Lewis B

Here are some well executed stills of the same blade taken by a really accomplished photographer given the limitations https://www.facebook.com/foldable.at.its.lirnit/posts/pfbid036qtZgADUbdHoTViotbWY2H8cJXTxpnVijhepvhu3oZVEmf9YJMTCfweqC6Ru6986l For example (better images in the links) And just for giggles, couple more tanto from the early Soshu grandmasters in the same exhibition -the Ashiya Masamune

If Go was a retainer for Momoi of the Matsukura Castle in Etchu Province, his responsibilities were split. The fact he achieved what he did, in the time he had to do it was nothing short of amazing. Norishige is said to have established a forge in the Neyama Fief, near modern day Nanto City, Toyama Prefecture. Thats about 78km from Matsukura Castle, typically a 2-4 day journey in 14th century Japan. So I imagine close enough that they could have had regular contact and to have influenced eachothers forging styles. Go would have been about 9 years his junior. The current ruin from the 16th century was built on top of the 14th century site, occupied in Go's time. The vantage point from the top of the hill is quite spectacular and you could easily see the strategic advantage it offered.

I'm not so sure Go was a "faithful reproducer of Masamune's work". Some experts have postulated that he was not a Soshu smith at all and worked in Yamato. He could have been a journeyman swordsmith picking up new techniques that were being developed at that time. As Kirill says there are Yamato features like Masame in some of the blades attributed to him. Another theory says his father was Senjuin Yoshihiro, whose work clearly straddles Yamato and Soshu-den. Go is a bit of an enigma imo. I think the historical attributions by various earlier Hon'ami appraisers, their oshigata in old books and blades with historical provenance are what guide modern day attributions. Has a Go ever been reattributed to Masamune or vice versa? As mentioned there are at least a couple of cases of Sanekage going to Go at higher Shinsa levels. Early Tametusgu when he worked in Etchu also has a lot of the Go flavour in the deki, but just not quite as accomplished as you would expect from Go and the sugata deviates somewhat.

It would be nice to see images of the blade. Value depends on SO many different factors.

That would be my guess too

Why not offer the contributing members who provide translation assistance (its not difficult to figure out who they are) complimentary Gold level status. This acknowledges their invaluable contribution without a lot of fanfare.

And a goal mouth that constantly shifts. Who knows what the flavour of the month will be next year.

2024 results

Ahh OK, so its only replacement papers if originals lost, that apply to Juyo and up.

Juyo or TJ yes, not sure about TH or Hozon.

Did they chisel out the hamon? Or just very poor forging? Crazy

Not sure I can agree with you there. The boshi are impossible to see and all the photos are taken perpendicular to the blade which is less than ideal to see activity in the jihada. Resolution is good though. Best images now that Darcy's Yuhindo is no longer available are to be found on Pablo's Unique Japan IMO. This may be controversial but I think Touken Komachi gives it a very good go. Just a shame they stock mostly low end pieces.

Did anyone buy a sword at the DTI this year? How were the prices in 2025 vs previous years?

Thats a little sad to hear given the quality of the blades and katchu, the Nagoya Token World has accumulated. I have to say the Samurai Museum in central Berlin was not great either for studying blades. The angles were less than ideal and the lighting failed to illuminate the jihada and hataraki adequately, especially for the blades in the cabinets along the wall. Oddly the central display cabinet was quite good in comparison and it was easy the see the activity and get close to the blade to observe the detail. Given the obvious time and effort put into the general display design for armour, nihonto seemed overlooked.

Posted this query in another thread but maybe the right eyeballs didn't catch it. It was referring to the style of hamon that blended notare and suguha hamon styles. I read the samurai of the time valued this style of hamon. https://www.samurai-nippon.net/SHOP/V-2153.html There is a technical term for the style of hamon that transitions from notare in the central section to more suguha style in the monouchi that eludes me. As I understand it this was the intent of the smith for practical reasons and was a ferature prized by the samurai of the time, as it strengthens the area of the blade that is more likely to contact the opponents blade. And how did the smith achieve this effect? Is it simply a differential hardening exercise using different clay applications? What is the name given to this style of hamon that appeared popular during the Kamakura era and especially noteworthy in Bizen swords.

Anyone notice the listing price for the Den Sukezane ?

Another interesting blade that sold very quickly attributed to Den Sukezane https://www.samurai-nippon.net/SHOP/V-2153.html There is a technical term for the style of hamon that transitions from notare in the central section to more suguha style in the monouchi that eludes me. As I understand it this was the intent of the smith for practical reasons, as it strengthens areas of the blade that is more likely to contact the opponents blade.

Some very nice, big name blades hitting the dealer sites now that the DTI is over for another year. Take this Rai Kunitoshi with a 83cm nagasa for example. https://eirakudo.shop/893683?fbclid=IwY2xjawN8o41leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeLQq1a5LF0_auFK8Lfzf8ISvUcl-l-IbEOqlzlAbPNdLOLAkEdhB4DXdNaBw_aem_BP-p-U1Dmg9Vtxt31T2kTA

Last visited 2020.

I'm eating in the wrong restaurants.

That kabuto looks awful

Hi Erik, The next NBTHK-EB meeting will be in 2 or 3 weeks time in Solingen. You're entitled to attend one meeting as a non-member. If you need more details please PM me.

How much is Eirakudo asking and how prominent is the midare utsuri?

@Lexvdjagt kindly sent me a short video and photo of the nakago of an exceptional Shintogo Kunimitsu tanto currently on display at the Japanese Sword Museum in Tokyo. This one was posthumously bequeathed to the museum from the Suzuki collection. The tanto itself is probably one of the best examples I've seen. The deki is archetypical Shintogo, ubu with a nengo for 1316. The nagasa is 21.9cm with a slender sugata. There are beautiful lines of kinsuji, one of the key features of this smiths work. Overall it appears to be a very healthy, original example. If the NBTHK published something about this blade it would be interesting to see. Setsumei, kantei etc?

I was hoping to attend but the German Gov have been dragging their feet processing my Settled Status application, which meant I couldn't travel outside Germany. Oh well 2026 then..... Everyone have fun and if you happen see that "Shintogo" tanto (#55) on the Ginza Japanese Sword Museum Taibundo stand, please let us know what you think. Do the papers attribute the blade specifically to Shintogo or are they less specific. The dealer has ignored efforts to get more info via email.