drbvac

Nick Ricupero sells on E-bay and also on his own site Nihonto art. Part of the reason is the audience that e-bay will attract for the reputable dealers since even a Google Search may not show up the site and especially for Canadians the number of collectors would be about the same - no they would be fewer than in New York City. 99% of the blades, mounts etc that Nick sells are also papered which does give you some more faith in what they sell. All other comments are certainly accurate and buyers beware as with any collectible purchase from swords to ships. It is much better as well to search for Nihonto with lots of details, antique, before a certain date, Papered, etc and then apply all the same criteria for any seller - satisfied buyers etc. We all get burnt one time or another but as long as you don't lose your shirt but I would be leary paying much more than a couple thousand on E-bay

Well - obviously if of equal quality or close in terms of condition - myself - I would always choose a Koto blade and a Katana and the papers would be secondary unless there is something to make you worry about the description offered by the dealer. Older Katana's are always a little harder to find and all else equal are usually worth more than a wak.

Just home from holidays and received my " Tsuba" only one unmounted I have and it looks great - thanks - also sent the book to my friend in the Philippines - may take a while to get there

You can always throw it down a set of concrete steps in the rain and leave it sitting outside for a week = that will make it look beat up pretty quickly ;)

The point Jean is making is that the pictures are of a real sword but you can almost bet the one you receive after paying will not be the same one. He probably stole the pics from another site

Swords and fittings in the Boston Museum is a bunch of beautiful photos and explanations of the eras and history but I am not sure it is still in print

It really is a case in all of these situations where the "buyer beware and you get what you pay for " sayings come through - probably the first much more than the last. There are a very very few self taught polishers who have taken the years of study on their own and purchased thousands of dollars worth of stones and other equipment. Anyone every try to paint a car ? how about rebuild an engine - I have done both but the downside of doing it wrong is getting someone else doing it correctly - that aint gonna happen with a blade when steel is removed - it will be altered forever.

Any pictures of the blades other than the nakago?

Agreed - you can't etch a rough rusted blade and you can not polish nihonto with sandpaper - all it will do is remove rust and leave a sscratched metal surface even if you use 3000 grit wet paper - it may be very smooth but not even close to polished. It will just look a different sort of bad - not like stone polished steel. You possibly could get a glassy reflective surface like you have on jewellery with a polishing compound but why I am even going on is beyond me - the results will be not what you think - the best will look like stainless steel polished with steel wool. Either leave it alone or do whatever you want knowing in all liklihood it is not going to be worth any more or less anyway - like that nun that restored the frescoe in the church - remember that - I still laugh everytime I even think about it. She was more pleased with the result than most art historians and at least the robe is all brown.

No doubt it was made during the war - the argument is that there ARE some blades made in the traditional way AND stamped - the acceptance stamp meant they could be taken into war by the holder. There are pages of discussion on these stamps and there are some believe it or not like this one that has hamon that really looks like it is made and quenched

I had some pictures taken before I bought it and asked the same thing and the guy said that it could be removed but as I didnt care and didn't want it arsed up I said leave it - my eyes are bad as yours even in my hand and no stamp but it looks beat up there = then he sold it to a second fella who I got if from and it sure looks like there was a stamp above the mei on the right side of the nakago as it is rough looking and the file marks are scratchy . The buyer wanted the stamp gone and Gendaito or Showata we couldnt decide at the time so I didnt care again as the price was not too awful and as a package it was still pretty impressive - that said = not koto so I dont want it so letting it go - if that was a half arsed removal I am sure someone better than he can touch it up but for what it is - not made in china- still not a bad price and its never going to shinsa - has what certainly appears to be water quenched hamon but again then you get into Gendaito with acceptance stamp? Nother reason but it is a Japanese Katana made in the pre-war years with a half decent total set of mounts by some fella who thought it worth the effort I found a picture from 03 with a stamp but I have no picture from then of the entire tang - could be same one

FacePlant is the first and worst place to say anything because of the wide wide range of expertise that many pages attract from guys here to people who have a hard time tying shoes = thats why they invented velcro. Always speculation on Facebook and as they say "" Some stuff on the internet is just not factual " Abraham Lincoln 1863

YES SIR - 2500 US plus shipping = PAY PAL - I had some questions from a member and to be fair to all buyers will answer them in this post along with some requested pictures: No flaws or cracks - polish a little rough in spots - don't see any stamps but could have been removed - signature is for sure = 23 gen Kanefusa - no cost for pay pal - will ship courier for 75 as stated and I am in Canada for 2 more days then driving to florida for a Month !! Can either do it fast - today tomorrow or can wait till april for a buyer. It is the Canadian / US money exchange rate that is working for you guys this time On the other hand the one I picked up for 15 us is now worth nearly 21G Canadian ! The blade is 27 3/4 " (2).JPG]

Sorry Stephen !!!

This is the second blade I ever purchased and in hindsight probably paid too much - It is the only non- koto blade I still have and am letting it go to a collector of these. The Tsuba,Koshi,Fuchira,Kojiri are all carved dragons and the menuki are bunches of arrows. There is a horimono on both sides - one a dragon and this is a pretty nice all in blade. I paid nearly $4000 for this but will let it go for $3500 and the good thing for you southern friends is that is about $2500.00 US which you have no hope of getting one of these for that price - maybe in a shirasaya . I am heading south for a month but wanted to put the message out there - I can;t take pictures worth a damn but have these and will upload some more later if I can get them ready. Will ship FED-EX you pay - about 50 bucks - will accept pay pal

Many years ago and again when I joined the board DOCLISS took great effort into helping me determine which era of smith made some of my Tsuba when I had no access to books or anything else to assist. He wrote a couple of pages of descriptions and indications that he had found or knew without any question or hesitation and I will always remember his immediate responses to any questions. A real teacher and great man who truly loved his hobby and had no problem sharing any of his knowledge. He will be missed and God Bless.

Here is another nice pair on a Kashu Iehera AND Since you like DRAGONS : These are on a Kanenori

All great pieces and as I do not collect tosogu as such the only ones I have are mounts on my blades. I am partial to these three iron Tsuba however and would enjoy them even if not on the blades they are - also a menuki and Kashira I enjoy a lot @

Well then = thats like getting the Ferrari for 4000.00 DIfferent question - put it this way - if I had 55G to spend on nihonto I am sure I could find one or two others I would be much happier with @@

I am afraid it would drive me insane = like a great big dent in the front of a 1965 Ferrari - nope

Ford = is it possible then that as these little blades were probably not used in a stabbing manner that blade itself did not need to be too firmly fixed into the kozuka and would allow an easy change of blades should one break or get lost >?

I believe I stated they are signed on the blade and not the tang and no I have never seen one signed like a Katana on the nakago - I thought they were usually signed on the side that was filed down or sharpened and it is above the tang where it goes into the Kozuka.

John:: That link worked and that certainly will keep it from falling out and as most are signed on the blade rather than the tang but = must it all be heated again or possibly placed in boiling water to remove it ? There is probably many types of natural goop that will keep it from dropping out when removed from the saya without being a pain in the ass to remove the blade or clean up the Kozuka afterwards?

Any that I have had are not glued in at all but the tang on the kogatana was not "Exactly" flat and it was a friction fit into the slot on the Kozuka . It had almost a little wave in it that held in in place -may not be correct but thats what I have had and seen personally. Hopefully some experts will clarify as you certainly wouldnt want to ruin the tang on any "special" little blades