks John. It's on a shin gunto that's up for sale. Unfortunately I only have a few poor photos so far - but Iam told that under the leather combat cover, the saya is lacquered black rather than the usual painted metal? The little I can see of the kuchi gane does not look like the usual military style - could it be a civilian saya maybe? Andrew

I would be grateful for any help on this one. I think the kakihan may be "kanehisa" but that's as far as I've got. Photos are on the following link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink

Eric, its 0.37 of an inch at the thickest part.

Thank you for the replies. I have removed the habaki and posted more photos to the above link. I couldn't see any obvious markings, but hope they may be of interest.

Hello. I would appreciate any comments about the tanto? that can be found on the following link; http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams1962/Tanto?authkey=Gv1sRgCLf_o7WY_dW5Sg&feat=directlink I'm afraid I have very little knowledge about Japanese edged weapons, but as I have collected a few shin gunto and kai gunto, a friend asked me if I could find out more about it. My usual territory is bayonets and German daggers, so any help would be appreciated. Apologies about the photos of the mei - the marks are very faint, and although I have posted quite a few photos, I'm not sure if they are good enough to enable a translation. Thanks andrew a