Cello

Thanks Markus, I just found An old posting on the board for the same smith!Was he considered an average smith in his listing? Thank you again

Hi I'm having trouble with the MEI....I'm thinking the last two are Kane Mitsu and have no real educated opinion on the first two?? Any help out there? :D

So I got this one coming from Fleabay.It's supposedly a war time souvenir purchased from a WWII Vet, then again they all are right! Well I looks to be good quality and with the option to return it I'm giving it a shot..Can anyone tell me if this is a MEI???

I was on the phone bidding for the Tantos and went to the inspection the day before since I work very close to the auction house.I thought I heard it go over 3700.00 but I could have been mistaken??The sword it's self was not in great condition nor impressive at all the Tsuba was the shining star.Was the tanto with the light surface rust a diamond in the ruff that I missed?I didn't feel it was worth nearly the 1500.00+fees and adding the restoration costs but I did like it..

The sword with the signed tsuba went for over or close to $4000.00 !!!the rusty tanto in good condition actually, went over 1500.00 so I didn't win that one or the other tanto with full koshire wich was also around 1500.00. Maybe I'm missing something but all seem a little on the high side except the tsuba which I'm not very knowledgeable about.....

For what it's worth real or fake it looks cast to me.....

Great thanks fro the help John Greatly appreciated once again...

So I Posted this one in Translation Asst. and I'm assuming it's a Gimei, but would like to know if this is a Hiezen blade of good quality even with being Gimei or if it is Hizen at all?.The sword was cheap enough and is in pretty good shape I feel. Nagasa:69.25cm Sori:

Thanks for the link Ron.I agree it does look similar to the Aizu Shoami tsuba on the site...But I really don't know if it is indeed the same type?

Can anyone help me with this tsuba?I know very little about tsuba,I'm assuming it's a edo period but that's about it.....

fuchi and habaki pics

Jaques that's the kanji I couldn't find a match for either. I can't find a variant with the x like style of the right portion, but I'm just working off limited resources and the internet firmly research.....

/Martin , So there are other smiths who signed this way unrelated to the famous todayoshi linage??

Thanks for the link Martin I've been looking at all the information on the site as well as others and haven't found a goji mei that is quiet the same.... I was hoping someone would know right off the cuff if it were obviously a gimei?? I will post pictures of the blade as soon as possible

The Mei,Fuchi or both?? The fuch is a soten styl but the craaftmanship didn't seem up to par so that would be no suprise to me any thoughts on the Nagako?

So I was able to figure this one out on my own for once I think Hiezen Kuni Tadayoshi..I wasn't able to find one exactly like it so would this tend to leav toward gimei? I'm nowhere close to be able to discern the subtleties in kanji,I can only tell chicken scratch from proper handwriting lol...I would also ask if anyone could help me with the Fuchi?

mashiro ju kuni ?? be close im really have trouble counting strokes here??I'VE LEARNED ALOT on here but his one has me stumped any help appreciated thank you

Dr. Barrett when I wrote "believe" it's not that doubt it is I just rarely speak in absolute terms when it comes to this board and images ect... What I am wondering is, could it be any masamune smith ??

Hey thanks Chris I just put it together as masamune right before you posted lol...So you believe it to be gimei??

hey it's been a while but can anyone help me with this sayagaki on a wak I just picked up? I'm also having trouble with the mei I'm seeing mune as the 2ND charcter?? Thank you.....

Adam that's exactly the dilemma I feel..if I can at least be close to even on it I'm going to go that route with it.Is there any thoughts to what school it might be from or would that be way to much of a guess at this point??

Franco, at some point it will get there along with a few others hopefully soon.i will definitely be brining it into my club for an expert opinion next month only one meeting a month! I would like to get an idea of what school it could be??

About $200.00+Gratuity the way I like to drink !!!!!

Hi Martin wouldn't that be kanbun era not sue koto which have different charteristics to them?........................ So would it be fair to say this was a good buy for the the low price? Does it have the "quality/value" to investigate it further,or just appreciate it the way it is?

Thanks Chris/Adam ...I will research Sue koto now that I have a place to focus.good to see that I was on the right track with this one,so does the kisaki look correct on it?It looks a bit straight to me is it supposed to? Alex, here's a excerpt from Sho-Shin "Among its several unique qualities, KOTO steel is comparatively soft. One comes to know, very quickly, the differences between old steels and new."...."SHINTO steel was created from manufactured, traded and even imported, raw material. It is generally hard. A SHINTO can be a short, hard sword that may feel heavy" It's kind of hard to explain...