Kanenaga

Thanks so much, Ray and Jan. Blazing fast answer. What a great resource this message board is!

I need some help with kanji identification on the corroded and worn tang of an old sword. I acquired a nice kai-gunto koshirae at a SF show, and this "bonus" blade was inside. It looks to be an early shinto sword in Mino style, machi-okuri (to fit the wartime koshirae, perhaps), with very little boshi remaining. It seems to be signed TANGO (no) KAMI FUJIWARA something something, and maybe something else. The last two (or three) kanji are hard to make out, the first may be YOSHI. Not easy to see or photograph, but here's my best shot. Any assistance appreciated.

Well, thought I had an auto payment set up, apparently not. So how do I renew? The "Store" is empty.

I seem to have lost my gold koban, even though I recently renewed. Help!? Les

So I tried to comment about this once before, but my post mysteriously disappeared. I'll try again. If you are not already familiar with this issue, you should read about the relative merits of papers from the NBTHK or from the travelling North American shinsa organizations. There may be archived material on this site, perhaps someone more savvy than me can direct you to some relevant previous discussions. Les

I thought there were many quality inro in this auction. Don't see them in the results. Did I hallucinate them?

So this one is also Juyo Tosogu (Kanshiro) and is available for purchase. https://iidakoendo.com/10840/

Here's a daisho version with foxes. Wedding procession -- the bride is in the palanquin.

Excellent memory, John. Old-timer??

I seem to recall an article about this sword from many years ago, possibly in the JSSUS Newsletter, and possibly by Han Bing Siong. Does this jog any old-timer memories?

Thanks Mark and Franco. Shannon, I seem to recall some discussion(s) about the metallurgical aspects in the remote past, but not sure how to track them down.

Can anyone recommend a book (or website) about utsuri? Ideal would be a discussion about the different types, with examples, and something about the metallurgy. Bizen style utsuri. Osafune Kagemitsu tachi. Photo by Darcy Brockbank. Copyright Darcy Brockbank estate.

Seems he liked it!

Kanayama?

Another take-home point may be that when Aoi-Art uses the phrase "transmitted as ..." it suggests that the attribution (in this case, to Aoe) is being questioned, tactfully. BTW, nice tachi koshirae with this sword. Late, but handsome.