Ian B3HR2UH

Hi Ron, I hope the attached piece will give you cause for optimism . It is described as Shodai and is from Aito Volume 293 . Regards Ian Brooks

No need to post any more photos . It is signed Inoue Shinkai and is dated on the other side . This will almost certainly be gimei . Ian Brooks

David that is really unusual ( and nice ). Could you tell us what the blade is like ? Ian Brooks

Hi Steve , I thought that the writing looked very 'amateurish' and wondered if a non Japanese hand was at work . Any thoughts on this ? Ian Brooks

I think Doug at Gunto Art swords would be horrified to be associated with rubbish like this . The vendor of the other two swords seems to be a dodgy English dealer . Does it not strike anyone as really odd that the same non specialist dealer has turned up two of these monstrosities ! Ian Brooks

Keep persisting Hamish , I agree with all that Jussi has said. It is easy to transact although the postage for books is expensive ( it is expensive from the US too ). I use what they call surface mail which is cheaper but takes about 40 to 60 days to get to Australia. The stuff is always well packed . Ian Brooks

This is great thanks Jussi. It has answered a couple of questions that I had . I have a book Kokuho 8 that was published in 1984 ( my copy is I think a 1990 reprint) . This also lists 122 Kokuho swords . Does this mean that no new Kokuho have been designated since 1990 ? Ian Brooks

Having a piece mounted as you describe Steve ( nanako with mons etc ) I too would love to know when that regulation came into effect . I have the auction catalogue from 1928 when the Shimazu daimyo sold a lot of their swords . Virtually all of the Katana have a kogai . Only one side of the sword is shown so you cannot see if there is a kodzuka as well . I wonder if having a kogai in a katana was a status thing . Ian Brooks

Does anyone have any idea what the bottom right hand mon is ? Clouds passing in front of the sun or the moon ? Ian Brooks

That it a nice looking sword Neil . I have difficulty seeing Kanetsuna there and if I had to guess might say Kaneyoshi . Why don't you put it up on the translation page and see what others think . Ian Brooks

Hi Jussi , i have those magazines and will drop you a PM . A great project . Regards Ian Brooks

It screams wartime blade to me Ian Brooks

I don't think that this has got a hope in hell of being genuine . Years ago I saw a similar piece with a crude horimono , engraved cutting test and Kotetsu mei . I am certain that that piece was a showa fake . I would take yours to someone who knows what they are talking about for an opinion before wasting money on shinsa. Ian Brooks

Hi Leon , I like that your sword comes with the old paperwork . B W Robinson wrote some reminiscences for the JSSUS Newsletter years ago . He told a story about Capt. Reid-Collins going to an American ordinance depot during the occupation . There was a pile of about 1000 swords there , asking if he could have one he was told take fifty if you like . He drove to Tokyo and bought Inami Hakusui ( the author of The Japanese Sword ) back with him . Inami selected the fifty best ones . Reid -Collins bought them back to England and later sold them to Craig and Festing for ten pounds each . Robinson recalls that they included a superb slim Nagamitsu labelled meito by Inami , a splendid Rai Kunitoshi , an early Gassan , a fine Kotetsu, and many others .I wonder if your sword is one of the Reid -Collins pieces? Ian Brooks

The handle ,or parts of it , have almost certainly been added Barry .Perhaps the original tsuka is lurking underneath the crap binding and " kashira " I think someone referred to these as bubba jobs . Ian Brooks