benatthelake

Darcy: Will we get the chance to view the complete Koshirae along with the sword? Your website perhaps? I know others are wondering the same thing. A good discussion here....made me think more about my own swords/koshiraes and wonder...made for customer/Samurai or "made"/assembled for trade and sales? If done well....does it make a difference? I think so....but perhaps that is more of a reflection of appreciation (albeit lesser) of the the history and provenance (possible) as well as the art. Ben

Who here wants to hear this story too? I'm raising my hand! Can't get these learnings from books folks... Ben

Curran: Fair assessment. Thank you. I feel the same....but you explained it better than I. I see your point on the Tsuba impacting the general aesthetic as it relates to the other components....nice but not perfect. However, by itself, the Tsuba...I've seen plenty of weaker examples of nagoya-mono and only a few better....but based on my limited research. I'm thinking now a bit above average but again...I'm no expert. I defer to the experts here. One thing is for sure...plenty to look at with this piece. And I hope my photography is getting better....the Kashira I think is a pretty good pic. Thanks again. Ben

Thanks Curran...I'll get my hands on that. Does it include similar f/k images or something? Are mine typical...average? Thanks again. Ben

sorry...Forgot to post the fuchi.

Below are some recent pictures of my newly acquired Wakizashi Koshirae (blade pics will be on the other thread) purchased through one of Ray Singer’s contacts. Thanks again Ray! The Saya is samegawa. Newer but in great shape. A few questions for the board in regards to the Fuchi Kashira and Tsuba. I believe the former is signed Mitsunaka. Can anyone provide a translation of the Fuchi? Any reason to doubt the mei or sho shin? The Tsuba may be a Nagoya-mono one. I’ve seen lower quality ones…mass produced it seems. Is this mid range for quality? Comments? I see a good related discussion on this thread….which leads me to believe mid range…perhaps a bit better. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/18987-real-or-fake-tsuba-help/ Comments welcomed! Thanks! Ben

Attached are my favorites. The first is fairly obvious...Masakata Choshu. The second...I'm not so sure but it matches the other Koshirae elements well. Comments are welcomed! Ben

A better pic of the saya I'm looking to fix. Ben

I'm back from a period of not actively participating or collecting. I've been doing a bit of reading and look forward to getting back into the "business." Does anyone have any ideas or thoughts on how to acquire the "furniture" on this saya? I find it interesting that it was removed at one time...you can still see the spots where the lacquer is less faded in those areas. Is there any hope to get this back into the condition shown in the picture below? Thanks! Ben

How wonderful would it be if this board was recognized as a suitable channel for museum "de-acquistion sales" versus a sale to an individual or an individual's business. The NMB would ensure both a fair price as well as allow for discussion, learning, and appreciation. Just a thought! Ben M.

That is some rough looking hada on the 3rd Waki on this list and possible kazu uchi mono....Still got papers? Seems a bit high priced as well. Hmmm Ben M.

Not to distract from Ken's question....I'm curious about this myself. I'm also wondering how the high dollar collections are stored. A katanadansu and an alarm system? I've wondered about getting a gun safe and laying it horizontal to properly maintain the edge up position (kantana) and also offer protection from fire/theft. Sound crazy? I suppose the best way is a walk in vault and katanadansu for blades at least. Ben M.

James: Thanks for your comprehensive response. I too believe it's more about change versus a specific RH level for Lacquer. I plan to keep mine under some desiccant (as it contains the blade) and work to maintain the humidity at a constant rate. In hindsight, I wished I would have had a shirasaya made by the dealer before I received it. Brian: Wow. That is wonderful display case . You must enjoy looking your collection in that manner every day. I'm considering such a ambitious design myself but am not in a big hurry. Rennaissence Wax for Koshirae? Hmmm. Is this widely accepted treatment?...as recognized as a light choji oil to blades? Alan: Your katana-kake is artwork by itself, however, I think that's begging to hold something. Is that late Edo or something more modern? Ben M.

Jean: Yes, blade is inside. Which is why I included the desiccant to maintain a lower RH. It did not come with Shirasaya. Issues or opinions? Ben

Apologies to the purists, but I enjoy displaying this one. I think utilizing minimal materials to highlight the koshirae is appropriate although not traditional. UV resistance treated acrylic case combined with desiccant to maintain a lower RH provides protection. BEN M.

Chris and James: Thank you for your information. James, I found another reference site which includes work from this Smith. http://www.scholarsresource.com/browse/artist/2142569281 I originally thought perhaps mine was perhaps gimei based on your example provided. However it looks more aligned with these other works. Of course I defer to more experienced individuals. Thanks again. Ben M

My first Tsuba purchase (not already part of a Koshirae). Frankly, I think I did pretty well for a very reasonably priced piece. I can certainly see the dark purple hue in the iron and I love the amount of detail. Can anyone provide a translation of the mei? According to Jon from Onihonto.com: Choshu Tsuba from the Edo Period Diameter: 7.0 cm x 6.8 cm According to Jon….“Their iron commonly has a dark purple hue, which is a kantei point. Choshu tsuba are generally smaller. This feature was common in other schools, such as Higo. It is commonly though that using a smaller tsuba was a display of courage among the Bushi.” Diameter: 7.0 cm x 6.8 cm Thanks to Jon at Onihonto.com Comments welcomed. Ben M.

Brian: Perhaps an interesting thread to start in "The Izakaya." I was just wondering what other Nihonto collectors have in their "Man Caves" as I was sitting in mine. I have to believe we have represent well. Of course we're faced with the humidity challenges for those Man Caves actually below ground. Sorry to distract from the topic. Ben M.

I would be interested in learning more about "cleaning saya" techniques. My initial thought is obviously running a long pipe cleaner down the throat to at least clean out dirt and stuff. Is anyone aware of a "tool" designed for cleaning purposes. I can't imagine there would be a recommended "cleaning solvent" to use however. I find it interesting that some dealers consistently offer blades with very tasteful to wonderful Koshirae which seem to reflect more of a "real owners" taste. Other dealers seem to offer authentic and period (seems like they are all very late edo), are just plain boring, cobbled together as an afterthought, or worse (as noted in this tread). Nick from Nihontoart.com and Tokugawa Art (sanmei.com) always seem to have some nice packages. Ben M.

Arnold: To your points above in order. Seems the "dissonance with the Koshirae is for tachi and blade is signed katana-mei"....this seems like a pretty big issue...a mistake? What do you mean by...."To have koshirae with it is ideal, however to put a fully polished blade in any koshirae is more or less unthinkable." I assume you mean a high quality perfect polish blade should not be stored in the Koshirae based on the fact that most of the time a shirasaya is a better storage solution...protection wise. Correct? I have a decent but not papered (and probably boarderline Hozon) blade in Koshirae as it was sold to me that way. Is this unthinkable? I also have a Tanto in Koshirae (again for the same reason) that is a Hozon candidate (guaranteed by dealer) which I'm considering having a Shirasaya made...just weighing the cost. Clearly the incremental cost of Koshirae here does not justify the increase. I have wondered however...just how much incremental value an original Koshirae or at least Edo period adds. Obviously it depends (pre-1600 versus later edo, style, quality, papers, etc.) but I think everyone will agree with you that it is more than sold separately. To Chris' point, it would be interesting to see how a dealer prices them separately. True blade art lovers and collectors won't care as much for the Koshirae in the way that it doesn't matter whether the Rembrandt painting has a good frame. I can appreciate that but of course...not too many Rembrandts around. For me, my preference is having both. Obviously, both can be artwork quality....but to have them paired for 200+ years as they were intended and used is wonderful, and I believe worthy of a good premium....assuming the pairing are complementary, make sense, etc. Personal preference/passion I suppose.... Sorry for my rambling..... Best regards, Ben M.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16819 Previously discussed on this thread as well...including a comment from Markus S. and a link to his book/chapter. This is from my friend's collection....but missing some parts on the saya however. Got to wonder how somebody "lost" those... People seem to love or hate these "torikubi no tachi"..... I find them interesting only.... Ben M.

I would agree. At 450,000 yen....Also consider a few points: - What would you value the sword at if it doesn't paper? - Is the Koshirae important for your collecting needs? What do you value the incremental value of the Koshirae? If you think it adds 150,000 yen, do you think this is a 300,000 yen blade? Personally, the blade does nothing for me but I do like the Koshirae.....very clean with a nice Tsuba. -Aoi Art is considered a respected a fair dealer by most. Have you looked at a few others? Have you ruled out blades offered by members here? IMHO I think you would be better served to wait unless there is something about this package that you just love. I believe you'll find plenty in this range which offer very similar characteristics in both blade and koshirae. On this site and others however you can occasionally find some really interesting swords in Koshirae, papered, between 450,000 and up. 450,000 seems to be a starting point I believe. Finally, send some PMs to board members who you respect, have similar collecting styles, and are more knowledgeable than me! Ben M.

George: Any thoughts on why this Seki smith did not have arsenal stamps? Originally I thought mine was perhaps made for a private order as it has a civilian koshirae. Now we have two blades with no stamps and Kory's is clearly outfitted with army fittings (including the interesting tsuba). I'm simply curious. Could this smith have used some steel which may be considered somewhat "different" and therefore no stamp? Kory: Perhaps a few more close up pictures of the jihada and hamon. Ben M.

Kory: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15979 MasaNobu ...based on previous guidance, but I defer to those that have the books! Unless my eyes deceive me, this is identical to a Showato I picked up very early in my collecting journey...discussed in the attached thread. Not a traditionally made sword...not Gendaito. The board cautioned me on the price and saved me from making a big mistake financially. As you'll see from the thread attached, mine is in a civilian koshirae. As Grey said, not junk for more of a historical artifact of the WW2 period and valued as such (generally less than $1,000)...sometimes significantly less . I find it interesting that this smith did not seem to have any arsenal stamps, although I believe he was a Seki smith. Not sure if that means he was just before the War time arsenal stamping mandate or for some reason did not meet military standards (which I doubt). I did not find any interesting information on this smith. Ben M.

All: About $700...wow that does seen like a good deal for a early edo wak, ubu nakago, in great polish with nice activity...especially from a dealer. As this is an auction, does anyone have any experience with their auction process....positive or negative? Ben M.