bnacorda

Here’s some more photos along with the rest of the Nihonto family.

Hi Ed, I ordered this from amazon. It’s designed to show the bare blade on top and the Saya on the bottom but you can cut it to fit your needs. The top holder has slots to slip the blades into. It’s also lockable with a set of keys and has clips in the bottom to keep the door closed even when unlocked. I added the link below if you want to find something comparable. It runs between $80 to $100 depending on availability. Thanks Ben https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Display-Cabinet-Stand-Holder/dp/B00QRDVR2Y/ref=sr_1_6?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1536433868&sr=1-6&keywords=Sword+display

Thanks Ray! Here’s the koshirae with it. I can post more pictures when I get back home.

Hi Bob, Yes! I own this now. It has Tokubetsu Hozon origami. I was able to get Roger’s excellent book on Tadahiro. Pouring over it now. Really makes a difference in appreciating this Nihonto. Thanks Ben

Hi guys, Been looking for one for a while and got some breathing room on this one. Omi Daijo Tadahiro.

Thanks for looking guys. I went over to Krausewerks, in the bay area yesterday, since we're still a few weeks out for the next club meeting. Hoping to find some sort of information but wasn't able to find anything on this smith (also, I had my translation incorrect as well, kept coming up with Tokugawa Ieshige in the google searches). All in all, this sword was special enough in a sense that I went to the show with my 11 year old son (if you were there, you probably saw us circling a bunch of times, then sitting down then circling some more). He has been trying to learn like me and we both bargained together to get this one on the cheap side ( literally talked to the dealer while he was packing to catch his plane). We both liked the shape and generally had a good time "researching" this one up for the past week which consisted mostly on how to take care of it, oiling and wiping it down and basic etiquette (passing it to one another, careful not to talk so you don't spit on the blade etc). Hopefully you guys can help me get more info about this and thanks for everything so far.

Here’s a closer look at the kissaki and nakago.

Thank you Ray. I’ll take closer pictures of the nakago when I get home later tonight.

Hi everyone, Picked this up during the Sunday packing up sale. Can’t seem to find more info on this. Iyrshige? Muromachi period?

I was rushing out last night. Should have posted this as well. The 12th generation attribution came from Tsuruta-San and not from the origami. Thanks so much for the leads and analysis guys. I was just confused on the differing generations of who the last smith of the line was. Thanks Jussi for making that differentiation between the two different branches. I was admiring the blade but here's the second part that I find enjoyable, the research. I'm going to try to go to the NCJSC library at Krausewerks sometime today. My books are few and fairly solid for a beginner but I think this research is beyond my meager collection. Hopefully, there's more information in the club's library.

Just received this Yasutsugo. The estimation paper mentions that this is the 12th generation but researching this line of smiths, I saw an article that the last generation (9th) retired in 1879. Trying to see if I can find more information. Came with Hozon origami.

Thank you Stephen. I was already warned about being snow blind for the August show and how often a fire sale tends to happen when guys need to scramble getting funds to acquire a particular piece. Not to mention deals on every piece that's still on the table come Sunday evening. Saving all my pennies now! You're right, I can't believe this is all within my backyard. Burlingame, where the show is held, is where we go for some ice cream with the kids. I hope to meet all of you there! Maybe I can match the faces to the NMB posts?

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I'm heading to Japan next month for holiday. Will be hitting the Tokyo National Museum and the NBTHK Japanese Sword Museum. At least I have some idea at what I'll be looking at. I've also contacted Tsuruta-san since his shop is a 13 minute taxi ride away from where I'm staying. Hoping it won't be too overwhelming. Its the small things that really stuck to me at the meeting as well. From the proper pronunciation of Sukesada (pronounced Skesada) to the proper handling of passing a sword to someone else to look at (hold the bottom of the nakago, blade facing away from the person) to the dunderhead realization that I need to get Nagayama's book since it is now reprinted and it looked like everyone had it in the club (felt like a kid who didn't have a textbook in class). I don't think I could have picked that up in a book. Overall, having someone to talk to about all this stuff and finding that most people are willing to share their knowledge is a big relief. I think my wife was also getting tired of me pointing out all the new things that I learned while reading. John Yumato's book is not exactly 50 Shades of Gray.

Went to my first sword club meeting at the Northern California Japanese Sword Club today. What a great experience! Learned so much just listening and talking to other people who are much more knowledgeable. For todays meeting, everyone was suppose to bring in their "dogs" as in that sword is such a dog! Lots of swords to look at and for a beginner like me, it was really educational. Looked at tired blades (shintetsu), retempered blades (mizukage), hagires, etc. and just really good examples of what to look for and hopefully avoid. I brought in my only nihonto, Bizen Osafune Sukesada, which I qualified as not being much of a dog and got a lot more information from Fred Weissberg about it. Its such a difference to be able to see sword examples from good to bad to worst as well as get pointers from others in this journey. Also, been reading all the posts in the message board and thank you to everyone here as well for furthering my education. Thanks, Ben