Marius

Jussi, Sorry to hijack the thread, but I just love that tachi. Please note that the nakago had originally much stronger curvature. BTW, if you want to see some real o-dachi, look at the treasures of Oyamazumi.

Peter, I'll take #2. Will be in touch via email. Thanks

Looks like low grade shakudo. Not ko-kinko, too thick for that. Read this article here: http://www.arscives.com/historysteel/japanesekoshirae.article.htm (go to regulations of the Edo period, you'll find your tsuba there)

Well, the golden rule says:

Hitendo on eBay is your grandfather?

One copy for me, please

Paul, Just one word (two, actually): "brand name".

Jean, could be any school, frankly. I like the tsuba, too. A simple iron guard with a nice fukurin, pretty big, plain, good. Shoami? Shoami is a grab bag. When you have no idea in which neat box a tsuba belongs, you put it in the huge box called "Shoami". The NBTHK will never say they don't know what school. They say Shoami. For swords they say: (ko)Uda or Hoju or Tegai, depending on how much masame they see in a blade I am tired of NBTHK to be honest. Enough said...

Jean, The NBTHK represents three things: - an unbelievable pool of knowledge (and for this I love it) - a typical Japanese respect for orthodoxy (because of this I am mistrustful) - economic interest and vested interests (for this I...) But let us focus on your tsuba. It looks ~7 cm with 5 mm thickness (6 at rim), right?

Jean, don't get too excited by the hakogaki. Your box is NOT custom made for your tsuba, so... If your guard is Owari at all, it would be later work. Papering this tsuba makes no sense - I recommend that you save your money. It come back as Shoami Nice guard. What are the measurements?

But you would buy an o-suriage tachi (in other words, a katana) which was not made as a katana. Hm...

Henry, I respectfully disagree, to an extent at least I think books might allow Jason to develop a preference for a certain group/school. That makes a purchase very rewarding. When I have started collecting, I have gone the eBay way, i.e. I have bought many low-end pieces. Then I started to buy books. I was lucky to have books with great photography (like Sasano's Sukashi Tsuba). I have sold all my crap and I have begun buying really good tsuba (including some great pieces from yourself ) I agree, books are not everything, and one needs to hold a tsuba to appreciate it, but they are the best start. Jason, here is a good list. Since you won't buy all, feel free to ask for opinions on these books: http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/reading.htm

Nobody here wants to spank enthusiasts One advice that is being given to people who start with this hobby is to buy books first. There are so many publications with great photographs. You will soon learn that your current ideas about tsuba (eg "sharp and crisp carving is proof that the tsuba is not fake") are simplifications. Don't be shy, show us your other purchase, maybe there will be something to learn from. Good luck

Yes, it is hard, especially when buying on eBay

Wouter, Those stories about veterans are more or less irrelevant, possibly a WW2 souvenir. Family heirloom used to slaughter pigs, tsk tsk... Never mind. Is there a question in your post? It looks like a good sword. Perhaps shinto, but hard to tell from pictures and no polish. Looks like a good and beefy blade, which is a good news, as it should take a polish w/o problems. It does not look damaged, ther are just chips in the kissaki, but not too serious, it seems.

Tsuba is very crude, the seppa dai is awkward, the iron is full of pinholes (burst pockets of air in the casting process). Doesn't have to be Chinese, but we'd rather not discuss the provenance of cast tsuba. There are cast fakes of much better quality. This is one is pretty bad, I am sorry.

Florian, This blade is perfectly OK and should have a shirasaya. I presume it was in koshirae, that was sold separately. Since shirasaya costs money, Tsuruta san gives the buyer the option to have one made. I presume the cost wil be JPY60k at least.

What on earth is the "Gassan forge team"? What kind of FB babble is that? Haven't you answered your question yourself already saying that "This guy also has a closed Facebook group where he posted photos of swords obviously made in China and claims they're made in Japan and signed by Gassan Sadatoshi. Unfortunately, all members of his group don't know anything about Japanese swords and he delete members who "provide too much information". ??? I think it is pretty obvious. You want a Gassan, go to Gassan or a reputable dealer.

Cheers, Peter

Gentlemen, This is something I cannot possibly do by myself. I have bought a Bizen Yoshii sword in gunto mounts from Paul B. recently and there is an inlaid seal on the tsuka. Could you please tell me what this seal represents? Thank you for your time and your kind help

It just takes time. Also, I'd post better pics, Darcy style if possible. I know Ricecracker are good people, but their pics do not make the the cut.

Excellent piece, Richard. If you want to sell/trade, you know where to find me

http://kodogunosekai.com/2009/03/03/ko-shoami-古正阿弥-sukashi-tsuba/

Owari Seki, Kanbun shinto.

Jussi, excellent idea... if you want to study Chinese copies. I'd rather spend my time studying nihonto. Believe me, I'll know the difference, even if sometimes I may confuse a low-end shinsakuto made in Japan with a high-end Japanese style sword made in China. In the lowest segment the boundaries are blurred by definition, but the Chinese high-end is equal to the Japanese low-end, at least for the time being. Then again, I am in the comfortable position of focusing on early koto. And when the time has come that Mr Cheng from Longquan will be able to produce a good copy of a ko-Aoe, Ichimonnji or Hosho, or whatever is old and venerable, I'll give up. I hope, though, that this will never happen. Then again, how do I really know that my Tegai masterpiece hasn't been already made by Mr Cheng from Longquan?