Grey Doffin

Something like this would be OK for iado, I guess, but if any of you are looking for a blade to use in tameshigiri (cutting) be very careful who you buy from. A friend had a Chinese blade snap in half during a cut. The loose half came flying back at him and cut him badly. Grey

Close but no cigar. It's a fake. Why would you want to buy this, Bruno? Grey

I think 120 is about usual. Grey

The tanto is signed Suishinshi Masahide with a Kao (personal seal). Looks to be gimei (forgery). The other side is the date, "Bun ... Ju Ni Nen Hachi Gatsu Hi". Bunka or Bunsei? Somebody help me here. Grey

Hi Todd, Against my better judgment (told myself I was done trying to help you after my last post), one final attempt. I told you in 3 separate posts to NMB that you need help. Unless knowledge of what you have comes to play in the sale of this collection, you won't get a fair price for what you sell. Since you don't have the knowledge yourself, you need someone who does. I sent you an email offering to put you in touch with someone who I consider honest and knowledgeable. Other members of NMB have tried to help also. So far all we see from you is slap dash 3 day ebay auctions. Not only is this a lousy way to sell the collection (on ebay you'll get fair price or better on low to mid level items and 50 cents on the dollar or less for good to great items) but you're now splitting sets that should never be split (bad business for you and terrible for art preservation). I have no hostility towards you; I don't know you. I'm feeling frustration, however, that you've asked for advice, been offered advice by people who know much more about the subject than you do, and you've chosen to ignore that advice. I can't force you to follow this advice; that's up to you. But I can tell you that you're costing yourself money and damaging the art your Grandfather collected. Grey

Todd, If you're selling fuchi & kashira that belong together in 2 separate sales it is the same as selling a pair of shoes in 2 sales. Stop the sales. No one will bid what they're worth unless he can be sure he'll get both halves of a set, which he can't with 2 sales. GET SOME HELP! Grey

I think a clue is to be had from the unique treatment of the knocker go ana, also known as the poon tang. Grey note to mods: Ford started it.

Todd, The trouble with a large auction house like Christie's is that they don't want to bother much with anything other than very high value items. If they were to let you drive down to NYC with 200 swords, they'd end up spending a day with you, giving you appraisals, and maybe getting to sell a few high end items. Anything else (lower value) they will shunt over to a secondary auction, not advertised very well, and not likely to bring you a good price. They will also take a significant bite out of anything they sell for you regardless of how well or poorly it sells. They would rather you get the appraisals from someone else first and then bring them to you so they can cherry pick the best of the lot. At least that's my understanding of how it would work; correct me if I'm wrong. If you want a fair price for what you have you need to find an honest and knowledgeable person who...... Never mind; I told you that twice already. Grey

Nagakatsu, unless someone has a better idea. Grey

"Yamakichi" as in Yamakichibe tsuba. Grey

Mario, A reasonable price for a 73 cm katana by Kiyomaro, if the mei is correct, would be something like $200,000 - $300,000. No knowledgeable seller will let one go for less than 8K. This would be a great sword for someone who wants a big name to brag about and isn't concerned that it probably isn't real. Grey

Hi George, Sorry, no pictures of the blade, just the pix of the soot and tape oshigata he brought by. Small crab claw choji, either mu-ji or not enough in polish to show hada, nice Kai-gunto koshirae. Thanks for the note. Grey

Thank you. Anyone ever heard of him? He did a very nice (for a gunto) small crab claw choji on this blade. Grey

Hi guys, Can anyone help with the 1st 4 Kanji? I know it's Kanetsugu but the rest stumps me. Anyone know who he was? Quite a nice gunto in Kai-gunto koshirae, belongs to a friend who asked me to help. Thanks, Grey

Are we even sure this is Japanese? Grey

No idea why you bother but that is an obvious Chinese fake. Grey

I think if a blade in this condition were given to a properly trained polisher, along with the normal polishing job, some of the rust on the nakago would disappear. Then it might be possible to read the mei. However, this is something that shouldn't be attempted by anyone without proper training. Grey

Hi Goinlower (what's your name?) To do a good job of appraising such a large collection you need more and better help than you can get by posting pictures of NMB. You need someone who can examine the pieces in hand and give you an informed opinion as to value and best way to sell (if the items will be for sale). To find someone who is both qualified and honest won't be easy, and you will have to pay for the service, but it is the only way you'll ever know what you have and what it's worth. Grey

Here is an auction out of Japan ending soon http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320474616458&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT The seller admits the tsuba is cast and claims it dates to the 1860's (looks more like 2009 to me). I doubt someone making a cast copy pre-Meiji would have cast the seki-gane; they'd have been removed 1st. Amazing the price this is going for. Grey

It would be even more interesting if I read and understood Japanese. Grey

Thanks for the help guys. Grey

It could have been made in China (most likely), Pakistan, Thailand, maybe Spain, maybe some place else, but not in Japan. Grey

Just the habaki, George. Grey

Hi guys, This line of Kanji: 青山幸勧佩刀 I read as "Aoyama Koukan haitou" or in English, Aoyama Koukan wore this sword. Am I correct, and whether Koukan or another name, do any of you know who this refers to? The applicable date would be around 1860. Thanks, Grey

I think it says, "Made yesterday in China." Grey