Vermithrax16

I came across this one in a book, it just strikes me as powerful with the imagery and motion depicted:

JT, Ishido Korekazu has quite a few Juyo. A few others. Here is a Tokubetsu Juyo by Ishido Nagayuki: http://www.sword-auction.jp/en/content/as17202-刀：長幸於摂津国作之第24回特別重要刀剣-katana-nagayuki-oite-settsu-koku-saku-korenbthk-24th-tokubetsu

Love Ishido works and Yasuhiro comes from a great line. I still search for a shodai Tameyasu to this day. This one is nice, congrats!

Mumei shinto is usually not a great idea.

Hey Peter! Nice to see you at the NBTHK meeting. Maybe we can convince Mike and the crew to do a meeting on masame hada works someday :) In regards to these swords, I too am always looking for masame works. Nothing excites me the same as that hada, when well done. Aoi has degraded in both offerings and descriptions as of late, but if they say the signatures are no good, I believe them. A quick comparison shows 1st kanji is not in correct spot and all the kanji are not a match for any Kunikane work I have a reference for. As for the swords, both need a polish and seem to lack any nie which means later works (shinshinto). Not worth your time IMO. Your questions (just my thoughts, which won't get you a bus ride): 1. The NBTHK can be maddening, but they draw from a reference set easily replicated by a collector using Grey Doffin's site and Markus Sesko. Maybe a few deep searches as well for a couple obscure items. Their experience is not able to be replicated. Best we can do is seek out the most experienced people we can to ask an opinion, and use our own judgement. Life is short, so my preferred route is to buy polished, papered blades. 2. Removing mei is tricky, Ted Tenold has covered this well. If a work fits the maker but the mei is off, it's tough. If a paper is only goal, it's an easier call. 3. Oh man, I could write a manifesto on this! How many times here on NMB or anywhere do you see the line "it's not a famous maker, so who would fake the mei?". All have been faked in time. All works. A name like Kunikane is a leader in gimei, it's not that crazy at all. Often local smiths only saw a small subset of "real" swords/fittings, and would emulate them as best they could, then sign them in the name of the piece they saw. It's not some wild conspiracy. 4. If anyone has a validated early gen (gen 1-3) Kunikane blades or a Norikatsu blade, PM me and let's make a deal. They are not going to be $5500.

Nihonto should never be seen as an investment. Besides the very high end, enjoy being a caretaker and love learning.

Another arrived today. Printed by Lulu, this one is already an amazing read:

I find that spending time looking through collections and fine works allows me to better develop my eye for better pieces and themes. Never underestimate good books to increase your attention to details. These 3 were sent quickly by our own Grey Doffin. Thanks Grey!

I am not bidding, love the set though. Best of luck.

I asked Markus Sesko for help on the writing on the label, just says "set of snail fittings".

Another transaction with Grey today, again just easy and a great resource. Highly recommend.

Very nice Grev!

Who is "we"?

A friend of mine collects this school. He has bumped into quite a few of this smith works of the same and higher quality, and the bump didn't cost 20-40k.

I loved the piece when I saw it, was confused by the smith as well. But he's an interesting one for sure.

Good guess Curran! I too was firm on Hamano, but was not quite right. This kozuka is by Masatatsu (can be read as Masatoki as well). This metalsmith was a student of the great Ishiguro Masatsune. He was given his 'Masa' part of his name from that work in the Ishiguro school. He later (or had earlier, it's not clear) spent time in study and work in the famous Yokoya school. Well, that's an illustrious career! From what few pieces I could find of his, his work varies from Ishiguro like, to many other styles. A versatile artist. This kozuka depicts the legend of Ataka Barrier in Kaga Province, when Benkei Strikes Yoshitsune. A bit more color here: https://www.toshidama-Japanese-prints.com/item_860/Kuniyoshi-Ataka-Barrier-in-Kaga-Province-Benkei-Strikes-Yoshitsune.htm Mei pic and others below.

I think it's interesting:

Wow!! Great job!

You would be surprised.

Been a bit since I posted, just not much to show. I was able to get this kozuka a while back. Love the motif, and it's a rich shibuichi, the type I love but don't see so much. A good friend suggested Mototada was a maker to compare to, and I have to say, he was spot on as usual. Certainly that deep relief style, though I am not sure it rises to the Mototada level. Shinsa soon. I love the piece, but it was in somewhat rough shape. Enter Ford Hallam, who did his magic of cleaning and restoration. Now the piece is as deep and lovely as I imagined. Excited for this one:

And some get a call out if left field, as we well know Jean. 😀

Thanks for sharing. Very good sword, as of late we don't get to see many.

The drum is a real highlight.

A Sa blade needs a long kissaki for me to want it. That said, both are weak for Sa.

I don't think of the Gokaden outside of the koto era. One of the examples from OP, Kunikane, often signed Yamashiro on his mei, it was regional at that point. Jason, if masame is exciting to you, you have excellent taste (I am biased). Please check out Darcy's site for Hosho works from Koto era. In the Han write up you mentioned, the kantei to Norikatsu, once you see his later works, will make sense when looking at a true Hosho. But there is no relation. Norikatsu worked with and studied with many of the top makers of the shinshinto era, but refined his work to classic levels IMO.