Johnno

Thanks for that Alex - and yes, I can't complain - I'm no ''expert'' but I am smart enough to know I have been given spot on advice and guidance here... Having said that - as you obviously realize yourself - buying a sword is not like buying anything else - there is very much (well I think anyway) an emotional component to it - these things affect us in a way that nothing else does... I'll be honest - that sword is still speaking to me - very much so I know half the people here will probably say I am certifiable and not talk to me again but I'll be honest and say I decided to go for it lol... I may well kick myself later on - or I might turn out to be happier with this sword than I have ever been with any other sword I have had - only time will tell - so all I can do is say thanks to everyone for their input and their advice If I feel like I messed up later on I have nobody to blame but myself

Wow - I wanted some feedback but right about now my head is spinning But seriously guys, thank you SO much for your guidance thus far... Brian - I know you are making total sense - Geraint - you too... One of you warned me about thinking with the heart instead of the head - but at this stage I guess the head is not winning lol... I guess its also because my three swords are in Australia there with the dealer anyway - and this sword is definitely having an effect on me... I suppose at the end of the day if the trade is favourable and as one of the other chaps said I ''don't pay a Tadahiro price'' then all good... If the mei is gimei that does not worry me so much - if I really love the sword - and if I go into it KNOWING that the mei is probably gimei (i.e. not assuming its genuine) - that is more a psychological thing though I guess... Yes - the mounts on my Shinto Seki School katana are lovely - especially the black urushi lacquer saya (original) - totally superb... I recognize the mounts on the new sword are of more average quality - but the blade (to me) looks long, almost flawless, great hada and suguba hamon that appeals to me - I can't see ''everything'' from the shots but I get a sense there is a good level of activity in the hamon - there is just ''something'' about this sword I really really like... (And yes - I know stuff like it being a ''long'' katana is hardly objective or the right criteria for a Nihonto collector to go by... Anyway - lets see what the deal looks like first I think. I do know that the guy himself is a decent chap and I have always had okay dealings with him in the past - so that is a good thing - and if I could (for example) do a ''straight trade'' I'll be honest - I would probably go for it at this point... Anyway - I really DO appreciate the advice so far - I'll keep thinking and looking and of course anything else that gets posted here I'll be reading too ANDY - do you think you COULD find the pictures of your old Sadahiro ? I would LOVE to have some idea of who is likely to have made this katana... I know this sounds strange - but one of the things that really attracts me to this sword is that for some reason she really reminds me of my ''first love'' - my Kaga Yukimitsu (from about 1527) that I got years ago from Kamata-san at Tokka... A wonderful sword and one I will always regret having sold too... I think I *do* have a ''thing'' for Kaga blades lol...

Any other ideas guys? Like you Kronos (and I am no way any ''expert'') a couple of the pics made me think of Kaga/Echizen - I find this sword *very* desirable so that means (experience tells me lol) that I am no longer able to be objective - the sword just ''speaks to me'' so I know I won't be happy until I have it in my hot little hands lol - but having said that, and assuming (99% sure anyway) that its not Hizen Tadahiro I would very much like ideas - consensus from all the knowledgeable people here - on what school/tradition it does represent... I would not bother sending for shinsa because that would only be extra money spent to be told the mei is gimei - and like a fairly wise person on here said somewhere in the last 24 hours - don't worry about the mei, worry about the sword - and if you like THE SWORD go for it... And that is pretty much where I am at right now - I *like* this sword This might sound like a really strange question (maybe) - but what do you guys think about the quality of the work? The smithing ? My feeling is that whoever actually made her was a highly competent smith indeed - to my novice eyes at least she looks like fine workmanship... (?)

PS IS it only me or is the hada (in some pics more than others) much more reminiscent of the hada you would see in Koto Kaga swords from the 1500s (?)

Thanks for that Alex... Yes - its a very personal thing buying a sword - whether its your first time or you're an old hand... I've studied the pictures (more than once lol) and I *do* like what I see - very much I can't say I'm doing this more with the heart than the head of course - but I think this sword does feel right for me... The curiosity thing is getting to me now though - I'd love to get a sense of who DID make this sword originally - or at least what tradition they came from (this is where the books I no longer have DO come in handy... Certainly my sense of things though is that this smith knew his craft - I *do* like the work... )

Okay - bottom line then guys (?) I should just go ahead and get the sword if I am happy with the sword? (Because right now the way I am feeling is that I *really* want this sword... ) lol And I mean - I haven't even bought myself an Xmas present yet so...

Yes Alex - this is the sword On the consignment sword page you can see my three swords that I am hoping to move/trade up (the Shinto Seki School katana with Higo koshirae and the two koto o-tanto - the top three swords on that page basically)... I know the dealer - he's a martial artist as well (like I was) and personally my thinking is that because of the long Nagasa he might well have been thinking of using this as a sword for training for himself and then decided to move it on (just my personal guess). I've not discussed the signature with him yet - more or less at the initial negotiation stage to see what sort of deal he would be prepared to do in terms of a swap/trade for my three swords... I've changed country yet again and am trying to travel light and the idea of just having one good sword is appealing to me - and I have to admit it - I really *do* like the look of the sword - he has told me that he had the polish done and used antique mounts to make up the new koshirae for it etc. Its an awkward time of the year for communication of course - but what I might do is flick him another email to see what his take on the signature is - I'll be honest though - I know that for most of us collectors there are those who the whole ''gimei thing'' is a major issue for and there are those who simply look at the sword and if they like the sword they like the sword... In a perfect world of course every katana would be Juyo Token, dirt cheap, in fresh polish with magnificent koshirae and super long o-kissaki and kamakura or nambokucho with an 80cm nagasa (lol) but hey - I don't live in that world... I just know I have become *very* accustomed to having at least one real katana around - and without having one now (I am quite literally swordless) its a super weird feeling and I am feeling the katana need again very strongly indeed I guess its true, once you've got the bug there IS no cure... lol

PS Yes - I am still very much interested in the sword - in one way maybe even more so than before because she is a bit of a mystery... Certainly from my sense of things anyway she is a shinto blade of better than average quality and I very much like the look of her - and feel myself getting a very strong urge to get her into my hands lol

Thanks for that Jean So - let me ask another question then - what would be your take on most likely school/tradition the smith that made the sword came from ?

PS I'm not sure if I can get all of the worthwhile pics uploaded here in one hit - but for you guys to have a look and see what you think - I might just give it a go... In terms of time period I think I would place her somewhere from 1650 to 1700 - that is just my ''gut feel'' though... (I have absolutely no concrete reasons for this...) Your thoughts guys ?

Thanks Paul and Alex... I think you are both making a lot of sense I am definitely getting the urge to have this sword - even if she is not what she says she is... But having said that, I am now getting mega curious as to what she actually IS lol And yes Paul - like yourself - I really wish I still had all my reference books - but the problem is I have done a bit of travelling the last few years so have had to travel light - so my books were one of the first casualties... When it comes to this sword I'm relying very much on my instincts rather than on *knowledge*...

(I am just thinking here - the hada - in some of the shots I have of the new sword - it IS (without having handled the sword in person) more reminiscent of the more ''open'' hada I have found in later koto Kaga and Echizen blades I think? Or is this just my imagination ?)

Jean - this is the sort of direct comparison you were wanting me to make re: hada yes ? http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2013/13177-1.jpg

PPS Jean - BINGO - thanks for that... I spent a bit of time comparing last night - your links and a few others too - the sword definitely appeals to me - but I have doubts re: Hizen Tadahiro or not also - and that is where we get into a whole new area - I know some collectors totally freak out at the idea of having a ''gimei sword'' - but as I said - the sword really does appeal to me - but I can tell - even with my very limited knowledge of Hizen-to - that it doesn't look ''typically Hizen'' - whatever that is...

PS Its a dealer in Oz who has this sword - and I have dealt with him before and there is no issue there (so its not like I am trying to make trouble or anything lol) - I believe he is totally honest and only sells genuine Nihonto etc. I've actually got him trying to sell my Shinto seki school katana (Fujishiro kanteisho) in higo mounts and my two long koto tanto - and things are a bit slow right now (economy in Oz is not great) and to be honest I think its given me time to think and realize I really *don't* like the idea of being without at least ONE good blade to enjoy... I'm also one of those weirdos who likes to have ''a bit of both'' - a sword that I can appreciate and learn from but also handle - practice a little bit of basic Iai with - that is blasphemy in some quarters I know but its just me lol...

Hi Jean - started doing that last night - having another look now... Yes - I am definitely seeing some variation - I am FAR from an ''expert'' - I just know what I like... But - would I be right in saying that there is an ''unspoken'' consensus already that if I submitted this sword for shinsa the mei would be considered gimei ? (and that if I was NOT so ''rusty'' and if I had not sold my copies of Nihonto Koza and Fujishiros and so on I should have probably made that call myself ?) Maybe its just me and being a newbie on the board here but I am starting to feel a bit dumb - that there is something SUPER obvious I am missing and that I still haven't gotten a handle on it I mean - I LOVE the sword - she definitely speaks to me - powerful strong long blade - not my ''ultimate sword'' of course - I'm a nut for early and long o-kissaki stuff from kamakura/nambokucho periods etc...But I am on a budget and I guess I am wanting to trade up the three remaining pieces of Nihonto I have for one sword I will basically be happy/satisfied with until I either win the lotto or get rich and can afford to *really* collect again lol John.

PS Amongst other things would be interested to know if you guys would say send it straight off for shinsa or not...I am definitely not an expert on Hizen-to - this will be my first - Koto Kaga and Echizen blades used to be my thing in the past - but there is something about this sword that really speaks to me - thought I would get the opinions of those much more expert than myself...

Hi all, Looking seriously at trading up to just the one sword (well trading up for me anyway - not a very rich individual but I do have the Nihonto bug and have had it for a long time...) Anyway - I'd be most interested on comments on this Hizen Tadahiro katana I am looking at... Many thanks in advance, John:)