Ray Singer

Thanks for the kind words Brian. They are both swords I will miss when they sell. The Kunifusa is definitely one of my best finds and favorite swords over the past 25+ years collecting. If anyone has questions about these, please email raymondsinger@gmail.com. Best regards, Ray

The second is a great Tokubetsu Hozon Bingo Ko-Mihara which I purchased from a friend and fellow NMB member off this board. The sword is late Kamakura - Nambokucho and shows very interesting workmanship for a sword attributed to this school. I have owned 6 Ko-Mihara over the years and this sword stands out in a few ways. It exhibits a strong midare utsuri that is continuous on both sides of the blade, unlike Ko-Mihara which often has scattered areas of shirake. The habuchi becomes gradually thicker into the monouchi, with the area going into and within the boshi having bright, parallel strands of nie resembling a fine Tegai blade. One can really feel the influence of both Bizen and Yamato in this blade. A great study piece and lacking nothing in quality. 66.6cm, with a niju ginmoku (solid silver) habaki with the outer piece having gold foil. Slender, well-shaped shirasaya with an old sayagaki attribution to Rai Kunimitsu. Credit nihontoart.com for these photos. SOLD

A sword which I have been pursuing for a very long time has come up for sale and as a consequence I will be selling these two swords from my own collection for what I feel are very reasonable prices. The first is a Nambokucho wakizashi which has been papered to Ko-Uda Kunifusa circa 1381. Kunifusa was regarded as the overall best smith of the Uda school and is said to have been a student of the grandmaster smith Etchu Norishige. One can strongly see the influence of Norishige in this sword, which has a powerful whirling itame hada with thick chikei, and has areas with a flavour of matsu-kawa hada. The hamon is suguha-based with profuse, fine activity including sunagashi and fine kinsuji throughout. The sword is absolutely flawless, with no kitae-ware anywhere. It is in shirasaya with a very fine gold foil habaki. Please note that one piece of foil has become separated. My intention was to send this to Brian Tschernega for repair but did not have an opportunity to do so. Totally repairable. The Kunifusa also comes with a very fine koshirae. The fuchigashira is deep black shakudo nanako, in the motif of Lily flowers. The kozuka is also in the same theme. The menuki are floral. The tsuba is a thick ko-kinko piece which I believe is late Muromachi. The saya is black lacquer is in excellent condition with no losses. Please note that I will add photos of the kanteisho in the next day or so. $5,500 (plus shipping)

Tsuba is signed: Hizen no Kuni Ju Tadanaga saku Tadayoshi saku Kanbun ni nen (1662)

http://www.sword-auction.jp/en/content/as17069-%E8%84%87%E5%B7%AE%EF%BC%9A%E7%84%A1%E9%8A%98%E5%8F%A4%E5%82%99%E5%89%8D%E6%99%82%E4%BB%A3%E9%8E%8C%E5%80%89-wakizashi-mumei-ko-bizen

If anyone happened to see the television crews filming at this past Tampa show, here is the episode: http://m.pandora.tv/?c=view&ch_userid=monako5&prgid=54786222

I admittedly did overlook this comment in the opening post and would certainly not advocate using a sword like the Shikkake for practice. Best regards, Ray

Thanks for the kind words Stephen. FWIW, it is basically impossible to find a healthy, high-quality Yamato blade in polish with Tokubetsu Hozon for the price Darius is asking. The sword is Late Kamakura / Nambokucho period has beautiful activities and is priced at around the price for polish alone. If possible, I would strongly recommend making the extra stretch for that one...

I can recall a number of Hizen-to which received Tokubetsu Hozon and exhibited shingane.

Hizen-to are often especially inclined to show shingane. With only one photo of the blade taken in focus, there is not much to show how healthy the sword is (or its quality).

Congratulations, look forward to seeing photos. Shikkake Norinaga? Best regards, Ray

Additional discussion here. Peter Bleed is a member of this group. http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/13181-photos-of-amerinds-with-nihonto/?hl=indian&do=findComment&comment=137268 http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/3460-native-american-with-sword/

The first attachment is the date Showa Ju Yon Nen Yon Gatsu Ju Ni Ka (April 12, 1939). The second may begin with 2,600th year, which if correct would likely refer to 1940.

Not a Hizen blade, but this handachi koshirae is for an Enju daito I own. It has a wari-ashikanamono, which separates and slides down the saya to convert the koshirae for use as a tachi. There are two menuki-ana in the tsuka, matching the two in the nakago. Unfortunately not clearly visible in the attached photo, but the second, lower mekugi-ana goes through the natural opening within the large shakudo dragon menuki.

The offer on that Ko-Naminohira is currently £13,000. Note that I am making no judgement about where the offer stands, just relaying the information that they posted on Facebook on April 18th. https://www.facebook.com/Ryujinswords

A Torio Hiromasa coming up. Best regards, Ray

Rob, newly listed for sale. http://www.nihontoantiques.com/project/naminohira-daito-sword-fss-737/

Very interesting tanto, maybe Keichō. Tsugu would not be a swordsmith's name (not as a single kanji 次). I am curious if there is an alternate reading for this mei.

It appears to be an actual arrowhead. This is not the first I have seen, and if I recall correctly Peter Bleed wrote about this at one point. Best regards, Ray

Darcy is correct. The saki-haba is misstated on the kantei page. See attached.

http://www.e-sword.jp/yari/1710-4001.htm

Uda is also a good call. Hamon and presence of mune-yaki fits. The shape of the nakago seems right as well. Now that it was pointed out, the nakago shape is very similar to an Uda I owned. I can almost visualize a mei of UDA KUNI___ there.

One other option I would like to throw out there is Kaifu (late Muromachi). Longer kaeri with mune-yaki is a trait. Nie-deki hamon and a coarse jitetsu. Hirazukuri ko-wakizashi are common. Their sugata can tend to be on the less refined side. Blades show a fuller, more rounded fukura. Nakago also have a resemblance to your sword. If I focus just on the sugata, I would feel better about Kaifu then my previous bid of Kanabo.

Sue-koto. Reminds me of Kanabo work. Shimada is also possible. I find that many times schools which are described in books as nioi deki show plentiful nie when seen in hand. For reference, here is an example of a Kanabo sunobe-tanto with some similar elements in the hamon. Clear differences are the long kaeri and the mune-yaki in your sword. https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-kanabo-hayato-jyo-masazane-saku/

Meikan-more?