reeder

This sword has been “for sale” for at least 2 years. It’s not $2000-$2500 like he wants bc an aluminum scabbard. I have have a true gendaito for sale with aluminum scabbard posted less than $2000 and it’s still for sale...

Seems this discussion occurs every couple of years... the definitions and use of the words have been well established. We all know, depending on context that showato is either a showa period sword or non-traditionally made blade. No need to reinvent the wheel here. I imagine any of the stuff listed would be papered with the current groups as most of that stuff seems generally to be gendaito anyways. I doubt they’re not going to paper gunto fittings, but who knows? Who would bother papering gunto mounts? Or seki/showa stamped blades? It’s hard enough to get people to spend money on buying gunto let alone pay someone to tell them it’s real when you have all the forums and other online groups who authenticate stuff for free all the time. Would there be enough business potential to justify spending the time & money training or hiring those?

I’ve been trying to raise awareness about this guy’s activities for a couple of years now. The real issues surround swords. So far I’ve witness him: 1. Amateur polishing, it’s poor by even amateur standards. 2. Adding mei - I saw a kokura arsenal blade he bought, then re-listed with the mei if emura added. 3. Dremel horimono added to blades. 4. Mixmasters, this I’m mixed in as you buy what you like. If you like all matching original fine, if you like it to have been put back together fine. He’s sold under a few different eBay accounts and has used a few different names. I know some other stuff but it’s all hearsay.

These polisher marks are not specific to any polisher. It tells you nothing more than it was polished. Sword is not correct.

Those are from polishing...

So I think I went to this guy’s house to look at some swords many years ago, before he was monkeying around. Now that I see a video of him...

Blade looks way better than his pics on eBay. Been posted quite a few months. Couldn’t ever find a Yoshihiro. .

We all know it won’t sell. I have plenty of nice swords up for sale at good prices still. A couple of new collectors & General militaria dealers have offered $300-$500... Did anyone see the fake naval kyu-gunto that was sold on eBay for $4200? My favorite part of the add, “this is definitely not a fake.”

It was a custom made blade by (Iijima) Masayuki, who was the head of one of the NCO factories.

Tbh, I think you’re the first I’ve heard of who is looking at OAL in koshirae vs nagasa. The longest showa period blade I’ve seen had a 34” nagasa. So i imagine a 35”-36” saya & 10”-11” for tsuba, seppa, and tsuba. I have some blades with 27”+ nagasa but never paid any attention to mounted OAL. I guess I could check.

Here’s some pics of one off a 1934 dated gendaito.

Thanks, Stephen! I just buy lots of swords and sell what I don’t want for my collection or when it’s time to move on/upgrade. I do not do this to make a living as the other sellers mentioned above do.

Swapped saya.

Depends on the smith/maker for where the bohi generally ends. Some end before, some just right after, some go a ways down the nakago.

I do not believe the blade is traditionally made.

Fully aware, and that's not true.

A lot of money for not having used a properly trained polisher.

Thanks for the kind words. I don’t list OBO but I’m open to offers on anything I have listed if anyone is interested. PM me if there’s something you like and want to make an offer. I have some other swords I haven’t gotten around to listing including a Type 3 star stamped by Kanenori (metal saya), and another type 98 by Nagamitsu in the cleanest mounts I’ve come across and blade almost looks as if the polish was never completed. In terms of pics, I’m too stupid to figure out how to add more pictures in the description and my photography skills are seriously lacking. ????

I have seen and posted Mantetsu-to with very nice hada, usually very early ones. If you read old threads, Mantetsu swords were often mistaken for older blades. I also know of a few wakizashi length Mantetsu-to and a Mantetsu with wavy hamon. From what I’ve seen, early Mantetsu-to were nicer than later swords. Again, the early one showa22 has up is good in my opinion. From what I understand it was at the San Francisco sword show and was owned by a well known collector. My friend said he saw it in hand and it was a very nice, original piece. He also said the seller mentioned it was polished by Benson.

I don’t see any issues with this one. 26 1/4” nagasa, suguha, large pierced tsuba, cat scratch Habaki, everything you would expect on an early Mantetsu-to. Compare the nakago-Mune to other 1938 examples. We know the signatures changed from year to year, why would it not be possible for nakago shape? A simple google search of “Mantetsu sword 1938” provided enough examples to show the 1938 swords had a flat nakago-Mune.

Nice start!

Yep, this one was destroyed. I recommend returning it as soon as possible.

That was a very nice polish on the Yasunori.

Yes, this is not a seller to waste your time or money on for all of the reasons listed above. He’s gone by multiple names and eBay IDs now.

Nice, Neil. Are there a couple there with mon on the fuchi? Any close ups if so?