Marius

Dear Friends, may I as you for help on this one? Those kanji make no sense to me. The registration paper of the tanto was Mitsuhiro, but I see no big resemblance. The tanto itself looks like a Nambokucho/early Muromachi sword, not thet it matters. I shall be happy to publish pics of it. Disclaimer: I might offer this tanto for sale here on the NMB, so if you feel uncomfortable with it, I will understand. Just wanted to be honest. Thank you

John, No, they are not. That is why your sword has received Hozon

obviously... Thanks, gents

http://www.ni-hon-to.com they seem almost identical to: http://www.e-sword.jp/

What I see in your picture looks like tate ware. Hagarami is a crack similar in nature to hagire, but unlike the latter, it is not perpendicular to the edge.

Yup. China. Awful, too.

I got a reply today. No sweat.

Hm... Part of the omote was exposed to corrosion to a much larger degree than ura. The tsuba has been subsequently cleaned (look at the lack of patina on the sekigane) and repatinated.

Gentlemen, Peter said: "I bought this blade not from Tsuruta San". I hope you didn't pay too much, Peter

Peter, I think that your sword might be good value for the money. Alas, the photographs you have provided are - excuse me for being blunt - substandard. I cannot see the hamon, just the hadori finish. I cannot see the hada - is it itame with masame? I see some black spots in the ha, but I'd like to have a close up so I can see what they are. If they are rust, I'd like to be able to see if the rust is serious. I also see that the new shirasaya has an inserted sayagaki. I think that people here on the board would help to translate it (as long as they are warned that the sword is for sale). I'd like to know what is written there, and surely, prospective buyers would like to know it, too. It takes some effort to sell a $2k item. You should make this effort and if the sword is as good as it seems, I am sure it will sell. Whining won't help, good pictures will. Sorry to be a bit harsh, but it is in your interest, not mine.

Francis, I'd say, you might want to buy this: http://www.lulu.com/shop/markus-sesko/e-swordsmiths-of-Japan/ebook/product-22166224.html So convenient to look up a name in a PDF

Seller's nick was katana-maeda, or something like this, I think (judging by the pics). This shop seems to have pretty decent stuff and their asking prices are reasonable. Blade looks very nice, has koshirae, too. Chances are you have done well

More like late 1500s. Still respectable, especially for people with a knack for all things romantic

No shinogi zukuri wakizashi, to be precise

Kaufwut... Best translated as feeding frenzy (among buyers).

John, Rick was looking for an educated opinion, that is all. I told him what I thought (for what it's worth). Asking the NMB about a signature is always a good idea And it is educational, regardless of whether the sword has sold or not

Genpuku = coming of age ceremony. A boy would get a miniature sword. Technically speaking, anything above 30 cm is a wakizashi. But you should keep in mind the sugata (shape of this sword). It is a shinogi zukuri blade (understood as a blade which has a shinogi and a yokote*), and no tanto (dagger) has ever been made shinogi zukuri (this a commonly accepted wisodm, which, however is not entirely true, but that is another story). * yes, I know, your blade does not have yokote. But that is because some moron has ground it down, OK?

Wak? Whack Sorry Ben, I know I am annoying. Not Honami. Crude sayagaki, crude nakago... Highly unlikely that this is a good sword.

Carlos, it is a short sword. Not sure you want that one.

Fakes were done earlier than that. I don't know if this even deserves to be called a fake. IMHO it is a crude piece of iron which pretends to be a tosho tsuba. Sorry to be so brutally honest, but this is a piece of rusty iron. Just look at the tomoe sukashi, and yhe hitsu ana. Clearly the work of an amateur, and an imcompetent one. The sooner you learn to tell such a thing from a real tsuba, the better for you.

Looks like a crude attempt to re-create (fake) a ko-tosho tsuba with hari ishime. A very bad, rusty tsuba. In order to find something of interest on eBay you have to have at least some basic knowledge, Steve. Seeing and handling good old tsuba will allow you to develop an eye for the real thing. Don't waste your time on eBay, go to shows, talk to people and see some tsuba. If you are interested in tsuba, that is.

Bob, most kaiken I have seen are lower quality (this does not apply to gendai work). Nakago is crude and feeble, blade is rudimentary, though "nice". Not as bad as "kamikaze tanto", but you can imagine what I mean. As always, there will be exceptions. Early Edo fittings for a diminutive tanto? Doubtful, unless the tanto was Muromachi (in this case it could be as short as ~19 cm, but more likely ~21-21) Anyway, without pics, there is little value in a discussion. Sorry

I stand corrected. Must have been Hallam Ryu

The punches are possibly a "trademark" of the workshop that has done the fitting of the tsuba to a sword. I think this was discussed once.

Danny Massey of www.nihontocraft.com. A great and upright seller, no BS, no hard sale, excellent execution. Highly recommended. Has some high quality swords. I bought several excellent pieces from him, one I have missed