tokashikibob

Thanks for the write up Justin, as a auction hunter I know the effort it takes hunting them down at the mom and pops, days off work, 4 a.m. on the road driving for hours in the rain all for naught. I do hope the ride was pleasant and you had some fun. It would have been rough to plunk that 22 down and then fail to paper, but it did sound like a good blade to take a flyer on if the price was a bit lower. Best regards, Bob

Very nice and unusual. Where did it pop up at?

Thank you Jean!

Gents, A friend sent me a picture of a flea market find, I want to tell him Kaneyoshi but would like to confirm this as I am not a proficient kanji translator. Best regards, Bob

Nice pickup, that sword has been places and seen many things.

Now that is a looker!

Maybe S.F. "The City" itself is having troubles getting people excited to go there anymore https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Francisco-human-waste-feces-homeless-Reddit-13044317.php

What's that white blotch on the 3rd pic? Camera flash?

Bungo Takada

Wow, Can't wait to you get tired of the Nobukuni, I better keep a few bucks in the lockbox.

Wadda polish~!

I cleaned it up a bit today during a gap in the training schedule. The Ninja "special ops black out" was a flat black paint job. It has what seems to be a Soshu type hamon on it, a little more wild than mild. I'll have to hit the books a bit when I get a chance as it has a couple interesting hataraki. I was taking a look at the horimono and was thinking the same thing that "maybe it's been polished a bit" to make the lines look off. But the chap was not Nobukuni that is for certain!

I'll clean it up soon and see what's under her dress.

Great job Bruce!!!

Gents, Grabbed this at a auction, what I believe is a "too legit to quit" ninja tanto. Check out that stealthy black ops nugui job, almost as good as a parkerized knife. You don't see these "Ninja" around too often. Best regards, Bob

Wow, That is a handsome sword and in such great condition! And with that history it is a prize for any WW2 sword collector. Best regards, Bob

The hobby is really going to have a hard time attracting new enthusiasts with the quality of fakes hitting the market now. Stinking fakes!

I have a couple of firearms and 2 flasks. Your flask if very unique and unlike mine. I like yours. I think your pieces are authentic. Maybe a professional will chime in.

Wow, The auction house must have popped the Champagne after this lot. https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/61123645_japanese-tanto

Trip to Chicago I really don't write much anymore but will give my two cents about my to Chicago for the sword show. The weather was cool and crisp and just danggum nice. There were a lot of .... hmmm.... what's the right word? Luminaries? Characters? Sword hustlers? Gentlemen? Well lets just say it is a diverse neighborhood Mark is the Mayor of in the Hotels basement. I must confess that hanging around for 3 days while Chris B helps me out by finding a few unplanned slots for me does lead to Nihonto overdose as you browse everyones table over and over taking in all the hada and nioi ones eyeballs can handle. I remember Peter Bleed stating something to the effect that "My eyes have had it" after we did the shinsa school apprentice program offered on Saturday. I wish I was rich because on the first day there was a delightful couple in the back of the show. It was a boyfriend and girlfriend. They drove from Colorado with a whole collection of the widow's deceased husband. (The future of many of our collections) Nobody was there at their table, and there was polearms galore in the corner, and a table full of swords. These people did not look like your typical Nihontoya proprietors, and the pieces had fingerprints and whatnot. I pull a long koto blade out with a long faint signature. "How much" I ask. " I don't know" he says. He tells me he is looking for help to price his Girlfriends dead husband's collection. (Where is Ray Singer when you need him to pull these people out of the tatara kiln?) "Well I can't help you I say, I'm just a amateur and cannot give you good price estimates, but I am sure some of these guys will" The next day I went back to see how things were going and the table was about bare. "Wow, you guys sold out!" The guy says they were cherry picked pretty good when Saturday rolled around. But they got the cash in hand I stated! Friday, lots of covered tables, Where are all these sellers? Saturday, very busy at the tables for the bulk of the day. Sunday light crowd and sellers packing it up. The Shinsa team worked very hard and it was interesting to hang around and watch them work. Also, watching some of the pros bring up tons of swords, right next to the guy who found his first authentic katana in shirasaya at a yard sale for $40 was really a joy to watch the interaction. "How would you like to double that" the pro says to the kid, and we all laugh. I had thoughts about what to wear? Suit & tie? Shorts and flipflops? Jewelers glasses? Menuki earring? There were all of those extremes with most inbetween. If i were a young collector like Vlad, I'd go more formal as there seemed to be a lot of good looking airline attendants hanging around the lobby from Korean air. Sword guy Joe had the look down with a sport jacket and loose collar, no tie. Mark and his family put on a fine show and were always there to make you feel part of the sword show family. I think the only VIP missing was Stephen, somebody has to pick him up and bring him in next time. He can sign autographs on posting ichiman! NMB commemorative postcards are in order I do declare!

BaZZa, I think it is a hair under katana length, wish it wasn't but it is. I found it very surprising it was a Kanemoto as I am programmed to think Kanemoto=sanbontsugi . Now, I have 2 Kanemoto, so I guess I am a Kanemoto collector.

Tying up this old post: Good Mei & Papered to Minamoto Shikibu no Jo Nobukuni

Chicago Shinsa - Kanemoto 3rd Gen. Next generation after the big guy

finally Tsunemitsu I would LOVE to see it. Jeremiah, This one papered to Ishido Tsunemitsu at Chicago last week.

Lance, take a look at the dirk, it is rare but a few of them had traditionally made blades