Frank B

I currently have a gold layered on copper habaki. I have no desire to fit it to any blade, merely to appreciate it.

No, definitely not for scrap. I've always wanted a fine gold habaki, just for study.

Hello, does anyone have a one piece gold habaki for sale?

Thank you, I agree on all accounts.

Fully agree as well, knowing the owner of the bowie would really put in in perspective. As to why he would choose a Japanese blade over an American one.

Jean, the owner gave it to Mr. Benson to polish. Mr. Benson then submitted the blade to shinsha, where it got ikkansai yoshihiro attribution. Mr. Benson was the one who handled everything, as mentioned earlier polished- then submitted.

Anyone want to take a stab at translating the bowie handle signature?

I agree with you on all accounts Jean.

I see what you mean Jean, but I think it's a little too far. Filing and repatinating dont take away its title as a nihonto in my opinion.

Thank you again for all the help.

Mr. Benson mentioned a norishige/ kouda school reference.

What kind of a price jump would it be if it was attributed to a good muromachi smith?

What is the payout of the lottery really worth? So far the vast consensus has.been muromachi era. I do.not see.a reason to pay 1000 for something I know and.that others can see.

From rereading the original description. It does seem that mr. Benson submitted it.

I am not sure if it was through him.

I am interested to hear others opinions. Thank you for all the help Luis, I will research mr. Martin.

I see, thank you.

What is the process/cost of going through a new appraisal?

Thank you Luis, is it fair to say than that this sword is muromachi?

here you go

more photos

photos

Hello, I am new to the NMB and would love to hear any thoughts on this blade. It was purchased from a fellow member of NMB, and prior to that was polished by Bob Benson. The tanto was originally in a 19th century bowie mounting, but the previous owner removed it and sent it to Bob Benson for polishing. Mr. Benson thought the tanto was at least from the muromachi era. It was then sent the NBTHK and was appraised to Ikkansai Yoshihiro, a shinshinto smith. He made copies of Norishige blades, however this dating does not correlate to Mr. Bensons. I am curious on others thoughts. Here are Mr. Bensons comments. This tanto is very interesting in that it is in mounting that one sees on knives from the BOWIE KNIFE period. So many blades were brought out of Japan after 1856 and used for many purposes other that being carried by Samurai. Prior to 1900 they were bought and used in America to cut sugar cane. This piece found its way here and was converted into a knife of the period. A Bowie knife. The nakago had been cut down a bit and wood handle attached. The remaining old rust on the tang had a deep blue color suggesting that it was at least from the early Muromachi era. To eliminate the new file marks and cleaned surface the tang was re-patinated before the blade was polished. After polish it looked like it had Matsukawa hada associated with the Norishige or Ko uda school. It was submitted to shinsa where it was appraised as a NAKAYAMA IKKANSAI YOSHIHIRO, a shinshinto smith that made copies of Norishige swords. Nakayama Ikkansai Yoshihiro is a good smith. The blade should be submitted once again. Because of the wear from polishing the blade has to be an earlier period and the Bowie mounts could precede the period of Yoshihiro. Overall a historical piece and highly collectable. Bob