drbvac

Yes sir full size pics would help and it seems the blade is only about 12" long - is this correct? Dimensions would help as well as pictures of the mounts.

Both blades are in WW 2 mounts but the lower one is probably older than the 1900's - It does indeed seem fairly nice from what I can see. Please sign your posts with your real name

I bought from Mike as well and can second all the positive comments placed here. In fact I got a real deal as their was some question as to the authenticity and he switched from a buy it now price to an auction which I managed to win as I knew the kind of money he was looking for - arrived perfectly exactly as described and found an origami to authenticate the signature -

I agree - he did want to give credit where credit was due and I am SURE if he had listed the blades on e-bay and said all that you guys had told him and NOT given an attribution for the information the S would have really hit the fan - one of those situations where there can't be a right or wrong way and as you said - he did try to rectify all. I would hate to guess how many folks on here for simple translations end up selling the blades somewhere using the information - heck at some time we will all sell something and include all information we have accumulated from ALL sources. I know more rules may not help but IF one is actually intending to sell and lets everyone know - if you dont want to help - so be it but on the other hand you never know Like patients asking me questions at cocktail parties - guess I could answer and then hand them a bill but it often doesnt work that way!!

Henry: Did the laquering really tone down the orange coloration in the saya or is it the photo? I much more like this appearance than the brighter color as it fits in more closely to the tones in the rest of the furniture - excellent work!

What Brian said is of course true but using your names is probably not a good way to win friends and influence people. Considering the size of the community bad news gets around fairly quickly and I would never use any info obtained on the board as a verification considering the replies are given without holding the blade in hand. That said if it is only a translation then - .//? Still poor practice

Common guys - we are all here to learn and if not to offer advice at least lets not bash each other -- if a question is posed and answered let it go . If I answer "yes the house is on fire" and someone wants a second opinion let them carry on - me I answered the question to the best of my ability and I am out of the house on fire. The problem it poses to us surfers who read all posts for the knowledge freely given when the post start getting sarcastic I lose all sense of whose jerkin who and what to follow in terms of the theme or point being made.

Some like the impressionists, some like the realists, some like modern, some appreciate the masters - it is only because of the varying tastes in art and artists as well as those that appreciate same that there are the variations in the first place. As it is all personal preference there are no right and wrong or better or best - personal preference - it gets even more complicated with women. I like them all but Suguha is still one of the favourites - simplicity and elegance - simple is often very complicated to do well,

This sword may say nothing other than it has characters on it and a chrysanthemum mon but this is a really odd place for characters anyway - do you have pictures of the "real sword"

I hope you are correct for your sake and if you decide to get it polished would love to see it after and what the polisher feels as far as maker etc.

Even the hadori looks like the hamon was "made" with a couple of passes with steel wool - just scratched, whitened steel - would surely surprise me if it was anything worth while - IMHO of course.

Still listed - yeah it is bad and perhaps so bad that almost anyone would know - can't quite see the "Made in China" label.

Depends - sometimes the seller isnt sure and would like to know - some care of they are making a big deal of the smith - some aren't. I have sent messages to sellers and asked " Does this not say JKKKLK: and they reply - not sure it might - and you say - it does and they either ignore you or correct it

Well -- u can certainly try and put in a minimum bid but I wouldn't pay 600 for it as the fittings are ? and the blade considering what it looks like now is basically ruined in terms of a representative war-time production blade. There isn't even going to be a big demand for this from the military collectors all things considered. Good luck

Stephen: I have used Fed -ex and usually one of the triangular packages and call the sword "antique Japanese wall hanging" or "oriental ornament" ' What do you call them? PS Congrats and thanks for your long term = 3000 posts - lots of computer time

I like the tsuba - are the fuchi and koshira similar in theme and/or quality >?

And the way the signature is - it is the father/older brother of the katana and the curvature etc being a change from the tachi as well as the way it is worn led to the katana. The Japanese as has been noted have many names for the same things.

Thats what I thought and if I had known it would go for less than a grand I may have bid myself

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... AUS%3A1123 This item has ended so I dont mind asking - the nagasa according to the seller is 26cm - 10 inches but I still think it is a shortened ken rather than a tanto and the price seems pretty fair all things considered >

Love iron and carving - no other metals or applique . Kinai - hard to beat. Love dragons - born in the year of the dragon - while ago ! ANd this is on my NaoeShizu blade!

Paul: I picked up this little wakizashi in shirasaya and the inscription is bitchu matsuyama (toshimasa.) It is only 14.5" nagasa. 1' wide but the shape is really appealing unobi zukuri and the hamon bright and clear. The blade was given to A ... Kunihiro and it is so small compared to some of my katana that it just sort of makes you want to hold it. Kind of thing I would like to keep hidden "in case needed? -

What is the ivory hilt in the second picture ?

Martin: That makes sense in terms of the appearance but are they pre-cut and then rubbed on - or is the leaf applied and then traced around. Is there not a paper backing on the leaf that has to be removed as it is applied - from what I recall watching the technique it seems a lot of work for not a lot of return

Well IMHO a lot more than the price but enough that I would stay away - some looks OK some not - it took someone a long time to put it all together for sure and would be nice to know where the seller got it. I am often wrong - eyes are almost as old as the rest of me but the whole nakago is weird, very new, 3 mekugiana mei alnost looks painted or done 2 weeks ago

Funny to hear Keith say to Koto be true and I must in my case agree and it is partly because the technology to forge and polish today although similar were not there 400 years ago. Add to that the fact that the object itself, considering its use, has survived for that long - AND - I here 12000 miles from Japan have it in my study - priceless.