TheGermanBastard

I am 99% sure it was by him ... to be sure ask the vendor he will know. I do not think that these days it has a great influence on who submitts a blade for Shinsa and should not have any influence at all anyway.

It has allready been submitted through Bob Benson on teh 1st occasion if I am not mistaken.

Yes, I also thought that this may have been the cause for the Shinshinto attribution. If I remember correctly from the original description of the iten it said that the Nagako had been tempered with by the guy who made it fit the Bowie Koshirae. It is a pitty.

Goofle for example for Paul Martin .. he will list all the fees on his site. NBTHk shisna is only available in Japan.

For Shinsa submission you can use Bob Benson, Paul Martin or many more ...

In Japan you need an agent handling the sword. He will charge around 250 - 300 ... then there is the Shinsa fee NTHK 150 ... NBTHK 250 ... prices in USD ... dependable on Yen exchange rate in the USA the NTHK Shinsa is more expensive UD 250 - 275 ... but you don't need an agent ... if you can't make it yourself there is a mailing service at around 100.00 ... Everything plus postage

Well, in my cheap oppinion I would go with Bob Benson. Bob has spent significant more time with the blade than the Shinsa panel ... judging by the images I do not see anything from preventing it to be a Koto piece. Shinshinto is pretty much off to me ... BUT my oppinion does not add any value to your blade and is worth just what it costs you: Nothing The NBTHK is the best thing when wanting to sell it again. Their judgement is in the hightes regard ... 2nd best is the NTHK right now - I won't argue which branch. As you know the Nagako has been repatinatedl. This could be an aspect in judging the blade less old than it actually could be. So if you just want to keep it and enjoy it for what it is (to you) then forget about any papers... it is a quality blade and you most probably got a good deal on it. The value is in the blade and the quality Kesho polish. The Bowie mounts are niot my cup o tea but one can consider them just as part of the blades history. If you ever plan on re-selling it try to get a NTHK paper in the US Shinsa and see if their attribution is more favorable. Otherwise a better investment might be a properly fit and definately clean Shirsaya.

Good qualiyt blade and Benson is probably right. His oppinion is amongst the best ones you can get in the western world. If I were you I'd submitt it to the upcoming NTHK NPO Shinsa ... if they give you a better attribution throw away the Hozon papers. Good luck!

Bump

I assume unless he made any specific statement - like a certain periode - that can be proven wrong the seller delivered what he sold ... if it was just for a set of Gold Menuki the buyer got what he bought: Gold Menuki. I can understand the buyers frustration though

Hello Jim, there seems to be a misunderstanding: This blade may well be Muromachi periode! NO argument on that! As I said I was looking for oppinions on the Mei based on the images I got by the seller who is unfamiliar with Nihonto. I got oppinions and I appreciate them for the most part no matter whetere they are positive or negative. I am after getting oppinions that will help me a decision based on facs. if this is signed Masamune is is by fact either Gimie or by an unimportnat smith so the blade is not worthy of polishing. Those are very appreciated facts as they will help me not to waste money and that is a good thing.

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.