Jean

Sorry, it does not work like this Chris. Mainly a question of taste IMO. You will have to do your homework. Here is a link which give you the 5 schools and their leading smiths. Check their ratings and compare them school by school. This is subjective as stated Ray. People who loves masame will say Hosho, it is not my opinion. Tegai has had splendid smiths, Shikakke also. http://www.sho-shin.com/contents.htm Each sword has to be judged on its own merit. One cannot say this school is better than this one ex-abrupto.

I don’t understand your question Chris. What means T1? What kind of classification are you looking for? Time schedule between schools? Quality classification?...

My friend Nick has always fantastic combinations of sword with Koshirae, not Darcy’s level but among the top 5 Western Nihonto dealers

Just for info, compared to Shinsa panel, Tanobe sensei is less timid and often omits the Den on his sayagaki when he has no doubt.

He, He, He......

My friend Jeremiah wrote, « Sometimes I think the discussions here drift off into "well there are toku juyo swords that are better, so just save and buy that" which is both silly and a non starter. » How true, but reread this topic: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12646-advices-for-newbies-buyers-rules-of-thumb/ I am reindulging now in 19th century US handguns, you cannot imagine the number of traps that are to be avoided, but sometimes you have to make the jump and I committed costly errors at my beginning which I could have avoided if I had had a mentor. I have just founded fantastic books written by Americans on these pistols and I have learned a lot more, I am becoming a real connoisseur but nothing could have been possible without this mentor and the arm fairs held in France. My next move will be a Remington 1875 in 44-40. I intend to make also my own ammos.

Very good Chris, you learn quickly

Bump. Remember a generous donation to the Board is at stake:) Time payment available of course.

Condolences to his beloved ones.

Chris, I want you to give a date under this format for Tenmon 3 : 15XX

Splendid Chris!!!!! Now, next lesson: third year of Tenmon=??? Hint: this is a trap

Chris, Ou have rhe era now you must find the year. http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm In a Japanese date, you have first the era, then the year of the era finishing by a day in the XXX month http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm You found the era, just after you have the number of year then the numeral of the month followed by the kanji « a day »

Search the Forum Nick. This topic has been discussed at length hundred times.

Don’t hesitate to ask the « why’s » JP. Sometimes the answer is irrational, it is just a gut feeling from having seen such kind of sword by a given smith.

JP, Concerning your request, a new Topic has been posted by Jean, a new French member. Subject: identify his sword from pictures (school/age) Ray and myself will go for Uda school, Nambokucho. Now you will say: why this kantei? It is very difficult to answer. First it requires for this kantei to have seen a few Uda blades to understand the school. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28359-find-info-on-muromachi-blade/ Begin by asking the question: why Nambokucho? What are the features of a Nambokucho sword? Does this blade fits these features, try to get the answer from the pictures. Now the school, what are the Nambokucho two leading schools? Bizen and Soshu, these two school concentrates more than 75% of sword production. Now can this blade have features of one of this school, if yes, which one? Now how is the hada, is it smooth or tight or coarse, after it is a question of Study of leading Bizen smiths, of Soshu school, Masamune and his jutetsu (ten brillant pupils) and the school they begot. You have to reach a decision after weighing the pros and cons, the mune: generally Soshu influenced schools can have a mitsu mune. The hada of this blade is rough which makes one think of Northen country, this leads to Uda school, remains the iori mune not a feature for the school, thus Ray comments

Welcome Jean, My guess would be Uda school also, second half of 14th century

Bishu Osafune KiyoMitsu. BTW, the blade is suriage. For the date I let you have a try, it is Muromachi. http://www.jssus.org/nkp/koto.html

And if no bid and the blade is shoshin be ready « to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune » LoL

Maybe, Maybe not; it May or May not, whatever the pun, it will happen. The only problem is that no one is able to foresee what will happen after... Brexit takes care of the separation between UK and EU but not of what will happen after, a lot of commercial/other agreements will have to be negociated and signed after, it will take time, maybe years meanwhile ...????

Being an ebay addict only for glassware (no fakes), I’d like to know what is ebay policy concerning fakes being posted for genuine articles cannot ebay be sued for allowing such things?

Session 25 is not worse than another, you must only know what to pick up among the juyo upgraded swords, just more laxist. I have a juyo Ryokai of the 25th session with an arm long sayagaki by Tanobe san ending by chinchin chocho

That’s very generous of you Darcy and anyone on this Forum can vouch for you, beginning by me.

For Paris, No problem at all if the sendee lives in the hotel

Done for Lenny

You deserve it, Yurie