Ray Singer

Bishu Osafune Norimitsu

Very nice ubu, shinto wakizashi signed: Yamashiro no kuni Fujiwara Nobusada. Beautiful, low Owari-style niju habaki with gold and silver foil. Consigned for a friend who had intended to submit to this year's SF shinsa, now cancelled. $2,000 (plus shipping and PayPal)

This is a rare example of nidai Tadahiro's work in gonome-choji. When the owner showed me the blade with the tsuka on I said this looks like Hizen Masahiro and guessed that it was a shodai Masahiro. The jihada is a typical konuka-hada but the hamon has areas which remind me of the abunome-gonome of Masahiro. After seeing the nakago my guess was that this might be a shodai Masahiro dai-mei, but that is a guess only. Regardless, this is a really beautiful Hizen blade with the jihada the school is famous for combined with an active an interesting hamon having deep activity. The blade has received Tokubetsu Hozon and was and fully restored in Japan. The nakago is ubu and has his typical mei of Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro. In shirasaya with two piece silver foil habaki. A healthy and beautiful sword. $4,850 (plus shipping & PayPal)

Registration papers do not typical give assessments on age. I have never seen one that went beyond stating mumei or any extant inscriptions (plus other vitals). I am guessing it is the same for your torokusho, that it simply states Nagamitsu, but please do share a photo.

In the other side it is indicated that the sword has a suguha hamon with nijuba, is 2 shaku 1 sun 6 bu in length and was made in the Bunmei period.

Do you have a photo of the nakago? It seems like one kanji from the mei is missing in the sayagaki. Yamato (no) kuni ju Fujiwara Hisa(_) saku

Listing a nice, early gendaito by Heianjo Masatsugu dated Showa 14 (a lucky day in February, 1939). The blade is a long gendaito measuring 69.4cm, with very nice workmanship. The jihada is ko-itame, and the hamon is suguha-based ko-choji. The sword is mounted in a rare example of an Iida latch gunto koshirae, which what I believe is a field replacement saya. The kabutogane of the gunto tsuka has a silver attachment with what appears to be the surname Kumatani (熊谷 - thank you for the correction SteveM). The blade is in Japanese polish with gold foil habaki, and shirasaya with a tsunagi for the koshirae. Mei: 百錬平安城正次作 - Hyakuren Heianjo Masatsugu saku (possibly this smith: https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/MAS1161) Nengo: 昭和十四七年二月吉日 - A lucky day in the 2nd month of 1939 Nagasa 69.4cm Moto-haba 30mm Saki-haba 19mm Kasane 6.5mm $5,500 (plus shipping & PayPal). Best regards, Ray

Just want to add a quick clarification that the Kanemoto sold last year. As I added in a later post comment, the hamon was thin but intact everywhere except a bit of yakiotoshi just above the hamachi.

An interesting piece I handled recently (NFS). Smaller naginatanaoshi wakizashi in kaigunto koshirae.

Truly sorry to hear about the package loss Ben. I most often use USPS Express insured (as I seems safest when keeping shipping times to a minimum). Hopeful that your package does surface soon. Best regards, Ray

My pleasure, and thanks for the kind words Brandon. Take care, Ray

Relisting this one due to a non-paying buyer on Facebook. This is a massive, healthy and wide Yoshimasa katana. 34mm moto-haba, 8mm kasane and a gorgeous jigane. Overall length is 65.15cm. Yoshimasa worked circa Hoei period (1704 - 1711) in Echigo province. It is said that he had roots in the Yamato Tegai lineage. He signed with a special inscription using his nyudo-go (buddhist lay priest name) Tesshu nyudo, as this one is signed. Wonderful hamon with a deep nie habuchi. In perfect polish, with shirasaya having hatomei + tsunoguchi and a two-piece silver foil habaki. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon kanteisho. Inscription: Kozuke (no) Suke Yoshimasa Tesshu Nyudo kore o saku As always, an inspection period is honored. This is a beautiful sword, guaranteed to be better than described. Any questions, please email raymondsinger@gmail.com. $5,950 (plus shipping & PayPal) Best regards, Ray

I think this is Kai Mihara as well.

Further reduction to $1,950 (plus shipping & PayPal)

Stephen: 刀掛

胴落 (Dō Ochi) is as close as I can get.

First kanji is 胴. I am looking but do not see the second kanji yet, still looking. I don't feel this is a mei. It could be a name. 胴 is also seen as a typical kanji in tameshimei, though as a tanto I don't think it's the case here.

Reduced to $2,000 (plus shipping & PayPal). Best regards, Ray

If I remember correctly, Yoshimitsu called this "hitatsura choji" and as said above it seen in his Yamadorige/Sanchomo utushimono.

Compare with examples of Okisato (Kotetsu)

Greg, someone just listed an Echizen wakizashi for sale on the group I manage on Facebook. See the link below and click on the DISCUSSION tab. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310291582446519/buy_sell_discussion * Note that it is not my sale, just sharing the link because it seems to fit the profile you have asked for. Contact the owner directly: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1310291582446519/user/100000823413671/.

This is a lovely mitokoromono depicting Hotei dreaming on his bag of treasures, attributed to Kaga Goto. The branch of the Goto family called Kaga Goto is primarily represented by those mainline headmasters who worked directly for the Maeda daimyo in Kaga: Tokujo(5), Kenjo (7) and Teijo (9). Kaga Goto works show exceptional quality and are certainly on par with works of the mainline family. The condition is excellent and viewed closely you can see the careful modeling of the texture of his face and bag. Beautiful work. This is a set to either appreciate on its own, or would be an excellent choice for use when assembling koshirae for a high class tanto. $2,250 (plus shipping and PayPal)

No, this mei is Hoki (no) kuni Ohara Sanemori saku. Appears to be referring to the famous Ko-Hoki smith.

Both the sayagaki and mei appears to read: 薩陽士元平 - Satsuyō-shi Motohira This is the mei of two generations of swordsmiths working in Satsuma in the late Edo period.