TheGermanBastard

Well, you likely couldn't have bought it for that since the bottom estimate is often also the reserve and if that treshold is not met, teh lot remains unsold.

This makes me sad ... some pieces of such great quality that you do not encounter often ... but out of my league. SOmething for the serious collector with deep pockets.

Yes I participated. I came in 2nd on this one: https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-tanto-cd841a4806 In my oppinion a really great Koshirae The signature looked legit, too. I liked it very much but who knows how deep the other bidders pocket were? Deeper than mine for sure..- I bought two blades: https://asian.smugmug.com/Sale-976/Lot-671/ To be frank I did not check the Mei. The patina on the Nakago looks akward to me but I was in for the mounts and appealig Sugata - my personal taste - while I would not consider it to be typical of that school. The blade has unfortunately seen quit a few polishes so far and I feel will need some TLC. Tsuba and Menuki could be good. FK look to be better quality Nara or Kyo Kinko pieces? Tsuba could be Kyo Kinko, too? If anybody does have any oppinions on the signature etc please drop me a line. And this one since I have a perfectly matching Tsuba. To me the mounts were appealing https://asian.smugmug.com/Sale-976/Lot-679 The Sengo was Gimei in my oppinon. Had I only seen the blade I would have said it could be good. However the signature did not look good to me and I feel the Koshirae was assembled of varying quality pieces . mainyl on the lower end but for the Kashira. https://asian.smugmug.com/Sale-976/Lot-674/ I wonder what others thought about the Norishige? It had sold for around 20k USD with a major auction house some years ago. It did not look anywhere close to a real Norishige to me and I suppose it would have sold at 5 to 6 times that back then if it had been considered to be authentic. This teime it stoped at 5500 USD. Some of the Katana where also good. I would have liked to see the "Sadamune" in person. Of course it was nowhere close to that attribution but I wonder it may have been a solid pre Muromachi piece. Liekly not looking at the bidding ... Did anyone of you buy anything?

I am not an expert but I do not feel that this was high quality work. The lacquer work was good as it is seen with many late Edo to Meijiu periode pieces but the mounts and especially the Tokugawa mons are poor quality. Whenever you see these poorly Tokugawa mons, most probably made at a date when they had been obsolete then it is a high indicator or a tourist piece or lets better say a piece for export. There are great quality pieces that were made for expert as many high profile artists had run out of work but I am most doubtfull about the qualiyt of this one and think the price is way over the top.

Well, I had given my post my thought as I did not want to be the killer of somebodys dream ... and I may be missing something here but could not understand the excitement.

I know the messenger gets killed .... but does not anybody of you have the feeling that we are looking at a bettter quality tourist KOshirae from Meiji area made for export .... I am vey doubtfull about this. Better save your money

Did anybody get any additiomnal images? I was not participating but had reqauested some for this Wakizashi since it stated that there were numerous flaws: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/111347283_a-Japanese-signed-koto-period-sword Not sure but the Tadayoshi looked the most interesting to me. I have to few Oshigata especially for the 9th generation. Would have liked to hear Roger Robertshaws oppinion on it.

Excellent post! The auction winnder is often the defacto looser

To make sure there are no misunderstandings: Papers do make sense in many cases (on higher priced items) especially when wanting to sell. If somebody offered be for example a signed Murmasa I would insist on recent NBTHK papers - atleast when the asking prices is that of a papered one ... but in this case it is like you are maried to a top model and wanted someone else to confirm your wife is fine looking-. I would not care to find a 3rd party confirm that ...

Come on Bob, that is just my worthless oppinion but even if a well known idiot like me can tell this is a signed text book example then why would a much smarter person not? On a blade like this there is no room for questions, uncertainity nor interpretation left. So why care for papers? As I said before I am an idiot but not so dumb as I would waste any money or getting confirmed by whoever to what is obvious.

A truely amazing set!

Who cares for papers. This is from top to toe a 100% textbook work with Gassan Habaki, box etc. Papers are fully obsolete on this piece. Price is however no bargain but close to retail.

Thank you Pietro

Hello Curran, thank you. Do you know what the Kanji on the right say?

Not an importnat Tsuba but if anbody happens to have any more info on whoch Shigemitsu / school this is it would be appreciated as I amy trying to complete a Koshirae. Thank you

I feel the only way we can tell for sure is that somebody buys it in order to submitt it for Shinsa

Hello Klaus, the blade will definately need polishing as it has nit been caref for well. The blade was made by the smith Katakura Masaharu by the way. I do npt have it in hands yetl

A more valuzed oppinion than mine would be to send the blade to a Shinsa if a new buyer wishes to. I can gurantee that the blade wikll paper / achieve Hozon. My images are poor as this was quick listing when I had intended to fund another purchase. I may relist the sword with better images

THanks for the recommendation Bruce. Most things have been sold. I mainly have only Menuki left

I could not reply any earlier since I had been on vacation. Dear Morita San. thank you very much for your kind help. I greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much. I am very happy to see that the Sayagaki has some nice history to add to the blade. The blade itself is a Shinshinto Katana by a good but not importnat maker and has unfortunately not been well cared for hence being in need of a full polish. I will be share some pics when I have the blade in hands or have it back from polishing. The Shirasaya will also need to see some work as I plan on keeping it. Somebody had mounted a Tsuba on it. Thank you very much again for this great translation.

Nobody?

Takeo would be the another excellent polisher. All of these polishers do great work and will have a waiting list. There is another Japanese trained sword polisher whose name I do not recall - the person that taught Ted Tenold. Then of course Bob Benson has also had several students who are excellent polishers but not sure if they take any work. David Hoffhine is used by many people, too it seems but not everybody does approve him. I have no expirience with him. Woody once did a touch up polish on one if my blades and he did a good job. I can recommend him. Get in touch with him directly. He is on Facebook.

Nobody can answer your question without any more details. That is like you say you have an old painting that you want to get cleaned and which craftman to pick. Now are we talking about an old Picaso or a painting that was done by a hobbyist within your family? In the USA you have Jimmy Hayaashi and Ted Tenold who many consider to be the best on the continent but their rates will also be the highest. Woody ins Las Vegas is also recommend and somewhat cheaper. Then there is a bunch of none traditional trained polishers. But again nobody can goive you a serious reply unless you are more specific

You may want to post images for a more qualified oppinion as to wheter a touch up polish wpould be recommeneded both condition and value wise

bump - scratch is likely a sword cut