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That is fully correct and I bet you are right. Jacques, I do believe you have a great knowledge and are a benefit to this forum for participating. It is only sometimes for the wording that you are using that some of them appear snotty, as well as that it seems if you have made up your mind, there is about zero to change that. For ones like me who has - compared to you - only little knowledge it would be worth much more if you would put down your full arguments and explain with more words as why you think what. That would possibly save some pages in this thread too. So no offenses from my side, just the wish to be able to learn from you in an easier way.

Reading the posts of Jacques in here reminds me quite a lot to a thread of mine, where he was very serious about naming the blade gimei a few timesand pointing out minimal mei differences he claimed ... Well, NBTHK papered it with TH . So don't take his posts too serious if others give it chances, just go and find out if it papers.

Just a very side comment: when comparing against "2 million registered Japanese swords" against J and TJ, keep in mind that not all persons have the money, ambition nor wish to submit blades for shinsa, to NBTHK, etc.. There will be blades that would achieve J, but are not submitted for J - for whichever reason. It is a tad of unrelated to put these numbers in comparison.

Just a very side comment: when comparing against "2 million registered Japanese swords", keep in mind that not all persons have the money, ambition nor wish to submit blades for Juyo shinsa. There will be blades that would achieve Juyo, but are not submitted for Juyo - for whichever reason.

Are you sure this person is Mukansa? Markus Sesko has the following names on his list: Source: https://markussesko.com/2018/08/11/mukansa-ningen-kokuho-list/

As written above, for what I've been told it is supposed to be put up for exhibit starting 23rd May 2025, so this Friday. I'd assume you are closer to the Museum, so up to you to post pictures of how it is displayed . Or anyone else, if another forum member makes it there! Happy if you have liked it, was fun to be there, getting educated on not to lick on Tsuba and stuff ... . That room where we had the meeting was fantastic, if not overwhelming. The museum itself is a class of its own. That was a great trip to Berlin.

I'm leaving for Berlin tormorrow to bring the blade to the NBTHK-EB meeting on Saturday. For the non NBHTK-EB members and those that can't make it to the meeting, there is a written (borrowing) agreement that my blade will at the Samurai Museum Berlin. It is planned to be put up on display starting 23rd May 2025, and approximately one year. Hope that this will allow fellow members to get to look at it in person. And keen to hear what you mayever think of it, if you manage to see it, either at Museum or at Saturday's NBTHK-EB meeting!

Sorry for OT: yes, I'll bring it with me next week to the meeting. You'll get to see it (and me ) in person.

Oh yeah! Best will be standing in the rear and seeing people getting excited on the blade, while feeling dumb for not being able to see what they see . I will mention it in its own blade thread after the meeting (and hope I'm not announcing any secrets), but the Kiyomaro (Masayuki, to be precise) is afterwards borrowed to the Samurai Museum Berlin, where it will be put up for a special exhibition to allow even those not participating in the NBHTK-EB meeting to get to see the blade in person.

Thanks for sharing these pictures! Looking through the catalogues of the exhibition it was my understanding that there were two "sessions" of this exhibit, the first lasting from 8th March to 13th April, then 15th April to 11th May -> https://www.touken.or.jp/english/#exhibition What I didn't fully gather, item #52 from that 1st session/first catalogue was described as Kiyomaro Daisho too, but they didn't list the signatures separately for the Wakizashi and the Katana, as they did with the Daisho that you have pictured above (item #45)?

It was exactly my question, what does NBTHK require to paper two blades - without koshirae - as Daisho. It does seem to be very tough, but as the post of Darcy you mention as well as some links have showed, this seems to be possible. To what I was able to gather, the most important thing is that BOTH blades are documented together in the NBTHK certificate, whichever level it may be. Just by browsing around on some dealer sites I found another daisho with both blades on the NBTHK certificate, in that case from Naotane: Antique Daisho signed by Naotane for sale | Samurai Museum Shop

What is needed that NBTHK papers blades (without koshirae) as daisho? Maybe that would be a classification to relate to.

I‘d highly appreciate the translation of this Mei, and if there is anything to be known about the particular smith, then this additional information would be highly appreciated too. Thanks!

Re Saturday: great to have had the chance to also see faces behind nicknames, despite I sometimes felt misplaced among so many knowledgeable people.

Yeah, Ian was already at my home filming stuff from my collection in the past, I know him well. If there is any chance to make it to your museum I‘ll PM you and maybe we can also meet in person!