Jean

Thanks a lot Paul, in fact my English was not so bad for you understood it very well :D :D

Peter, 1 - Ask the polisher to have a window opened in order to see if it is worth a full polish. Meanwhile, oil it slightly in order to prevent rust expansion 2 - Were I You, I'll wait the polisher answer before undertaking any fitting purchase, unless you prefer to get a complete set of fittings which could be used on your next peurchase, should this blade not being worth it. Take care

Peter, I could not have translate it better let us thank Kitsune for his comments and insight vision on utsuri, he is probably in France one of the three top students /experts on Nihonto. For NMB members interested iyou can register and have access to Kitsune post-it that you can babel, Rich Turner is already member. You will find huge information on Nihonto ....(Kodogu, armour ...) and have a try at Kitsune kantei corner, you will cry ....

Peter, As long as you have not brought your sword to a polisher, nobody can say if the blade is kazu uchi mono or not, there is always a chance that it is a fair blade. On the French Forum managed by Kitsune there is a post it on Kazu uchi mono: http://token.alldiscussion.net/koto-f6/ ... n-t490.htm You can google it for translation

Dino, there is : "Tsuba, An Aesthetic Study", by Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert Haynes, from the "Tsuba Geijutsu-Ko" of Kazutaro Torigoye, 300 pp. $25 domestic, and $35 international, includes shipping." Follow this link : http://www.ncjsc.org/ http://www.satcho.com/ see Tosogu section Haynes'auction catalogues are fine Nihon TÔ Koza vol VI on kodogu is fine

Afterthought, Could it be that the nakago has bee shaved/filed on the mei side just above the mei and then slightly bent above the mei to recenter it? But why do it on the mei side and not on the other side, where is the logic?

Fantastic post Paul , thanks a lot for this e-lecture. Now, on the mei side the shinogi is crisp above the line and seems erased, flattened, under the line, what could be the explanation? I am trying to understand, (forgive the English - I am trying to be clear :lol: :lol: ) Seeing the blade from above (mune side), I have shaved/filed the right side of the nakago, to leave the mei intact. So the Nakago is no more centered/in line. To right it I have to bend it slightly to the right (am I right?) in that case should the line not be on the right side and not the left side where there is the mei? I am sure I am wrong but where is my mistake?

Agreed on your conclusion Brian, Once removed the mei, it looks good.

Foxy Reinhard has written : Steve, Perhaps also a few questions : Why this horizontal line just above the mei? Henceforth, from the left picture why this colour difference between the upper and the lower part of this line? Why different yasuri-me between the upper and the lower part of this line? Why is the shinogii line crisp above this line and rather erased under?

Worksheet : http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/swrdinv.htm

Thanks a lot guys that's what I thought. Unfortunately, few of NMB members are lucky enough to live in Japan, in France, we have no Japanese sword/kodogu shows, sword market is so narrow .... Some dealer shops, scarce, with very few blades (most of them of middle quality). From time to time, public auctions with fair blades (most of them to be restrored) .... Since January, nada ...

No, I had the problem with Fine Sword (their subsidiary) and I mailed to Ginza, the problem was solved in a cuple of days. They even apologized for their subsidiary not giving anuyanswer to my mail.

Thanks for the answer Guido. I have already bought 3 swords from Tsuruta-san (Nio, Enju, Bizen) and he has attractive blades at very competitive prices. He is a very decent fellow to deal with and being used to Westerners behavior, if the sword is not on consignment you can get a 10% discount. In fact I trust him in his judgment. The three questions to ask Tsuruta-san are : - Do you recommend this sword? If he says yes, then carry on, if he says neither yes or no (he will never says no but send a biaised answer) then skip it - Are there any kizu not mentionned in the description? He shall list them all and even take pictures. - Is it possible to get Tanobe sensei sayagaki? If he says yes and Tanobe sensei performs it, you are assured that the blades are of fine qualities. It is worth all kanteisho. If tanobe sensei declines the sayagaki, your sword is not TH level ... Prices generally not only reflect blades quality but fashion (Have you noticed that some smiths are much in vogue - Hizen - Koyama Munetsugu, Ishido Korekazu ....) and that some of their TH blades sell at higher prices than some Juyos?

Ichi, Guido, Moriyama san ... In your opinion which is the best on-line shop (in terms of quality:price)?

Thanks Guido that's what I thought furthermore it is impossible to discuss prices, they answer with a flat refusal

Hi Ichi, Guido, Of course you are right and I am sure (with my poor kanji knowledge) that if I have a problem in translating I shall have all needed help from you. :D :D Now, as France is not a reference for sword market, this company's swords/kodogu/Tosogu seem quite outstanding in quality. How would you compare the quality in regards to quoted price?

Thanks Ichi, I have already checked all issues :lol: :lol:

Hi Ichi, Thanks for the information. Does it mean when you subscribe you get the English version?

In fact, If I have quoted Aoi Art, it is because It was handy Nihonto.com, comments from Fred : http://www.nihonto.com/7.1.07.html http://www.nihonto.com/9.2.07.html

Hi Stephen, Don't worry, it is not kazu-uchi mono as to implement a mass production, it takes some times. The phenomenom has been slowly increasing along the years and I entirely agree with Carlo' post. My friend,IMHO, Your blade being dated and having original hi you have no problem at all. In fact, I think that Hi are very time consuming and are not in line with kazu-uchi mono blades concepts. Furthermore your blade is dated which was current with Eiko Bizen blades (I have a Bishu Osafune Yoshimitsu wak dated 1455). Paul, As I am at work, I cannot search in my documentation, but have a look at the Nihonto Koza Sue Bizen (Only 2 pages for this period ... before describing some lineage (Sukesada, Kiyomitsu, Tadamitsu..) Paul, that is a very big shortcut, we are only talking of Warring states blades beginning with "Bishu Osafune ..." My list of questions is longer : Not all blades beginning by "Bisho Osafune ..." in this period were Kazu-uchi mono because one of them is Juyo but Nihontai is always full of exceptions, but most of them were. As so far, I have no answers to my question list on "Bishu Osafune " blades : Why inscribe a nengo on a kazu-uchi mono blade? Why bother to carve a hi on a kazu-uchi mono blade? Kazu-uchi mono have probably varied in length following the trend I am sure some NMB members must have the answers in their documentation (Japanese sources) http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/(41)%20No.596.htm http://www.hayashibara-museumofart.jp/m ... 0Bizen.pdf http://www.nihonto.com/9.2.07.html

I have read this statement on Aoi-Art website : First the link : http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/katana/07557.html Then statement : Is this statement relevant or not? When did start, thrive Kazu-uchi mono production during the warring states period? Tai-Ei? Can we say that a Bishu Osafune mei with a nengo is a Kazu-uchi mono? http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/katana/06222.html Can we say that a Bishu Osafune mei + original hi is a Kazu-uchi mono? Where do stand niji mei blades (taking into account that I have seen blades with nijimei Tokubetsu Hozon)? Is there a typical length for a kazu-uchi mono?

Thanks Pete, I did not know that Shinsa could be so good as to determine from "Bishu Osafune" without the swordsmith name that the blade is gimei. Sue koto Gimei Bizen blades I have come across had "Bizen koku Ju ..." mei, or at least a nengo together with Bishu Osafune. If mass bundled swords were in fashion for Bizen cutting ability, I am not sure it is the case nowadays. I was assuming the blade is koto so I have ruled out shinshinto (nakago, hada, suguta, nagasa... are quite different). The mei seems to be quite old (from the same period as the sword), but only shinsa can confirm it or not . Which leads me to think that even if it is Bizen, at 95%, it can be a Kazu uchi mono. I say "it can be" because of the lack of polish. It could be after a polish a real gem. All in all, price+polish+shinsa = 2,5 k$ (more or less) - before doing anything I should have a window opened by a polisher. The Nakago patina has suffered to .... But, if the sword takes the polish as it is katana so why not...

Hi Peter, Blades with mei (signature) beginning by "Bishu Osafune ...." are generally considered like being mass product swords during this period (Warring states) cf. following link. http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/TOKJAPAN/WARRING.HTM Ten thousands of blades were forged during this period - Bizen (Bishu) being the most prolific for mass product swords, followed by Mino (Noshu). However, even if the mei begins with "Bishu Osafune ..." : If there is a nengo (date) on the tang (nakago) : it is better If there is an original hi : it is better .... Now to date this sword is almost impossible, it is a typical uchigatana made to be wielded with a single hand, I shall say probably late 15th/beginning 16th century. Starting Tenbun nagasa (cutting edge) was longer. It is compatible with Eisho era (1504) The mei reads "Bishu Osafune Katsumitsu" : Katsumitsu (swordsmith)of Osafune (Village) of Bizen (Province) Suguta (shape) looks like Bizen sue koto and nobody (right in his mind) is going to chisel Bishu Osafune on a sword (no added value ...).

Peter, Few chances to have a museum class sword with mei beginning by "Bishu Osafune ....". Should have it been a museum class sword, Katsumitsu should have at least chiselled the nengo, put is personal name "Jiro..." The mei (signature) should have been something like : "Bizen koku Ju osafune Jirozaemon no Jo Katsumitsu (saku)" and the date "nengo" chiselled on the other side of the Tang (nakago) But that a general rule, there always exceptions (but scarce)

on board Dus