Grey Doffin

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

Having seen the nakago I'm sticking with my earlier call: WWII or slightly later, with an artificially aged nakago. Grey

It reminds me of the small tantos from WWII, that are usually mounted in shira-saya and sometimes called Kami-Kaze dirks. If we see a picture of the nakago, and it is undersized and crudely made, with the mekugi-ana near the bottom of the nakago, then I'll be sure this is WWII vintage. Maybe just after the war and made to sell to someone in the occupation forces. Grey

The blade has been shortened and the last Kanji is missing. It reads, "Omi Daijo Fujiwara Yuki" and the missing Kanji is mitsu (Omi Daijo Fujiwara Yukimitsu). Oshigata of his signature can be found in Shinto Taikan, volume 1, page 828, Nihonto Zuikan, Shinto-hen, page 742, Zukian Tomei Soran, page 436, Fujishiro's Shinto-hen, page 410, and Shinto Shu, page 153. The signature looks like a match to me. We'll need to know more about the blade (pictures and description please) before we can answer the whether to polish question. Grey

This could be a real Masamune, and I could be the next Pope. It's going to be an expensive dose of humility for some poor sap. Grey

Brian, Etiquette is covered, nicely I think, by the page or 3 I put together for the NBTHK/AB. Why not a link to that site as an answer for etiquette? Grey

Joakim, If the sword is shipped in a saya, without a tsuka and the mekugi through the tsuka and nakago, the saya won't protect the blade; it stands a good chance of seriously damaging the blade. If the package were dropped the blade could crash down inside the saya and shatter its kissaki (point) in the botom of the saya. If it's not to late to stop the shipment, here is how to properly pack the blade and saya. Wrap the scabbard in a few layers of newspaper and tape. Tightly wrap the blade all over in quite a few layers of newspaper, making sure that the paper is folded over both ends, and tape shut. Now, securely tape the blade bundle to the scabbard bundle, with the point of the blade above the bottom of the scabbard, and it's ready to pack and ship. To answer your question, you need to have a shira-saya made for the blade, and a habaki also if there is none. The chances of finding one to fit the blade are astronomically small. I could suggest someone in the States; maybe someone in Europe could suggest someone there (closer to Stockholm). I know you've spent your budget but now you have a responsibility. It is your duty to see that the blade isn't damaged; it needs a properly made shira-saya and habaki. Grey

If the seller is legit and wants to sell the sword, he'll give you lots more information than one lousy picture by which to judge the sword. Grey

If the work of the blade is right for an important early tachi, the shinsa team most likely will paper it to the early smith or school. If the work isn't important or the blade is in bad shape (very tired maybe), then it is unlikely to get a paper to any smith, school, or time period. Grey

Brian, I think some time this fall I will have exciting news to post on the board. Grey

I would send someone to pick up the sword ASAP, without mentioning that there were no scratches when seen at the show. The last thing you want to do is back the guy into a corner, where he'll be forced to scratch the blade in order not to be proven a liar. Very unfortunate situation you've gotten into; I wish you and the sword the best. I also wish I knew who we're talking about; we all need to know. Grey

My index has an Ashu Sukeshige of Shin-Shinto: Compton auctions at Christies, volume 2, page 220 Zuikan Tomei Soran by Iida, page 210. Grey

Yes, we need articles. John Eliyas is taking over as editor and we want to get him started well. If you care to contribute you can send articles to him: eliyasj@comcast.net Thanks, Grey And on the subject of the San Francisco sword show: don't any of you post juicy stuff for sale here on the board until we all get home from the show.

All good points; an interesting discussion. I have to side with Mark on this one. If I were going to add a fake cut test to a blade to up its value, no way I'm going to do something totally out of the norm. I'm going to do it in gold and use a known name. Grey

Does anyone know the significance of the inlay being silver, rather than the usual gold? Grey

Nihonto Zuikan, page 683 is the only hit for Tomomitsu with that Kanji for Tomo in my index. Grey

You did well to put a handle on the sword, no matter what it looks like. Without a handle and the mekugi passing through the nakago, the blade is vulnerable; there is nothing holding the kissaki away from the bottom inside of the saya and the kissaki is very easily chipped. Swords shouldn't be stored inside a saya without the tsuka. Grey

Not much. Grey

Ditto from me; that opening could swallow a whole bunch of money. Grey

I try to arrive late afternoon, after a mostly sleepless flight. Fumes keep me going till bedtime, I sleep soundly all night, and wake the next morning on Japan time. Works wonderfully for me; I take no pills and suffer no jet lag. Grey

Joakim, $1,000 isn't enough to buy you something you can love. Save the money and add to it when you can. In the mean time, read and study; find other collectors who will let you visit and look. $2,000 and knowledge can buy a good, lovable wakizashi, and $3,000 with knowledge will do the same for a katana. It is possible to do this with less money, but it requires more knowledge. Grey

I wouldn't even grace this piece of poop with the term reproduction. Chinese or Thai fake with a cosmetic temper line; nothing better. You really need to spend some money on books and serious time in study before you buy a sword. Otherwise you're as likely to waste your money as you are to get something worthwhile. Grey

John Tirado and Brian Tschurnega (surely misspelled) in the US. Grey