drbvac

I meant at the price for someone wanting a show piece for a collection as a starter it can't be beat and a lot of newbies are spending more than this on junk - it was a compliment to the blade and the price as a bargain - I am not sure what exactly you are getting at with your comment. I have paid more for a lot less and I have been buying them for 55 years.

Thank you Andrew - just spent some time on your website and your work and shop are spectacular - too bad you are exactly on the opposite side of the earth from me !

From his reply "Tsukurigane (‘tsukuri’ generally translates as ‘making’ or ‘to make’ or relates to a particular technique of manufacture such as ‘shinogi-zukuri’, but in this case I believe ‘tsukuri’ infers a meaning of the steel being controlled or contrived). It’s a type of kawagane which is made by forging together two or more different billets of steel, often forging them together using a relatively low number of folds. The different billets used in the process can each be folded in the same pattern (e.g. ko-tame) and can be of the same number of folds, so when they’re combined, there’s no discernible difference between them in terms of the pattern or the fineness/tightness of the grain. But, these different billets usually have vastly varying carbon content, which means once polished they’ll produce different colours and textures, and different amounts of ji-nie, which is what creates the chikei effect running through the jigane. The less you fold these billets together to combine them, the larger the chikei pattern it’ll create, and the larger the difference in carbon content, the more contrast there’ll be in the chikei. Apparently, combining them using limited folds, but without producing kitae-ware is extremely difficult, but when done masterfully as Naotane was able to achieve, it can create a very beautiful chikei effect flowing through the jigane."

Extremely interesting and educational and written in a scholarly non-confrontational style so we all can LEARN and not just rant and belittle others. Points out that what is seen really is in the eyes of the beholder but more importantly is the point of view - especially if seen from all perspectives with an open mind. That's what life is - see it through the eyes of others and respect their vision

Bargain for some newbie with some bigger budget and wants a piece to be a great start for a collection - tough to beat for a papered tachi from this era.

Looks like Itame with some mokume mixed in - there - has both - everyone happy now !!!

Agreed - enough already - lock the thread - enough mud thrown and it is not really funny any longer - agree to disagree and move on !!

Potatoe - potato - tomato -tomatoe - you guys can't have much to do !!!!!!

Then again it can be in the eye of the beholder and to quote Markus "As mentioned above, mokume is when you see true burls. They might appear as larger ô-mokume or as smaller ko-mokume burls. An obvious ô-mokume can be seen for example at Ôei-Bizen blades (e.g. Morimitsu [盛光], Yasumitsu [康光], Moromitsu [師光]) but there is some kind of confusion when it comes to associate mokume in general and ko-mokume in particular as the Hon’ami school of thought seems to apply these terms to what others refer to as itame or ko-itame respectively. (Accordingly, most of the blades show for them variations of mokume instead of itame.) Again, I for my part say for the time being that a hada is itame unless there are some obvious burls and then it might be itame mixed with mokume. So please don’t get too much confused about when it is itame and when it is mokume as it is in many cases a mix anyway.

Great argument gentlemen - no one is going to win cause to every exception there is another rule

Just call it the Florida Token Kai for the study of Nihonto and don't mention swords anywhere !!!

I checked some databases and although the Mino Tadayoshi did sign with two characters they are not the same - these are the same as the Hizen Tadayoshi and I think there are only two that sign with the same mei and are from Kaga province but can't find any actual signatures to compare - oh well - could be them I suppose but are from 1600's

THe smith conducted the test !!!

Signed - Kashu Kanawaza-Ju Sumimiya Kanenori forged 1687 - and although there are over 30 Kanenori listed only 2 even have Sumimiya in their descriptions and seemingly only worked after 1688 !!!! The fittings are pretty nice as well - and papered by NBTHK, NTHK - NPO, All I am wondering if anyone has any information on this particular smith - there is even a typo in the cutting description which I have shared with Markus for his files. I did fund this in one directory of Japanese smiths and it is probably him but the dates don't match when the sword was forged but only out by 1 year - maybe one of his first attempts and that is why he tested it ! Anyone ever see any additional info on this smith ?

Thanks for your thoughts - will do

I have had this blade for a while and knew it was gimei for the famous smith of this name but wonder if it could be one of his students or later generations or even an unrelated smith with the same name. 2 character mei is rare for certain but considering the hamon I think if intending to want to fake a TADAYOSHI they might have tried to copy one of his more carefully. In any event it is a nice blade, probably shin-shinto and maybe I should just get the mei removed ?

This was on the board a long time ago and then I wasn't as close to the possibility of no longer being among the living. That said it is a real problem for collectors of anything as to what happens when you are gone? I have spent a long time and not an inconsiderable amount of money on Nihonto and my wife doesn't even know what any of them are worth. I do not see any of my children or grandsons really interested enough in the blades to take the time to learn of them and proper care if I should leave them to any of them. I don't want them left to a museum to be put in storage and never see the light of day again or end up all rusted to hell and worthless. I certainly don't want my wife to be at the mercy of any unscrupulous dealers or individuals who would offer her a fraction of their worth, nor do I want to sell them yet. I really don't own them as such - just paying the rent on them and caring for them as they should be. Maybe a market for dealers to pre-buy collections at a fair value and when notified of my passing the amount can be sent to my estate and the blades shipped off all together? I certainly want someone who is willing to pay a fair price and to continue taking care as someone has for the last several hundred years. It is quite a conundrum for us "older" enthusiasts for sure. I would not expect my spouse to list and sell them one by one and ship them all over the place - not fair to them and she is already annoyed at how many I have bought and sold. If she was to get into that and figured what I spent and possibly she will lose on their sale - I would be in hell for an extra couple of years. Should I make a list of what they cost and the date of purchase or what they should fetch at sale and say = do not open till I am gone? Has anyone else figured a way to assure they continue to be cared for and not losing a fortune in the process

The humidity is kept at around 30-40% which is low enough to make sure that the moisture available won't precipitate on a cooler blade which being at 68' all year round is not likely - It is like getting water on the outside of a cold glass . It is also not low enough that any wood would dry out beyond what it has over the last 100 years or so !! I built the cabinet with adjustable oak shelves and there is a small heat source in the bottom like is used in gun safes - it gets warm and enough to keep the humidity down. That said there is a dehumidifier in our basement to keep it lower as well. I usually oil the blades and apply a wax to the koshirae every couple of months and so far after 10 years = no problems

I really think it is a generational thing as many many young people have no interest in ANYTHING old or not electronic and we all have homes filled with antique furniture and collectiblet s from Royal Dalton Figurines to Picasso art prints. None of my children want any of it!!!! All the sets of china etc sent down from previous generations are in the dump as is crystal and all sorts of other items. They do collect stuff - video games and sneakers and sports memorobilia but it is getting rare and Nihonto is not something that appeals to very many people at the best of times I have no answers but appreciation for history and art blades is a dying field

I have all my bare blades exhibited in a humidity controlled glass front locked display case and with the blades oiled regularly and they have been like this for over 10 years. Oiling is vital regardless and most museums and nihonto displays the blade is bare so I am pretty sure it is OK. I get the added benefit of seeing the Koshira and all fittings at the same time and people can not touch anything. Actually fairly peaceful just looking !

AOI has usually very good blades and with the current exchange rate on the yen the prices are relatively good compared to stateside - that said the shipping is always a problem since EMS and some of the other couriers are not shipping from Japan to NA. I have no idea what the cost will be to ship but someone should be able to tell what the costs were in the past couple of months.

Always have great service and prices from Nick and all blades are excellent and papered: https://nihontoart.com/

In early 1980" I bought this katana through a Military Sword dealer in Canada from a collector in Quebec. The sword is not papered and unsigned but has been attributed to Akaska Senjuin Schoool in Yamato tradition from 1500's . It was in excellent polish and the mounts were as much an attraction as the sword itself which made me think that it was at some point very special to someone. The Tsuba is dragon design signed by Kinai of Echizen, the Fuchi/Koshira is of Omari waves signed by Tsurhide 1800's and the Menuki are Shakudo dragons with gold eyes. The white lacing and the whole package was just perfect and it is still one of my favourite blades and the only one from back in the day I still own. Many others have come and gone and many are more expensive that this was and I am getting too old to bother getting papers for it but one of these days someone is going to get a bargain and for them send it for shinsa. I am sure both the mounts and the blade would be given a high rating.

Morihiro Ogawa was the curator of Japanese Weapons at the Boston Museaum of Fine Arts probably 25 years ago and his book and the photos from that time in the museum is a work of art on its own. After he left there he became the curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and even if the blade was unsigned he probably could give some sort of attribution to the blade in question - that said I am almost certain as mentioned before he probably said as was mentioned earlier that it was a mumie blade of a certain date range - period. The last will and testament story I have heard before in several variations but that in and of itself would make no sense whatsoever. Wills are usually left in trust with someone other than the person whose will it is so that the people who are left after they die can access what their final wishes were for their worldly good. To hide the document in a place where it would probably never be found except by mistake makes no sense at all.

If you must have it from Japan then so be it but any good wood craftsman can make you one to order for as many or few swords as you want at a lot less price than having it shipped from the orient.