dwmc

I inquired further with my wife as to how something like this could possibly happen. Your book site clearly states the buyer is responsible for the cost of shipping and insurance. If the buyer elected to take a chance (which you mentioned they purchased no insurance) then the risk is theirs... Period. No matter how well you package an item, there is always a risk of damage in shipping. Again, from what I was told, if a package is damaged in transport, and the contents are lost or unrecoverable, the original package can be resealed with sticker or ink stamp indicating item was damaged during shipment and sent on to the recipient. The buyer has no recourse with the PO due to no insurance. Therefore, they (may) simply claim the box was empty and go to the seller requesting refund or replacement. Oddly, I'm also told, there is no official record the PO keeps of damaged packages as to when or where the damage took place and ink stamps or stickers were applied. The local (buyers end) mail carrier or PO may recall the specific package and remember if a damage notification was applied. Postal inspectors may need to get involved in order to sort things out. In the mean time, I would be hesitant to offer refund or replacement until thorough investigation.... Good luck,

Somethings definitely amiss! My wife was employed with the USPS for 35 years and trust me, your customers local carrier will "absolutely" remember whether he or she delivered a light package or one weighing 22 + lbs. Unopened, undamaged, Hmmmmm....

Probably know a lot more than you give yourself credit for Hamfish. I agree, looks to my eyes much older than Shinshinto, perhaps late Muromachi period? Odd kanji character for Kuni, also, Mei doesn't seem to match the Nakago age patina appearance...

Of course Ken, Only in addition to trained eyes and brains! Dave

If there were twenty million nihonto collectors/enthusiast willing to spend $99+ usd each for a developed photo nihonto identification program with say a 90 percent probability of accuracy. Maybe it would be worth the cost of development, just maybe. ( Further more, I would try to be one of the first in line.) Unfortunately.... My first PC was a Commodore 64, (1980's) it came with a couple of floppy disk, one of which was a one line graphic of the planets rotating around the sun, the graphic was equivalent to about what a four year old child could do, possibly not even that good. Look at the advancement in 30 + years.. Franco's idea would be great, Ken's thoughts are a bit more of a sobering reality, at least for now. What could possibly be done at this time is a bit like Markus Seskos kantei serious in the form of a desktop application. Also, similar to what Mr. Bottomley had in mind years ago. For instance data input: Sugata-most like Koto, Shinto, etc, Nagasa-xxx , Kasane-xxx, Funbari-xxx, Nakago-Yasurime/patina, Hamon- most like xxx, basic kantei point questions. Results = X% probability of X. This would obviously need to be undertaken by someone as knowledgeable as Markus Sesko and a company along the line of App. Solutions. Also, what would development cost be vrs potential return? I personally have attempted to kantei several of my Mumei blades by following Markus's kantei series, as well as his e-books which are great. Also, other hard back books as well as online research. Would I have rather had an desktop application to simply input 10 or 12 Kantei points and receive even a 70% probability as to era and 30% probability as to Swordsmith as a place to focus research...Absolutely! Next project Markus???

I found this to be an interesting comment on a Japanese sword site regarding exceptional swords. I suspect it could also apply to well made swords of later eras with minor flaws. "It is not so easy to find such an excellent blade even in Japan. Sometimes we can find unsigned blades with paper attributed to Soshu tradition, but many of them include some doubt in its character. On this blade, the character means Soshu tradition in 14th century undoubtedly, especially Mino tradition. This blade should be held by advanced collector who try to understand old good blades. It is not suitable for beginners who hate any flaws and want perfection. A masterpiece never mean perfect blade. A masterpiece can have flaws and has far bigger excellence." As mentioned personal preference, Dave M.

So Tom...Are you saying you once owned this sword or missed out on the 1970 purchase???

You may need a few more bags of popcorn Stephen.

EASY...BOYS...EASY. Thread is obviously achieving it's intended effect!!

Erick, The above thumbnail tassel photo(#11 post) appears to be a very nice Company grade officers tassel yet a standard issue also. Even though the tassel in your first post may be rather nicely done. Ray, in post #2 mentioned something doesn't look right. I agree, something has twisted the brown stitching to one side and blue to the other. How it happened...any ones guess. Stegel, in post 8 and 9 simply could not have explained the difference between standard and deluxe quality any better. Here are a couple of mine also. One is an Company Grade officers tassel with opposite blue stitching (which will be in a future thread due to rare v stitching) the other is attached to one of my Shin-gunto's and is of standard quality. Hope all comments above have given you a better insight... Dave M

I think Dave R is correct. The tassel is a standard army issue. ( Not the upgrade type.) The opposite color thread in the photo is more likely due to thread mis-alignment during manufacturing. Dave M

Blake, I couldn't agree more with John (PNSSHOGUN). Hang on to your Grandfather's sword! It sounds as though your main concern is the cost of proper restoration, which is definitely expensive. However, I'm sure there are many NMB members who can advise you with how to perform a "gentle!!" cleaning to prevent further deterioration until such time you can afford and decide on professional restoration. But please, I'm talking a very "moderate" cleaning as John suggested. No sand paper, no steel wool, no harsh rust removal chemicals, leave the nakago alone (part beneath the handle). Hopefully, more knowledgeable board members will advise you on how to proceed. Your Grandfather's sword, and memories are worth far,far, more than a couple of hundred bucks that will be gone tomorrow, if not sooner... Just my opinion, Good Luck,

Stephen, If he did have a table at the SF sword show, I didn't recognize him as the person I had met years early. Really hadn't thought about him much until reading this post, and occasionally looking at the purple colored tassel. Good analogy~Used car (sword) seller....

I've always been curious where the hell Showa22 gets all of his inventory! I've actually been a bit jealous of his seemingly endless supply and availability to Japanese swords of all types. Having said this, I also lived in central California for almost forty years, and attended more sword/guns shows (mainly in northern California) than I can remember. Bay area, Sacramento, Stockton, etc... I came across a guy at a gun show in Sacramento, Ca. once who had a table with an enormous pile of gunto saya's, sword parts and pieces, intact swords, you name it, he had it. Friendly, nice sort of guy, I spoke with him for maybe thirty minute's, and what I think struck me most about him is how casually he mentioned his ability to put together sword parts and pieces in order to make them marketable. Hmmmm, early Showa22 ?? Years later, long before the onslaught Chinese reproduction shin gunto tassels, I noticed on ebay, what appeared to be, and was advertised as an original WWII era company grade officers tassel. I don't recall the exact wording, it appeared nos, but was definitely advertised as WWII era. (The seller Showa22 ) Sacramento, Ca. area I ended up winning the bid, and while waiting for the tassel to arrive, I noticed that his ebay site was relisting the exact tassel I had just purchased, with identical photos and description. I immediately contacted him, he did respond, and mentioned it was a simple mistake. Eventually, the tassel arrived, it had absolutely no wear, which was fine, unissued, no problem, but I did notice the normal blue color of company officers was more purple than blue. I let the purple color go, hey, maybe just a manufacturing variation. However, I could never quite get over feeling the tassel was a modern reproduction. I eventually took the tassel to the San Francisco sword show and asked some of the vendors opinion's. Most said modern reproduction. There's nothing worse than the feeling you've been taken. As mentioned, this was way before all of the Chinese reproduction tassels. So if my tassel is a modern copy, Showa22 was ahead of the game even back then... The only consolation I have is the possibility it may be original as I notice on the Ohmura's Military Sword site, many of the photos of company grade officers tassels have the same purplish appearance. I'm definitely not condemning the guy's lively hood, but just saying...

This is obviously one of the heavy steel gunto saya's to inflict that type of damage to a helmet as I can see little or no damage to the saya. Yes, more information would be great, perhaps someone living in the New Orleans area could provide more photos and further information on sword!! Would make an interesting History Channel documentary...

Higo Enju School ??

Sadahiro??

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Japanese-army-shin-gunto-sword-tassel-sword-katana-tsuba-armor-menuki/253812109954?hash=item3b18617282:g:ADUAAOSwOaBbTuHn#viTabs_0 Additional update: This appears to be another of the V stitch tassels. The seller in Osaka describes the tassel as rare, apparently, this may be somewhat true. However, I located the one above quite quickly in a very brief search. Rather odd this V stitch variation does not appear in reference material. But as Bruce previously mentioned, "many variations" .

Geez...How embarrassing...Never thought this photo would resurface...That's actually a picture of me!!!

Agree with all of the above, maybe $800 - $1000 tops. Having said this, there's really not much typical about the sword. The same looks rather new and white, suggesting recent rewrap, but on closer inspection, it does appear faded, staining from handling on the ito seems age appropriate, also damage around the mekugi ana is present. As Dave R mentioned, odd dimpled fuchi and kubutogane. Spiraled seppa, copper looking ashi and koiguchi, different habaki from normal. Oh yes. and that weird looking V stitch tassel. I'm definitely not suggesting the folks who consider the tassel as repo are mistaken.The photo of my tassel in my previous post is something I've been curious about for years. I have to say in Peters tsuka/tassel photo, the V suspension straps are identical to mine, however, the skirt? appears odd and missing blue twist threads. My tassel was attached to a Gunto I had purchased and about mid way down had a additional knot tied in suspension straps. I assume to shorten the over all length. The tassel in hand appears to be an upgrade type tassel, very supple , very well made, (possibly silk?) . Against my better judgement, I untied the additional knot,(big mistake), I'm sure the knot had been there since a least WWll. Almost immediately started coming apart, Hence damage seen in photo... So yes, these V stitch tassels I firmly believe are WWll era. I would like to ask John, Sephen, Bruce, Dave R, and all knowledgeable others. Could the koshirae and tassel adnormalities be due to construction in a occupied country, possibly Korea. etc...

Retired this tassel from gunto due to poor condition. Have had it for est. 25 years, my guess is it is quite real indeed.

Good eye Stephen...I stand corrected...Katsu !

http://japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/yoshmasa.jpg Showa Oshigata Database ~ (Yoshimasa) ~Japanese Sword index/Guide ?

Hello Earl, Your sword inscription reads "Noshu Seki Ju Kojima Yoshimasa saku". Made by Kojima Yosimasa in the city of Seki. Sword is in Naval sword mounts (Kai-gunto) most likely made 1930's/40's. The stamp on the tang/nakago is a Seki stamp indicating it was made non-traditionaly in the city of Seki. Your sword appears to be in fairly good condition. I would highly suggest visiting the "Japanese sword index" for further information.

Much clearer photo. Will be interesting if someone can translate. Is there a story along with the sword you're willing to share and more pictures of blade, etc...??