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Hi Gary at a quick glance it may be Naomitsu edit. looks like Chris has nailed it ray

Drago It looks like it was made in Liverpool last week imho ray

Dear All Just a *NOTE OF WARNING* not about insurance, re how your collection gets discussed down the local pub if you display your collection in a room , never have your swords etc displayed on the walls where your local window cleaner can see or some off his many staff ? this info came through a good source, it was a innocent chat in the bar about what had been seen through the windows of a house by a window cleaner, weeks later many antiques were stolen to order. ray

Roy I take it Sue will be your nurse, O you lucky Boy. All the best with the opp. Best regards, Ray

oldglass ? you need to sign with a real name please as the NMB rules The tsuba looks genuine IMHO "but" 15th century I very much doubt, may be more like circa 1800. I have one that is similar . regards, ray

Hi Gary try re sizing your pics and send them into the NHB there are many members here that will translate your mei quicker than i could. ps. use the Pm messages if of topic ray

Kim The original Ana Is next to the Hizen part of the mei, IMHO and if that is correct the machi have been moved to accomidate the second Ana ray

Hi Gary I have seen your tsuba before a friend had it for a time, and i am sorry to say, it is passed it's best. PS. your second name start with a D by any chance ray

Dave If you are getting your sword back polished and in a new shira saya ! why don't you just pick up a Gunto Tsuka and habaki of Ebay and use your own tsuba /sepa and repair the saya and have a tsunagi made I think that would save you lots off $$$$ just my two cents worth ray

Hi David At quick glance could it be Nobu Hide. Sorry David, I do not like the look of all the scratch marks on the top lefthand side of the tang ! has there been a showa stamp removed ? Ray

sorry At quick glance looks like an other - CHINESE COPY Ray

sorry but is there not something funny about the Ha Machi on this sword blade ? check the last batch of pics. ray

Hi Ian sorry at first glance it looks like a chinese copy and the Kanji look a bit odd !! better pics of the whole tang may be of some help, also the HI look a bit strange . ray

Hi Neil good luck at Bob's , please give Bob my regards . Ray

Hi neil sorry nothing to add about your sword , chinese - 150% for sure. There was a shop that sold Japanese swords and books in Orlando, the owner is Bob Elder not sure if he still buys and sells swords, the shop was called East Coast Martial arts on East Colonel drive i think. it may be of some help ! ray

Hi Mariuszk sorry could not help myself is it morse code ray

Hi Ford Just ask "Les" to pop over and have look at the tsuba i'm sure he has seen most of there tsuba and sword collection in the past, he only lives 5/6 miles away All the best Ray

I just hope and pray it does not get any worse than it already is. I just hope all my Japanese friends and family are safe and my friends from the UK that live and work in Japan. ray

Hi Barry see what you have started, here is one of mine. is it a rabbit or a hare !! regards ray

Hi Ford Oustanding work love the video clips. more please. Best Regards ray

Dirk no help with Soten debate, but your comments re odd hole for a sword, any time i have seen this, it was because the sword had a set Hi running through both sides of the tang !! just my two pence worth ray

Sorry $1.00 !! IMHO ray

HI All late post on the unusual Menkui theme ! Crab Menuki regards Ray

Roy I have already posted I think we both need go to speck savers old bean. If you look back a couple of posts you will see the Ivory tsuka and a few pics I had on file. Here are a few more pics, had to open a new post, too many to add to the last post hope you don't mind Brian re bandwidth etc. Had a re - count Roy there are 10 dragons in total including the two small coiling dragons that are in the menuki position. Does anyone know if there is any significance in the 10 dragons or was it just the carvers whim ? Best regards Ray

Hi Roy some pics of my ivory tachi mounts. I had these on file, i will try and get some better one's sorry about the pic quality. from memory there are at least 7 or 8 Dragons over the whole sword not top quality carving but IMHO very very good. Can any body make out the soshu style kanji in the Mei on the tsuka, help please ps,STUNNING tanto carving as you say Roy Ray