Jean

http://www.aoi-art.com/christmas/main.html I don't remember having seen Christmas sale in past years ...

Hi Walter, I shall say kodai (later generation), the jitetsu seems very good (for Mino) - my guess is Aizuchi Momoyama.

Jeremy, Taking into account Moses'pictures, I doubt you can do better

Looks like war fan witha whip but I am not an expert

Jeremy, Moses is a splendid guy who will gladly answer any of your question, I have already dealt with him and he even sent me a picture of his studio where he takes his blades' pictures

Brian, I think that this discussion (Ted and Reinhards posts) deserves to be part of the Archives and save under subject "Hosho School"

Not far from what I stated my Helvète friend

I asked myself the same question : How can we tell a sword is gimei if there is no reference shoshin one? That's a very good question (congrats Jean )? and the only answer I can find is that all the mei found being different there is no reason to believe that the reference one is shoshin. In this precise case, if there is no existing shoshin mei, the only conclusion I see is the following : We have no means to tell waht was the smith whole workmanship. Must be the reason for which in kantei no blades can be pinpoint to Hosho Sadamune.

Agreed Henry

Here is a good one http://tsuruginoya.com/mn1_3/f00033.html

back, Reinhard, and thank you for the precision, (I thought I was mentionning your post about existing signed blades by Hosho Sadamune)

Mark, One of the giveaway in these fakes (it is easier to spot for newbies) is the mounting : the handle (tsuka) and the way it is wrapped (very poorly done), the ito is of a vey bad quality, knots are crude). Generally, Metallic parts (Fuchi/kashira - habaki/kozuka) seem brand new. In fact, the Koshirae looks like it has been made yesterday. Japanese craftsmen are known for their excellency and their refined taste. You'll never find cheap/flashy in Japanese Art. Just post a picture of the handle and we can show you the difference.

Shan, As you stated, points have no monetary value, so don't make any comparison between your sword and his. As stated by Paul, school/smith/workmanship interfere in the monetary value. I have seen koto Juyo at 2/3 the price of an Hozon Koyama Munetsugu or an Ishido Korekazu. With NBTHK shinsa, you apply for a kanteisho level and you pay for it. With NTHK, you apply for points, but here again, you won't get a Yushu kantesisho if the shinsa is not held in Japan (even if the sword is worth it) An unpapered Masamune shall always have more monetary value than a Tokubetsu Juyo Bungo Takada. If you want to know the value of your sword, it is easy : it is what people are ready to offer you for it, whatever the price. Due to MAC, I am thinking that all prices are going to decrease. There is always a gap between what people think of their property and their real value market As was stated in the Tosogu forum, you can almost have papered tsuba for the price of a loaf. Everybody is welcome to read Darcy's article : http://www.nihonto.ca/ratings.html

I state what I think ...G-man But your question is very good : For my kozuka, what is the best way to clean it and have the dragon "standing out"?

In addition to Paul excellent remarks, I shall add that NTHK goes another stage further in giving an area (very usefull for late Muromachi blades when you have several smiths with the same name)

Shan, Having seen quite a few blades, don't refer automatically to : http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/origcomp.htm A sword which has passed Kanteisho at NTHK shall probably get an Hozon from NBTHK. Criteria are not the same from an organization to the other, AFAIK, NBTHK has no scale (in points) NTHK can be much more selective than NBTHK I have seen many more juyo kanteisho than yushu kanteisho, but i won't deduce that NTHK is much more selective than NBTHK (commercial reasons interfere) Hozon being the basic NBTHK kanteisho, if a sword is presented no lame duck), it will get a Hozon certificate without problem (even Shinto suriage mumeï) I have seen an NTHK shinteisho upgraded to Kanteisho after polish so the scale does not mean so much

Some Heraldic - fleurs-de-lys At the origin, French Kingdom (coat of) arms was : "D'azur à un champ de lys d'or" (bleue covered with gold fleurs-de-lys), later, it became : "D'azur à 3 fleurs de lys d'or" to celebrate the Holly Trinity Bleue covered by 3 gold fleurs-de-lys, We often refer to "le Dauphin" when we are talking of someone who is considered as a leader' heir (political party, kingdom ...) because the French kingdom heir (coat of) arms were : "écartelé aux I et IV d'azur à trois fleurs-de-lys d'or ; au II et III d'or au dauphin d'azur pamé d'azur barbé, crété de gueules." Split in four part, in 1 and IV bleur covered by 3 gold fleurs-de-lys, in II and III gold covered by a bleue Dolphin with red fins http://svowebmaster.free.fr/drapeaux_Dauphine.htm In heraldic : Azur= Bleue Or= Gold Sinople= Green Sable= noir Gueule= rouge That post was intended to teach Milt about Fleurs-de-Lys

You must be mistaking with French Assemblée Nationale

Mark, I notice on your armour a "fleur de lys". Where does it come from?

It was not a compliment Ford but just a statement, you are probably the best teacher in Tosogu techniques I have ever seen. (OTOH, you are the only one I know :D :D ) Knowledge is nothing if you cannot share it (selfishness). Being an expert does not imply automatically one being a good teacher (I know what I am talking about having teached different disciplines for years)

Same for me

Bob, Everybody in the Nihonto community knows you and nobody on the Board would be fool enough to question your expertise/knowledge. Question asked was : Does polishing can create Hagire? and the answer was, only in the straightening process under special circumstances.

Only ones which remain available after Milt's post Ford, you are a master ... sorry I am short of superlative and I am not kidding

He seems to have nice objects (Tosho tsuba)

I have one with a dragon, no seams, nada The kozuka is much better than the picture. It is destinated to the Raffle.