waljamada

17 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear Michael.

 

There are a huge range of styles and materials used for this, just when you think you have seen them all another pops up.  I'm quite partial to this style.

 

From your desvciption it sounds as though what you are seeing is plainer than this, as Mark suggests a scren shot will help.

 

All the best.

 

Geraint,

I have a tsuka like that but don't know what the wrapping material is.  What are those typically made of?  I thought it felt maybe like leather.  Your example though looks like one solid piece.

10 hours ago, reeder said:

I had one a year to two ago that was in Kyu-gunto mounts, kogarasu maru, and 27"+ nagasa.  It had his imperial artisan signature too.  I believe it was one of the swords in Slough's now that I think about it.

Woah....pics?  I think he's got one of the cooler Artisan signatures with the circles...making a circle...

Marco, found one thats not too badly priced but it's mumei with a hozon paper attribution to him with a red lacquer mei that's not really legible (hozon paper does say mumei).  Would love a signed one as I also love the symbol he uses on some of his meis.  The blade I found has a few small cosmetic flaws (and obviously the mumei papered aspect hurts it) so thought I'd see if someone on the board has something.

Miyamoto Kanenori was born in Hóki, where from an early age he aspired to become a swordsmith, and entered the Mon of Yokoyama Sukekane. At first he was called Noto no Kami, and his works are seen from the Bunkyú era. Later he went up to Kyoto, and became a craftsman fort the Imperial Household.

In 1907 he created the honourable position of Teishitsu Gigein – “Imperial Household Artisan” which might be considered to be similar to today’s Ningen Kokuho or “Living National Treasure”. In the field of sword making, this award was granted to the two swordsmiths, Gassan Sadakazu and Miyamoto Kanenori. 
His work spanned 60 years and he died at the age of 97 on Taisho Jugonen Jugatsu Nijuyoka (24 Oct.1926)

Here's a laquered painted box which I'm sure is just a tourist piece that I got at a Goodwill.  It's a catch all box now...

I'd say when your interest dies.  When you stop learning about it.  If you're not collecting the item anymore and then even stop collecting thoughts/knowledge then that is when it truly ends.  The last interested thought you have of nihonto is the last breath.

I took some gambles for sure on eBay.   Threw in a really low offer that got accepted on a tokubetsu hozon blade with an oshigata pic that didn't even show the right sword....turned out amazingly and everything was as said.  Gambled on a seller with almost zero feedback and got one of my favorite swords.   Bought a couple papered swords off a guy i could tell was a collector that I Iove.  I probably just cursed myself by acknowledging this luck.  I would always suggest messaging the sellers before buying, I always did and the vast majority I bought from people that used the correct terms and seemed to know their stuff which I think protected me.  I've now reached a number and quality in my collection that I can slow down and not gamble as much. 

In the beginning I feel like gambling is or seems a better option especially when wanting to get a collection on the cheap.  It's either know someone, come across a great blade in real life you can buy cheap, be left/gifted a sword, save/spend more money or gamble....makes it more difficult too that I never find or even see nihonto for sale in real life where I am.  Online is my only way.  Thank god for the Chicago Sword Show too.

I totally agree that learning/honing an eye is key to having a chance if you do go online auctions.  Also being open to ages/smiths etc...don't need a Rembrandt as your first sword...I honestly believe starting in guntos is the easiest way to start.  It has everything and the market is pretty stable and has affordable ranges.  You will learn all the terminology and puts mounts into a smaller field to learn but you'll get the basics.  Just makes everything bite sizeable.

Have a type 98 Mino School mumei Koto blade with 27.5" nagasa with one non-fatal opening on the top 1/3 of the blade I'll share a pic of below (very last photo).  It actually has a really neat hamon with all these little details and no chips/knicks.  Type 98 Koshirae is honestly in great condition with aluminum saya.  Overall though it has a lot to be appreciated as a starter blade with some serious age under its belt that someone felt was worthy to be mounted for and brought into battle in WWII.  Someone loved it.

Have a type 98 Mino School mumei Koto blade with 27.5" nagasa with one non-fatal opening on the top 1/3 of the blade I'll share a pic of below (very last photo).  It actually has a really neat hamon with all these little details and no chips/knicks.  Type 98 Koshirae is honestly in great condition with aluminum saya.  Overall though it has a lot to be appreciated as a starter blade with some serious age under its belt that someone felt was worthy to be mounted for and brought into battle in WWII.  Someone loved it.

Second blade is a wakizashi signed Kanemoto.  No idea on generation or if gimei etc...but I believe it to be from the earlier 1600s.  Has a single sohi on one side and a double sohi on the other.  This one has a wild hamon and would be awesome if/when ever polished and no chips/knicks.  Menuki are of two toads wrestling and tsuka is in real nice shape, old iron tsuba and ornaments with edo period black lacquered saya. I'd have to measure nagasa but it's probably at around 20".

Not the best photographs but took them quickly as my cats pawed at my leg.  Neither is perfect but they are perfectly imperfect as each offers something that stands out in spite of their flaws.  If interested DM me.

Have a wakizashi with nthk papers in essentially an all leather gunto koshirae.  Saya is leather and the tsuka is actually wood with only a leather cover.  The blade also has NTHK papers attributed to Nobutaka (most likely 4th gen) 1711-1715.

I have no idea if this is correct but I've questioned on a wood saya before also with an almost menuki like ornament on it and was told something along the lines of "looks like a merchant's mounts".  So maybe that's a thing for merchants?  If adhered well and cleanly I think it looks a classy way to spice up a saya 

I asked about this blade a while ago and I remember Matthew Brice telling me something along the lines of the "traditional mounts" were put on by the previous owner (and didn't fit perfectly) in an attempt to keep the gunto mounts.  The previous seller agreed during negotiation to sell it with the gunto mounts which were the actual "original" mounts...?  Something along these lines.  

This blade ended up going for quite an affordable price for a star stamped gendai.  The koshirae did look quite nice and maybe or maybe not had some restoration.  I believe those textured sayas are wood so curious if thats the case here.  Also curious what it looks like in hand as I can't tell how the polish is.  It's either nice with just a choji oil layer on it or someone did something that dulled the hada with something done to bring out hamon.  Or just bad photography. Or it's just an old ww2 era polish....all the "or"s are what make me curious.

Wow, thank you gentleman so much, I'll put together a write up of the translations and print it off to keep with the sword.  It just arrived yesturday and is really quite a blade in hand.  It's in general just bigger than i thought and I actually kinda struggled or had an awkward moment taking it out of the shirasaya the first time because of its length.  I got it down now though.

Today I clean it, re-oil and then enjoy.

First off thank you for any help I receive with this translation!  Preemptive apology because it's not a short one...its also not the longest though!

This is the basics I know about the blade and might help with translation:

Naomune, 1812, 32.8" nagasa, tachi mei with naginata-hi

Other than that I would love to know what they thought was worth documenting in the sayagaki and the pics below are in order from top to bottom of the saya.

Also just in case I also posted the aoi appraisal for additional documented info.

Congrats and welcome to the hobby!

I'm in SE Wisconsin and could sell you a sword in your price range.  I'm actually about to sell three or four blades, couple wakizashi and couple katana to make room for the new ones I've purchased.  Here's some pics of a few. 

First three pics are the Nobutaka mumei wakizashi in all leather gunto mounts with nbthk papers, fourth pic is another wakizashi signed Kanemoto (maybe gimei or just a later generation but still 3/400 yr old blade) and last one is a koto mumei over 27" nagasa in great condition type 98 koshirae with aluminum saya.

Wouldn't mind helping out a fellow WI collector.  I'm on vacation in San Francisco for another 5 days but can share more pics when I get home if you're interested.

9 hours ago, Mark S. said:

Bizen Osafune ju Yokoyama Sukekane 

A day in February 1862

debatable o-tanto or ko-wakizashi 

Nagasa: 33cm

Mt Fuji hamon 

 

 

Great choice!  Caught my eye too!

Thanks Thomas, it caught a bunch of eyes I see.  Not surprised.  I knew I wasn't making a go for it so wanted to wait before asking about it in case someone else on NMB was making a go.  It actually ended up being more interesting than I thought due to the Nakayama history.  He was an intriguing figure.  Not sure how rare his cutting tests are but it's a neat bit of "modern" history to have attached to a blade. 

Thank you John, Interesting...a stamped cutting test.  Just Googled Nakayama and that does add some definite extra cool.  What would this more modern cutting test constitute of I wonder? 

https://kenshi247.net/blog/2011/02/14/a-lineage-all-but-forgotten-the-yushinkan-nakayama-hakudo/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakayama_Hakudō

So now that this blade sold I feel I can ask questions on it.  A type 98 gunto with what looks to be a signed gendaito and general tassel.  Blade looks to be in actually pretty good shape considering seller mentions its just been sitting in an attic.  

Anyways, the unique thing to me was the additional Kanji on the nakago.  Looks almost stamped or just very carefully etched in.  Either way, wondering if anyone could tell me what it signifies....soldiers name (perhaps a known general?  A slogan?  Was just curious as it's pretty neat and haven't seen something quite like it before.

Either way, fun to see an attic Type 98 gunto fresh to market from an individual who got it at an estate sale (still waiting on my turn for something like that)  with general tassel that survived pretty well minus some missing tsuka ito etc...

Yeah, got lucky with this one.  I could tell from the tsunagi it was an older somewhat petite blade with a possibly koto/shinto sori.  Was open to whatever fit though.  Was really glad that the blade that worked was in good polish, signed, good smith and papered.  Worked out real swell.  I cashed in a swath of my nihonto luck with this one but left about an inch in the luck bucket for later.

Good luck to all those at the show today and Sunday.  I'm there in spirit. 

First day of the show is on the books.  It was well attended and looked like there wasn't an empty booth space to be had.  

I walked in there with a wandering eye and curious hands which I mostly scolded and kept in my pocket.  

Behind my eye and hands was a main drive/focus...my Unicorn Cinderella quest.  I had a type 98 koshirae with sharksin saya (purchased on NMB) and wanted to find it a blade.  I would mention this quest and mostly told "Good luck" and I'd take the well wishes.  I knew it would be tough, but if it was to be done; this was the place.

I walked booth to booth with my tsunagi with a few potentials coming and going.  Hours later I had about given up while at the same time never yet losing faith.  Then at the end of an aisle it happened....

I came across a Tadakuni Nidai with Hozon papers for an affordable price.  I laid the tsunagi over it...huh...this might work.  I tell the dealer my quest and the potential of his blade so he says, "Well lets try".  I ask him do it because god forbid anything happen. 

He takes the blade out of shirasaya and it just happened to fit perfectly into the seppa, perfectly into the tsuba, perfectly into the tsuka...but could the mekugi ana honestly linenup as well?  I heard the magic words..."they line up perfectly!". 

I responded "No way, you might have found my Cinderella!  Now if it's a perfect fit I feel like I can't even try to haggle!"  The seller then said, "ha, I'll take $100 off".  Class act....

Then of course is the last and final piece...the saya.  He picks up the blade perfectly mounted in my tsuka and slowly...slowly...starts to slide it in.  Only the penitant blade shall pass.  He continues...so far so good....and then the Cinderella moment...it fit perfectly including the habaki.  Tight, nestled and safe.  

Lastly, it really could use one extra seppa to really snug things up.  Went to Grey and Mark's table digging into Mark's tacklebox of seppa, gunto etc...parts.  found the perfect seppa that lines up perfectly with the other seppa and locking mechanism.  We were all systems go. 

No pumpkin. 

The only thing off was that the tsunagi was about an inch and some change longer.  So Cinderella Tadakuni was a bit shorter than she could have been.  This I will allow.

That blade was my entire haul this year and couldn't be happier.

I'm not the first to have this happen, nor will I be the last but thank you Chicago Sword Show 2022.

Honorable Mentions that I Almost Bought: 

1. Signed tanto early 1800s with a Fuji design in hamon...but no sun/moon.  

2. Signed Gendaito (Kanesomething?) by a WW2 era smith in shirasaya who made the hada look like soundwaves all the way down the blade.  Was told it was an old "forgotten or secret" (i forget the adjective used) technique only done/known by a few smiths.  There were more details about the blade but I lost them in the fog.  It really was quite beautiful besides its flaws but walked away without it for a few reasons.

Picture collage below of seperate sword in shirasaya becoming one with the type 98 koshirae.

I have a soft spot for kanbun shinto blades that also have that type of nakago coming out at an angle.  Gives the sori more ooomph!  That is a beautiful healthy looking tachi!  

I would love to see the new photos.  This blades form and hamon is just sexy for lack of a better word.