TheGermanBastard

PS So in other words you say that if you have an Ubu Nagako with existing very visible, crisp Yasuri Mei this is not to be considered when dating the sword - while hardly visible ones are neither. I would want to think of that as an interesting and unique approach.

Hello Jean, I agree. When we are speaking alternative facts you sure are right, too. Otherwise I prefer to think I am right and you just have posted a claim by saying "Wakizahi of course has [per se] to be Sue Koto" that you can not really keep up based on evidence / facts. 30cm + ... Wakizashi. End of line. Anything else here is rabulistic wording. But that's fine with me. No hard feeling my friend. So now let's get back on topic.

Congratulations! Some blades one shouldn't have missed. I did. Great to hear about the outcome of two.

I can tell you that Darcy is right. He probably is always right.

Hello Joe, thank you very much for taking your time and leaving this very kind review. I am very happy that you like the sword. When looking for Morika Masayoshi a post on the NMB showed up with a fine Morioka Masayoshi Katana - owned by you So your purchase came as no suprise and I believe this Tanto went to the right new owner who will appreciate it. Best regards

Does anybody have an Oshigata for Banshu ju Mitsusuke saku and is willing to compare it? Because either I have a Gimei Wakizashi sitting next to me ... or a late Kamakura to early Nambokuchi Wakizashi. The odds of someone faking a pretty unimportant guy are not the best out there .... Speaking of chances: If Jean had never seen a Nambokucho Wakizashi I still would not dare to rule out that there are none, eventhoughe it would then be probably less likely ... I do not believe in Aliens but just because I have not seen one does not necessarily mean they do not exist. While there are few pre (Ubu) Muromachi Wakizashi blades there definately are some ... and yes, there are even Kamakura periode Wakizashi - unless you can prove the above Mei to be blant Gimei I can not even rule out that you have just seen an example of a Kamakura periode Wakizashi on the NMB now If you can then go here: https://books.google.de/books?id=Ho8_DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=kamakura+ubu+wakizashi&source=bl&ots=eQXFlkOYi4&sig=DH1ap2dKd17Sm5P3qc_DeKDtToo&hl=de&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi4_Lz6pMbVAhVDZFAKHeasB-gQ6AEILzAB#v=onepage&q=kamakura%20ubu%20wakizashi&f=false Hence one shouldn't put an old looking Wakizashi per se as Sue Muromachi just because there are way more Sue Koto Wakizashi than Nambokucho. If you want to go by mere numbers Muromachi is probably always your best bet because during this periode just about the largest amount of swords had been forged as there was a big demand. On the other hand you will find very few Katana blades from Meiji or Taisho and again a growing amount from Showa Peridoe due to WWII. So take 10 random blades and call them all Muromachi without looking at them and you probably have the best best - when plain guessing by periode only ... FYI Jean, of course you will want to avoid not thinking wakizashi when Nambokucho, please But back to this sword. I would like to thank all who have shared their oppinion so far. Once I have the blade I will try to get some better images of the Mei, some measurements and also show the Hamon and Hada. Maybe we can then make a better judgement. Please don't get me wrong: I am most happy to learn that this blade is for example either Gimei, by an unimportant guy or very late Muromachi just as I am happy to learn it is the opposite. I am gratefull for any help that will make it easier for me to decide on getting it polished or not. By now we can all agree it is a Wakizashi from Koto periode. Thanks again

So now, you have seen atleast two - more likely three

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-chikuzen-wakizashi-nanbokucho-period-14th-century-5253778-details.aspx http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-chikuzen-sa-school-wakizashi-nanbokucho-period-14th-5658600-details.aspx

Hello Jean, thank you for your message. I do not want to take this offtopic too much but one question please. How about pre Muromachi Naginata Naoshi shaped blades? Aren't they considered to be Wakizashi?

hello Ray, if it would wants to be THE Masamune by mere chance we can surely assume we are looking at 99.9% Gimei ... When I bought it I thought it was signed Kunimune but Masa may indeed be a better call for the firs Kanji. Without having it in hands it is not possible to judge on the state of the blade. However the decission on wheter it is worth of a polish will depend on who likely made it. In case of a Gimei or being Mid to late Muromachi by an average smithi I would not consider getting it polished due to not being economic. As the cost will outweight the value. I had bought the blade at the estimated worth of its Fuchi / Kashira. But if it is worth the effort I'd be happy to preserve the whole sword ... but since it will require a lot of work as the Koshirae is quite damagaed this has to be a reasonable decision. I enjoy bringing someothing out of teh woodwork back to live - but as most people I don't enjoy being buried. hence I appreciate your valued feedback since getting it restored first and afterwards appraised would be a silly expensive lottery Thank you for your thoughts

If I sell it and it turns out to be true Masamune I will happily buy it abck and even pay for return postage So we have - Kunimune - Kunisada - Masamune I do not have the blade in hands yet so unfortunately I can neither provide better images nor try to bring out the Mei any better. My feeling was that it is Nambokucho. I do not think late Muromachi. The Nagako has no mor evisible Yasurimi ... with a late Muromachi Nagako I would expect them to be more present.

Why do you think so?

hello Steve, thank you for your thoughts. Hmmm ... by now I can not rule this out either What periode would you put on it? Thank you

Thank you. Very good read.

I say oppinion because it is pretty hard to read. My best guess is Kunimune. Looks pre Muromachi to me. Further guesses are welcome. Thank you

Would be nice to see a NTHK Europe Shinsa again one day.

I would like to take a minute to recommend the (paid) services and publications of Markus Sesko to any Nihonto enthusiast. Markus is not only a very friendly person but one of the foremost authorities on translating Nihonto related Japanese works into English. His books are a great asset for any collector and highly recommended. If you do not own them yet, go for them! https://markussesko.com/books/ Investing in excellent books first is a much smarter investment then buying a sword. Having his books will pay off in many ways and are a must have for your library. Furthermore Markus offers translation services at very reasonable and thus affordable cost as well as appraisals. If you have some though Sayagaki, Signature or Origami he is the man to ask. Markus can also give you an appraisal to count own at a modest price. I can recommend him without hesitation and admire his oppinion.

Very nice Saya! Very flashy but tasty in my humble oppinion. Congratulations!

Well that is actually what many conider the fun part. Like the research that goes before a treasure hunt. Rusty blades may either tell you - hey I was not worthy of polishing so here I am ... and a polished blade may tell you I was wortyh of polishing. Still seeing polished blades without paper work shoudl ring a bell at times. Atleast in the USA where you have teh NTHK Shinsa available on many occasions. Blades coming out of Japan without or no papers are bogus in 99% of the case.

Hello, this makes just about as little or as much reasoning as wanting to invest in the stock market running some fancy prediction software . This sword is re-tempered or it is not. So either you believe in the one or the other and thus have to bid accordingly. You hve a fully polished blade with proper description at a fraction of the supposed worth (but no papers) and a hint to having a fatal flaw. No need for any ballpark estimates. That is where the story ends. If a deal sounds to good to be true then it 100% isn't. I once had bought a rusty blade at a floor auction. It was described as a Japanese Sword. Not only had it 20'' Nagsa nor was it a Shoshin Aoe Bitchu blade - but also retempered as it showed uppon personal inspection and having knocked off the rust. Bad luck. So a save bid is aways 1000 - 1500 bucks as this is wha tyou will likely get for just about any Katana blade on eBay. If it is a blade in Koshirae bid the value of the Koshirae.

Hello Chris, I do not understand your formula and it makes no sense to me ... that is how you intend to calculate your assumed price. Just take your common sense and you will be safely able to conclude it has been retempered and as such is worth well below the starting bid.I I also do not share your observation that the appraise is an amateur. Whoever apparaised this blade clearly knows enough to be dangerous meaning he wouldn't let a lost treasure slip by.

hello Simon, do you know how does the Nihonto examinations at Hermann Historica? They do not disclose the experts name which I consider to be somewhat strange as an expert usually goes by his name. I would be curious to hear who he is.

Hello Ken, there is a folding stick in some of the images given the blades dimensions in cm .. and they are also written down in the Hozon paper. The Koshirae had gold plated modern made fittings. I did not like them and intended to get the Koshirae redone with Edio periode ones but never got around that.

Also thank you Malcom!

Thank you for the heads up Stephen. I accidentaly posted them. Removed.