Grey Doffin

I get, "Noshu Ju Jumyo". Grey

No idea who that is! Grey

Mark, Unless you intend to buried with the swords you intend to sell (you or your heirs). Glad you're leaving them alone. Grey

Mark, I don't know about the ink but I can tell you, that unless your friend is a recognized authority on Nihonto, I think her saya-gaki will decrease the value of your swords. When the time comes to sell, the buyer will ask who did the gaki, and if you're honest in answering many buyers will either pass or expect a discount. I know I would. Saya-gaki is supposed to be a meaningful opinion from someone qualified to give one. Anything else is something I'd rather not have. Maybe I'm wrong about this. Anyone else care to chime in? Grey

Thank you.

Any collectors of Gendai will be interested in this sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170268894819&fromMakeTrack=true Grey

Would someone be so kind as to tell me what this says? It's for sale on ebay now. Thank you; appreciate it. Grey

The same reason diamonds are worth more than rubies. Since no one is taking these swords to war any more, value is determined to a large extent by whim of the market. If Shin-Shinto swords are popular their value increases. Works the same with wakizashi and katana. No practical reason why katana are worth more; just collectors' taste at the moment. Grey

Renato, According to the write up in "Token Bijutsu", it has been thought that there were 3 generations of Moritsugu, differentiated by changes in the mei. However, the author of the write up posits that there is no real evidence for more than one smith doing the work, and that all 7 mei might be by the same hand. Considering that Moritsugu worked mid-Kamakura and that nothing was ever written about him or his work at the time he worked, it isn't possible to know for sure how many smiths were responsible for the work. Grey

Hi Renato, From "Token Bijutsu" volume 56 English edition. Grey

Brian, The nice example you show us is a katana presently, and it used to be longer still. Grey

Rob, The fact that the blade has a paper from the NBTHK means that the signature is good and that the sword is worthy of preservation (has artistic merit). The paper also shows which Kanji are signed on the nakago. Looks very nice to me, and in excellent condition. I won't comment on the asking price; that's something you have to decide about. I think the seller is telling you that he's not interested in accepting returns from outside Japan. If you have questions, before you buy is the time to get them settled. Grey

Joakim, Ohara Ju Sadamori didn't make it into any of the references in my index, so I have no oshigata with which to compare the mei. He must be in some reference somewhere; otherwise Hawley wouldn't have known about him to include him in his list (if this is the same Sadamori that Hawley lists). While it is possible to have a gimei of a little known smith it isn't very common. The fakers were more interested in producing copies of big name blades; more money in it for them. Chances are your sword's mei is right. Grey

The book, Two Early Chinese Bronze Weapons etc. can be had for $7. plus postage from Parker-Fox LLC Books: parker-fox@msn.com Grey

And I may be the next Miss America. Grey

Andi, The only reason to buy the 2nd wakizashi would be if you want it and the price were right. There is no advantage in owning 2 of them, especially if one is valueless. Grey

Of course it has to affect the fit for the nakago; material had to have moved inward. Not the most beautiful job of expanding the metal of the seppa dai but I see no reason other than that for this. Grey

The blade is gunto (dated 1945); no idea why it is so straight. Looks like one of these gunto remounted in older parts (Nobuiye style tsuba, fuchi & kashira) that have been popping up recently. Some Western collectors have been doing this with WWII blades (no idea why). I don't see this as a bargain; looks more like a tough sale to me. The militaria collectors would rather have the blade mounted in military koshirae and the Samurai sword collectors would rather have a traditional blade in the mounts or the parts by themselves. Grey

It has to do with the corrosion. Looks like a rust spot to me. Grey

In case any of you were thinking about my 2 volume Hizen no Katana To Tsuba or a clean copy of The Craft of the Japanese Sword, I have placed them on ebay. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgreyguy0 Grey

Sorry, I have no idea which Sadayuki this is. Can't help with a date. Grey

My 2 bits are on Taira Sadayuki. Grey

It's not too uncommon for the date to be given like this, just the day and not the year. I've seen it before. The mei looks to be all by the same hand but better pictures will be necessary before my old eyes can make it out and read it. Grey

Saiha is a very serious defect. The only way a sword can retain much, if any, value if it is retempered, is if it is signed with an important and unusual signature, or if it was retempered by an important smith because it was made originally by an equally or more important smith. At the National Sword Museum in Tokyo, years ago, I was shown a sword that was retempered, that had the only dated signature of an important and early smith, and that had a Juyo paper. This is very rare. An unsigned sword that might be koto and might be Mihara school and is retempered isn't worth much: nothing anyone wants to collect. Grey

No Iyetoki made his way into my index; sorry. Grey