TheGermanBastard

Eric please let us know once you have any news / updates on this thrilling topic. Keep up the good work! Until then we all stay tuned!

Well, I am reluctant to put criticism towards this blade since we are talking about a thing in the top tier here ... so it is just excellent overall. But when putting on a high class focus I think that the Nagako is not in good shape and the blade looks less healthy in the day light images than in the others ones. The Tegai blade is in my humble oppinion priced very cheap considering the cost of polishing, the two piece silver Habaki and nicely aged Shirasaya.

A great project. I am sure it will be marvelous in the end!

I think the sword mentioned by Jean is a really good deal. It is a bit short which may not be in favor with some collectors - while I think size does not aways matter.

Hello Jean, indeed a very nice blade at a very attractive or better say cheap price. The Sa is very nice of course while I don't agree on the condition. While the condition is of course not bad I think it is not really good either.

Great job Eric! Keep up the good work!

Hello Alex, yes Machi Okuri is a type of shortening you are correct qwhile it will not alter the whol blade length unless it goes along with a shortening of the tang at the same time - which hurts the blade as a whole much more. My impression is that the tang has not been shortened but I can not say for sure. My first impression of this blade, until we had seen the addditioal images, was that it was an older piece and not Mino.

I don't see it beeing shortened. Maybe some Machi Okuri ... but likely neither.

https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-sunnobi-tanto-kanefusa/ I think the Habaki is probably a later addition and not original to the blade. Other mounts look original.

Prossibly Kanefusa Muromachi

Erics research and this very topic could prove to be fundamental. Let's wait for more results from Erics research. Keep up the good work!

I am sure that Eric will do further research and present it to us as his time permits. This is a very interesting topic and research so far. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for this excellent post! Keep up the great work! We would like to see more, Great job!

This is not a blade anybody should buy

Yes, acid washed. looks like a blade from eBay seller Daimyou .. he has lots of acid washed blades and much if his stuff is garbage or things nobody wants to buy in Japan for a reason or another. A seller whom I can not recommend. There are better Japanese vendors out there with better qualiyt stuff.

Even a Meiji or Gendai era blade may show significant polishing marks on the Horimono.

Oh! I was way off with my assumption. Interesting subject!

the dude in image 3 looks late Edo. On the others I would not dare to make a call

Hi bruce, I am not with you on this. While I can not say for sure wheter it is Showato or Gendaito it is definately not a Shinshinto or even Shinto blade. Also I am not on the price estimate in this case. The mounts are in average to poor condition and the blade is too. This sword is under 1k retail. But what do I know ... in the end it is what someone is willing / going to pay for it. USD 600 - 800 sounds like a more reasonable call in my cheap oppinion. Atleast if you put it on eBay and comparing it to other offerings there. The cheapst offer sets the standard ...

I also vote for Showato.

hello Ray, well I woulf feel more comfortable with just poorly as there are much much much worse Horimonos out there for sure

You are doing a most fantastic job that we will all greatly benefit from and that could turn out to be very important to the sword collecting community Markus sure will be able to sell you some excellent literaure to further dig into in your quest.

That is a great project that all of us will greatly profit from. Keep up he great work!

Blade one looks to be a tough call for a possible restoration since it seems to suffer from severe pitting. However before we get into this let's look at more images. Blade two has atleast a good two piece silver foil blade collar.

Hello Kubur, my best guess is ancient Japan! Just kidding. The blades look like they may have been used / rewrapped for the so called Satsuma Rebellion. A significant historical event. The Handguards however could be older than that. We need to see more images as Ray pointed out. Both blades are hence late Edio periode at the lastes. My gut feeling is that they are significantly older. Due to the shapes they could be as old as Nambokucho periode. We shall see more when you show us the tangs of the blades. The condition is presently pretty poor but they might take a good polish and be just fine. Impossible to tell right now. We need to see more and larger images. Well, in the present condition you could throw the blades inside a box of nails and it hardly would worsen them. However Ray is right that in general blades should not be put on (hard) ground.