Jean

From France : Bienvenue Bill, I hope NMB will meet your expectation (in fact I am sure)

Milt, You are right, futhermore goose tong is even more meaty - splendid :lol: :lol:

Waynes, Unfortunately, NBTHK kanteisho are less precise than NTHK ones, they seldom give the generation or an era (nanki)

In order to answer your question Rich, I think that the best way to get the solution is : 1 - identify one 2 - kidnap him 3 - Hand him over to Milt (better knwown in some circles as the "Mad dentist" 4 - having him confess his reasons under threatening (something like : be a nice boy or Good Doctor Milt is goig to "bungo" - neologism - your teeth. Alternative, I could threaten him of over overfeeding with foie gras and Sauternes but if he is like Milt, I am sure he won't talk. I am thinking of using rather frog legs (with a lot of garlic) :lol: :lol: :lol:

W.Y. I am not sure at all that this tanto went to Juyo shinsa, anyway I am pretty sure there are probably people ready to put up that money (without Juyo papers) only on the name. If Kiyomaro is the equal of Masamune, it means owning a Da Vinci or a Rembrandt, or to be more in line with the 19th century a van Gogh or a Renoir

Obvious question : Do you know if it has been submitted to Juyo shinsa??

I totally agree with Guido, And it has not to be even Osuriage, slightly suriage is enough to prevent a Muromachi or later blade going Juyo. There are so many quality swords from these areas remaining ubu. Now concerning this tanto, has it only been submitted to Juyo shinsa? Remember, to have a blade papered you have to submit it to shinsa have seen fantastic Shinshinto blades only TH, too young my friend!!! But once again, shinsa has nothing to do with pricing.

Hi Milt, IMHO, I totally agree with YHO :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Eric, Many thanks for the input I did not even know what kind of blade it was

To answer Guido, I think that in Europe, there is only one Kiyomaro blade. I don't even know what it looks like ..... :lol:

Hi, What is Shinsa all about? An alternative : - either confirming a kantei or, - confirming the value of a blade Kantei as confirming the value of a blade, IMO, is reductive and false. True Nihonto students are able to determine a blade value without any paper. If you go to Aoi Art website, you shall see 2 TH papered katanas : One by by Tsunatoshi and one by Tsunanobu, look at the prices ... I remember on the same site an ubu signed ichimonji katana (hozon at most) which sold in a few minutes for 6 000 000 yens. A blade being Hozon, TH, Juyo ... only means that the blade has been submitted to the corresponding shinsa ...... Shinsa states quality and not price ..

Hi Waynes, Fine blade, I like the suguta : very elegant. It fits (from the picture) Yamato den so it could be Ko Naminohira. Kyushu Island, in Kamakura, was mainly influenced by Yamato/Yamashiro schools. Later on we find some Soshu influence. The kanteisho seems brand new Back to work

Hi Rich, A very fine blade, and above all congratulation for the pictures (you are too modest...)

I cannot agree with you Ken Have you ever tried to open a letter with a gimei Katana, holding it by the handle, not very handy unless being Darwin Missing Link or a Migou :lol:

Hi Max et All, Why is this a Kaga F/K and not a Higo one, what is the difference?

Andreas, Concerning the blade polish, ask directly Tsuruta san. The pictures are oustanding and give a clear picture of the polish : There are a few scratches (not many) at least one blemish on the Shinogi ji (perhaps oil stain). The kissaki has few scatches (often happen) and probably some rust at the tip.

Hi Wayne, Clumsy mei, the two kanji are not even in alignment. Very fresh nakago for a koto blade, fresh rust. Mei (there are always exception) are seldom chiselled right on the ridge line. Do not buy it

Hi James, Yes, you can find ashi on a suguha hamon, I have a Bizen Tadamitsu blade based on suguha with a lot of ashi

Hi Clay, From the Yakidashi and the hada (as shown on the pictures), I'll go for a shinto blade

Min Lee, I am returning to work and do not have availibiliy of my archives but if my old brain still works I remember of an Osafune Sukesada smith working at the end of Nambokucho around Mei Toku. Sukesada is as often used as name in Bizen province as "Smith" in England :lol: :lol: :lol: That's the best pun I could make today (not bad for a frog) and the last one for a fortnight as I am leaving for a 2 week holidays in South of France. So long mates, be back in July

Min Lee, Wrong, for the following reason : Bishu Osafune ...is a very common mei, all depends when the sword was forged : before Onin or after. Before Onin, it can be a very good sword, after it has to be checked on a case by case basis, it is usually commonly accepted that "Bishu Osafune .." mei swords are of poor grade (Bundle swords) but they are also fine swords with a mei beginning by "Bishu Osafune .." Rule of thumb, never take anything for granted in Nihonto. I think that NMB members will gladly welcome a new thread with some pictures of your blade showing Nakago omote/ura, boshi and mono uchi with the usual inventory sheet giving blade characteristics (measurements ...) It is a very good exercise and enables one to study blade very carefully

remember that on this topic we have ruled out "Mizukage sworsmiths" as Horikawa kunihiro and that we are talking about a suriage blade. Mizukage in that way implying retempered blade

Interesting blade, I am not a specialist but I think that the question we have to answer is : What is the meaning of Mizukage (let aside Horikawa Kunihiro)? Mizukage means that the blade has been retempered, if this is the case, can a sword be retempered only on one side? I should answer no as it seems almost impossible to heat only one side of the blade to have iot retempered. Other question : How a blade can loose its tempered edge only on one side? Difficult ... Now, look at the other side of the blade at the hamachi, no sign of any Mizukage, ko ashi seem visible. On the presumed Mizukage side of the blade, the hamon is looking nioi deki and seems to be running under the Mizukage line. IMHO, I won't say this is Mizukage.

Just to add some inputs : 1 - France has had only three Emperors. 2 - The first one is well known Napoleon 1st, the second one (l'Aiglon) died very young from, the third one Napoleon III ruled France for about 18 years. 3 - Napoleon I is one of the most famed sovereign (or ill-famed depending where you were born at this time) : He has benn considered as the equal of Alexander the Great or Caesar Augustus, conquered most part of Europe and lost all. He was so feared that he has to be exiled in Saint Helene island in the middle of Atlantic Ocean between Angola coast and Brazilian coasts. His reign was very flashy and left a furniture style inspire from Roman Empire which 200 years later is one of the most aprreciated. If you ever come to France, visit l'Assemblée Nationale (French House of Deputies) which is very impressive. He has influenced Europe and is at the origin of what is called the "Code Civil" which has been adopted more or less in a lot of countries and which still rules our daily life in France. He created special rewards for the braves (Honour swords engraved with gold inlays), medals : légion d'honneur which still exists with different grades, the highest one being given to the French Republic President. Considering this sword, it is gold plated and belong to the only Emperor who matters in the French History. He must not have owned more than 3 swords (which mattered) in his whole life. This one is probably unique in its style, no others were made (I am sure he took the necessary steps no others were forged :lol: :lol: ) In fact, it is a Symbol as the DojiGiri but must not be considered as a sword

Hi, Here is another bizen wak, fully mounted (nice kodogu) of Oeï period by another Jo saku smith. http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/wakizashi/07138.html Price can always be discussed, no harm Bizen 15th Wak are very interesting and of very good quality. I am not making wak collection, but were I, I undoubtedly choose 15th century Bizen wak. All smiths making wak at this period were all (more or less) Jo saku smiths. Here is my Eikyo Bizen Kosori Yoshimitsu, this kind of Hi + bonji is typical of the period :