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bigjohnshea

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Everything posted by bigjohnshea

  1. This is an exquisite mumei tanto by the Shin Shinto smith Shinkei Tanemitsu. This is an exceptionally beautiful tanto by a student of Taikei Naotane, with equally beautiful mountings made in the late Edo period. Comes with two papers, NTHK-NPO papers giving it to Tanemitsu, as well as dreaded green papers attributing it to the same. Chances are they are both perfectly valid attributions, but you decide... The koshirae has no signatures though is pristine and very possibly the original mounts for this blade, which was also made in the late Edo period. Tanemitsu is also documented as one of the retained smiths for the Tsuchiura clan, though there is no known link necessarily between this blade and the Tsuchiura clan. Just an interesting fact. Midare Gunome with Muneyaki and Tobiyaki Hira-zukuri Nagasa 9.75" SOLD Open to offers. Photos by the merchant I acquired it from. Used with their permission.
  2. If nothing else I'm glad that this thread brought that to Rich's attention. Personally though, disavowed or not, if the green papers from decades ago agree with a good modern shinsa today (not sure it HAS to be NBTHK) then the blade HAS almost certainly got to have the kantei points needed to meet the attribution of the green papers. That's my opinion though. If others disagree, I'd love to know why. Peace!
  3. 😂 Okay. Thanks for that, Val. I find it interesting that the paper would still be considered meaningless if another independent shinsa provided the same result. Cheers!
  4. So another paper agreeing, from another shinsa group, doesn't cut it for ya?
  5. When are Tokubetsu Kicho papers considered validated by another shinsa? You'd think if nearly any other shinsa (NBTHK, NTHK, NTHK-NPO) agrees with them independently, then that would be validation enough? Yes? No? Maybe so?
  6. Thank you for that clarification, and a nice oshigata to admire. 🙂
  7. Can't speak highly enough about Paul Martin. He's an incredible asset to us collectors.
  8. FYI, The seller set the duration of the lay away in this case. Just so you all know, that it was not the buyer asking for a long payment plan.
  9. I tend to agree with Babu's post up above. In my opinion this type of praise from a merchant "this is Juyo quality", in a blade they are selling without a Juyo paper, means, "I submitted it already and it failed." or "I'm not going to risk the cost of submitting to Juyo, but you are welcome to." Here is a similar line used by merchants to lure in buyers: "While unpapered, the signature and workmanship suggests it is made by [insert famous smith name]". Or some variation of that. It means: "I'm not taking the risk to submit it, but you certainly can." or "I already submitted it, and it failed, but you should think highly of this." This is especially true if they are in Japan and already an NBTHK member. Not to imply they are all corrupt there, but they have no really good reason not to polish/submit something they think is a Juyo quality blade, or a famous signature. Everything I just wrote can be summed up by the old axiom, "You get what you pay for." Cheers!
  10. Michael, I was under the impression that Yamato Kaneuji was born later in the 13th century. Interesting... I must have been informed wrong. Paulb, It makes sense that trends like this would be a more gradual transition.
  11. Honestly, if it backfires on me, I don't really care. I'm not really a merchant so if people end up disliking me because I spoke the truth about what a merchant did to another collector, that's fine. As for another venue where this type of grievance should be aired, I'm open to suggestions. I don't know of any other where the Nihonto community actually cares about one another, than this place. There is no HR department for individual merchants and their businesses (meant with sarcasm) so forums like this are the place where people like Tsuruta need to be called out. This is not directed at any one person, but I feel certain this has happened before with Tsuruta, and it will happen again. People responding to this type of post with blatant skepticism, does not promote an environment where collectors feel confident in reporting more events of similar bad behavior by merchants.
  12. Thank you to everyone for your help, and particularly to Ray for such an extensive and enlightening post.
  13. I've been selling things from my collection on this board for years. Never had an unhappy customer. Never mis-represented an item or myself. I've been posting and reading on this board for years and scarcely ever had a bad word to say about anyone. People are free to take from this post what they like, but I have given you actual facts about what happened. You do not need additional details because the facts are already here. I have provided additional details to Brian and if, based on that, he wants to delete this thread, I will not complain. I never have before when any of my posts were deleted or locked. You can choose to deal with that scumbag if you want, but I recommend you use paypal or some similar service that provides you protection from him. Hope you are all doing great otherwise.
  14. Mike, Those details don't really matter. If the buyer elected to abandon the deal, I could see how the seller might feel justified in keeping at least part of the deposit. But the seller deciding to abandon the deal, and still try to keep the deposit, well that is just pure theft...
  15. The slightly longer version of this, adding to the above: Tsuruta backed out of the deal of his own volition and then tried to keep that buyer's deposit. Paypal forced him to return the deposit though, otherwise it would have been stolen. This raises the question of whether Tsuruta intended to sell the sword to the buyer at all, or if he was just using this blade as an attempt to steal that buyer's deposit. I'm sure many people have had good transactions with him in the past. I have as well, but that doesn't mean that people don't change, or that they don't make many other bad decisions that never get aired publicly in the same way that the good decisions do.
  16. Fred at Nihonto.com Highest caliber seller in the USA.
  17. This will undoubtedly be a post that gets yanked by one of the moderators, but I strongly recommend against doing business with Mr. Tsuruta at Aoi. The short version of the story is he purposefully backed out of a deal and then tried to steal 620,000yen from a customer recently. Absolutely true story. If anyone wants the longer version please PM me. He is a dishonorable thief of the highest caliber. Thanks!
  18. Hope everyone is doing good! Does anyone have any actual dates for when the extended kissaki that is typical of Nanbokucho tachi and nodachi first appeared? In other words, are there known and dated examples from the end of Kamakura, or is this feature strictly an invention of the Nanbokucho era? Cheers!
  19. This is what's left: Nihon Token Jiten by Fujishiro 150$ Two volumes. Tight bindings. Slipcases are bruised but holding together. As a reference work it is invaluable to serious students of Nihonto. The first book I always reached for when researching a blade.
  20. Also sold The Collected Study of Japanese Swords as Compiled by Fred Fimio Kusanagi no Ya Oshigata
  21. Updated Nihon Token Jiten by Fujishiro 150$ Two volumes. Tight bindings. Slipcases are bruised but holding together. As a reference work it is invaluable to serious students of Nihonto. The first book I always reached for when researching a blade. The Collected Study of Japanese Swords as Compiled by Fred Fimio (Founder of Japanese Sword Society of Canada) 150$ These are three binders, nearly full of xerox copies of oshigata from famous and studied swords, as well as xerox copies of articles in English regarding the history of the Japanese sword. A lifetime of knowledge collected over decades by a scholar of the sword. Kusanagi no Ya Oshigata 100$ Oshigata of phenomenal blades prepared by Dr. Sato, presumably in the collection of a former sword shop called Kusanagi no Ya in Kyoto. A very enjoyable book for scholars of nihonto
  22. SOLD Kotetsu and Kiyomaro: Special Exhibition of The Sano Art Museum Lineage of the Treasure Swords: Masterpieces from the Collection of the Futarasan-Jinja Shrine Ise Jingu Hoto Zufu Japanese Swordsmiths, Commemorative Centenary Edition by Hawley
  23. Dropped prices on some of the books, updated the list with two more. Time to move them. Shipping will always be extra. Paypal friends family preferred. Japanese Swordsmiths, Commemorative Centenary Edition by Hawley 250$ Two volumes in one slipcase. Condition overall very good. Limited edition (300 copies) printed with correction of errors in the original. As a reference work it is invaluable to serious collectors. Nihon Token Jiten by Fujishiro 150$ Two volumes. Tight bindings. Slipcases are bruised but holding together. As a reference work it is invaluable to serious students of Nihonto. The first book I always reached for when researching a blade. Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords 25$ Often the first book a Nihonto collector will pick up. The Collected Study of Japanese Swords as Compiled by Fred Fimio (Founder of Japanese Sword Society of Canada) 150$ These are three binders, nearly full of xerox copies of oshigata from famous and studied swords, as well as xerox copies of articles in English regarding the history of the Japanese sword. A lifetime of knowledge collected over decades by a scholar of the sword. Kotetsu and Kiyomaro: Special Exhibition of The Sano Art Museum 90$ Oshigata and photos of dozens of Kotetsu and Kiyomaru swords. Hardbound in slipcase. An excellent book for fans of these schools or Nihonto in general. Lineage of the Treasure Swords: Masterpieces from the Collection of the Futarasan-Jinja Shrine 40$ Paperback, great condition, some captions in English, otherwise Japanese with an appreciable selection of the finest blades in the collection of a legendary shrine, including O-dachi and Tachi of unparalleled lengths. Ise Jingu Hoto Zufu 75$ Book of masterpiece blades in the collection of the Ise shrine. An awesome book in good condition. Kusanagi no Ya Oshigata 100$ Oshigata of phenomenal blades prepared by Dr. Sato, presumably in the collection of a former sword shop called Kusanagi no Ya in Kyoto. A very enjoyable book for scholars of nihonto.
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