Marius

All I can say is that Hamish is absolutely trustworthy.

And it's SOLD, thank you. Congrats to the buyer.

Since I don't believe in listings that run for months with items unsold, I will keep this one up for one week, no more. Also, there will be no other reductions.

An ō-tanto or ko-wakizashi with NBTHK Hozon to Fuyuhiro. Measurements: Nagasa: 31 cm (12.2 inch) Motogasane: 6 mm (0.236 inch) Motohabaa: 2.7 cm (1.06 inch) Blade characteristics: Deki: Nioi deki, Hamon: ko-midare Activities: chikei, shirake utsuri, koshiba Hada: itame. About koshiba: Koshiba is a feature of the hamon that you can find only in ubu blades. It is a milder part of the hamon at the beginning of the it,and it lacks a clear nioi-guchi. It can be found only be found only on 12th-13th century blades (if a natural result of yaki-ire) or on blades from the 15th century if it's designed. I have not found any evidence that it was a feature of Fuyuhiro. You can read about koshiba here: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/yakiotoshi.html#koshiba Drawing of koshiba by Kojima Hiroshi (Kei'un Naohiro) Important remarks: 1. Boshi is not very distinct (see pics on Dropbox) 2. There is a delamination close to the mune. You can see it in my photos on Dropbox. 3. Chikei are clearly visible in the koshiba, and they are very beautiful. Chikei consist of streaks of nie and must not be confused with hada. 4. The sword comes in a shirasaya and with copper habaki. 5. The polish is sashikomi. 6. This sword is not a piece of art, but a real weapon. However, it is full of interesting activities, that are difficult to see in my pics. 7. Personally I think this might be a much older sword than Fuyuhiro. The school did not produce koshiba. Bu, to all intent and purpose, the NBTHK has "made" this sword a Fuyuhiro. The magic of papers... About Fuyuhiro: Fyuhuhiro were a lineage of smiths in the Wakasa province. The first Fuyuhiro is said to have been a pupil of Sōshū Hirotsugu. He florished in the Kōshō era (1455-1457). Earlier generations worked in hoso-suguha, sugu gunome midare and notare gunome. Later generations worked often in hitatsura. More pictures: This sword is hellishlu dificult to photograph, I heva tried my best, but the results are so-so... https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/xa3bm1jp1p12emsoc9ufp/AJdYi07qqcL6v23a3QRDqfI?rlkey=zywer9px6a1mb97hr5lcy87b0&dl=0 Price: EUR 1,050 incl. shipping to EU or US, others please ask Payment: Wire transer in EUR to a European bank account or in US$ to a US bank account (domestic transfer) Paypal possible, friends and family, otherwise buyer pays the PayPal fees on top of the price Shipping: Priority mail, registered, with tracking. Any courier service at extra charge (if they ship swords at all)

It’s a very good deal. The sword has several strong points: 1. It hasn’t been shortened (many katana have) 2. It is healthy (many katana are polished down) 3. It is both signed and dated (many swords are not) 4. It has NBTHK papers that attest to the signature 5. The price is attractive relative to its value For a first sword? I strongly doubt you could do better. Why hasn’t it sold (after only a few days, by the way)? Because it’s holiday season. Because this is not a market with millions of buyers. Because those who recognise this as a good deal might have no budget for swords at the moment. Because people have other expenses at the moment. And so on…..

A great opportunity for those who can accept the simple fact that old swords sometimes just have coarse grain, because they were made as weapons. Consider: Kotō (Muromachi) Ubu, signed and dated Long Healthy (look at the wide motohaba and thick kasane!) Reputable school NBTHK paper Also, the pictures aren’t that good (sorry Lex) and I am certain there is loads to be enjoyed in this sword. All in all, at this price it’s a bargain. Someone take advantage!

The auction is closed and Jesta is the winner. Congratulations and thank you!🙏

Fantastic, gentlemen, many thanks, so generous of you 🙏

Wow, now I feel obliged to include a little gift with the tsuba Not a big thing, but a little "thank you" item. Thank you gentlemen NMB members simply rock!

I understand, this one looks like yakizume with hakikake. I need to examine it closely, as there seems to be a turnback in one of the pics. But it is notoriously difficult to photograph boshi, and my eyes are not what they used to be… Good point though, thank you!

Thanks Kirill, much appreciated If Uda Kunimitsu 5th gen. (I now have no way to check the mei), this signature wouldn't be overly ambitious, no? FULL DISCLOSURE: I might want to offer this tanto for sale on our Board.

And a few more

More pictures

Dear NMB members, I have an interesting tanto that exhibits strong Yamato characteristics. I am away from my library for a few weeks, hence the question: What do you think about this mei, in connection with the characteristics of the blade. Of course I have immediately assumed it is gimei, but who knows, especially if there were quite a few of smiths with this name. Pictures are attached, I shall be grateful for your opinions.

Gentlemen, this is fantastic, thank you so much! Let's see how high this extra-special "support the NMB" tsuba can go.

OK, here is the deal. This auction is for the benefit of the NMB. It will last until the 14th June, 23:00 GMT. The winner pays the bid amount directly to Brian, our admin. The shipping cost is on me. Once payment has cleared I send the tsuba to the winner. It’s a nice iron tsuba from the Edo period. Good iron tiny gold remnants at the end of the leaves, nice shape, heavy in hand, shakudo plug. It gives me a Genroku feeling. Measurements: 7.6 x 7.25 cm thickness at rim: 6 mm at seppa dai 5mm The auction starts at $50 make your bids, the upkeep of the NMB costs money. And many thanks, gentlemen! 🙏🙏🙏

Tosho is sold. The second tsuba - I will open a bew sales thread with proceeds going to the NMB.

Tosho is on hold

First and only reduction: Tosho: EUR 100 The other one EUR 80.

I have two tsuba. Priced to go, prices include shipping. 1. Tosho tsuba I hope pictures will tell it all. A large (8.5 cm) tosho tsuba, possibly early Edo, maybe earlier (although orthodoxy will tell you otherwise because of the thickness). Measurements: 8.45 x 8.2 cm thickness at rim: 3.5 mm Great for mounting or just enjoying. EUR 150 including shipping to EU and US 1. Iron tsuba Tiny gold remnants on this one, nice shape, heavy in hand, shakudo plug. Measurements: 7.6 x 7.25 cm thickness at rim: 6 mm at seppa dai 5mm EUR 100 including shipping to EU and US

On hold

Thanks Brian, of course I can increase the price 🤣

More pics...

While not a masterpiece, this wakizashi offers a lot of pleasurable study. It is koto, most likely sue-Seki, but who knows, with this flamboyance it might paper to goodness knows who, if you insist on papers, that is While I dare not hope that it's Magaroku Kanemoto or Kanetsugu or Kanemichi (but who knows), I can guarantee you hours of fun analysing those sunagashi and other activities (see description below) Measurements: nagasa: 46 cm kasane: 6 mm motohaba: 2.85 cm sakihaba: 1.8 cm Hamon: Ura: kobushigata choji clusters with deep, rounded “fist-shaped” choji Omote:, the hamon is more linear with uma-no-ha (horse tooth)-like sharp peaks, and shows intense sunagashi running through and around the peaks. This asymmetry — one side being wild and organic, the other sharp and tooth-like — is deliberate and part of the smith’s design (like in Kanetsugu or Kanemichi work) Nie activity: There is dense nie, especially near the kissaki, bordering on arai-nie but without looking coarse — suggesting skilled control. Presence of sunagashi and some kinsuji-like activity (imozuru, to be precise) Boshi The boshi has midare-komi structure and hakikake in line with late Muromachi to early Edo work by good Mino smiths. Hada: Itame, coarse grain in one place as seen in the pictures The blade comes in good polish, however, the tip misses a teeny weeny fragment, hard to see when you hold the blade in hand, but blown out of proportions, so to speak, in my pictures. Also tiny teeny nail catchers in the kissaki. Again, almost invisible. But, with all that this lovely blade (which comes in shirasaya) is priced to sell. All yours for: Sold Below are pictures, I have taken them in two different light conditions. If you want to see them all, here is a Dropbox link. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/j56a8i2tghbh7l0ny3l9c/AGmJYNGmyJ0TyXzwbgQP5WM?rlkey=uoki51pyu7mi7jwrx08py30ed&dl=0

Rob, I understand. I will check out Lulu.com and report back here