Lewis B

Nothing to add academically but hope you get well soon Brian. As you say there are few positives with increasing years. Just try and enjoy the ride.

Hi Grey. Sent you an email. Cheers Lewis

I searched the forum and came up blank. Anyone have a list of realised auction results?

I was looking at this blade earlier this evening and noticed the flaw. My best guess is this damage was sustained after Shinsa. It's not a forging or quenching flaw. Most likely user error caused when the blade was forced into something hard resulting in the gouge in the kissaki.

Yes rare. This is a katana I almost bought through Darcy back in 2021, but timing was bad after losing my job. Nanbokucho Sadatsuna with a cutting test and #62 Torokusho registration paper so early and Daimyo owned. Apart from a Kaneuji blade (#17) this is the earliest registration I've encountered. https://katananokura.jp/SHOP/1907-K01.html

I think I spotted Udo

Was that the one in Henk's/Daisuke Hataya's booth?

So true. I've held 2 recently that were blah. Maybe it was the polish but the overall workmanship was lacking. The most beautiful blade I've held in hand was a Fukuoka Ichimonji and one I would love to own. From images in books and online I find Go irresistable.

I see a lot of Kizu and Ware (along Mune and behind the Yokote). Maybe explains why it only has Hozon papers. The solid gold habaki is nice though and probably worth around $3K+ in scrap value alone. Good luck to the seller and lets see where the market goes.

I would also say the recent upswing in the Japanese economy could also have an impact in the short to medium turn. After 8 years Japanese banks have moved away from negative interest rates. Positive economic sentiment is a huge driver in peoples discretional buying decisions. If you feel affluent you are more like to spend and probably pay over market. Similarly sellers are more motivated to sell to liquidate assets if needed in an economic downturn.

Yes, I think you have it.

My apologies upfront for the poor quality but these are the best I have of a Tanto thats in a pretty poor state of preservation. These kanji likely refer to location and date and chiselled onto the ura side of the nakago. Can anything be deciphered here? Could the top 2 kanji be Doro (道路), but 'road' doesn't make a lot of sense? I think I might have misinterpreted them completely. I can also make out kanji for 3, 7 & 日 so 37 days. The image is a little clearer if you click on it to get a black surround.

This discussion came up in last weekend NBTHK-EB meeting in Solingen. It was in German so I didn't catch everything. Literally it means 'large and small'. The shorter can be a tanto or a Wakizashi for example. Doesn't have to be the same maker, school, or in matching koshirae etc. But the definition can diverge from a Western and Japanese standpoint.

A high Roller? Sorry I couldn't resist. I'll get my coat.......

Looks like someones High School metalwork project.

I don't own the blade, but was considering it until I started to understand better the style of genuine Mei From the Soshuden Museum "Regarding the master’s signature on this work, we can say that all of the above features, mandatory for Shintōgo Kunimitsu’s signature, appear on the sword’s tang. This signature includes an absolutely vertical dividing line in the “Kuni” kanji; a calligraphic style of writing the “crown” in the “Mitsu” kanji, with a strictly parallel left stroke of the “crown,” and the tilting leg of the “Mitsu” kanji ends with a rising upstroke. Thus, when studying this sword, we have a unique opportunity to see in detail, in a “vivid” example, all of these features of the master’s signature, which are mentioned in both old and new sources." http://www.nihonto-m...togo-kunimitsu-tanto As you say Brian the application of the strikes appears quite hesitant.

To add a little more meat to the discussion. The tanto in its current state was submitted to the NBTHK several years ago but they rejected it. Interestingly it wasn't an outright rejection, stating it required further research. Having compared the Mei with the others I posted I can understand why they were so hestitant. Current state

What are the opinions regarding the authenticity of this Mei from a Tanto in poor state of preservation. I have tried to dig out comparative Mei from other known Soshu Kumimitsu blades and I see some distinct differences that would would lead towards this being Gimei What immediately stands out is the angle of the vertical line in the first Kanji. In the known examples this mark is almost vertical or near vertical. In the second kanji the vertical mark is again almost vertical or slightly leaning to the right. Would these observations lead one away from it being genuine?

I bought my 2nd Nihonto from Chosuya Ginza. The site is well organised, with photos that give a reasonable impression of the finer details contained in the blade. Prices are excellent from what I can see for the quality offered. And Akemi Tateno has an excellent command of English, is happy to accommodate with additional pictures and her personal impression of the blade in question. She even mediated with Tanobe san to write the Sayagaki. The sword was packaged perfectly. I would definitely buy from her again.

I suddenly realise how much I miss Darcy Brockbank and Yuhindo.com. That was THE place for Westerners to see and possibly acquire 7-9/10 blades from top schools and smiths.

Couple of thoughts and observations having just purchased my first nihonto from Japan. It's a bit of a blanket statement to say Western buyers only have access mid tier blades at best. It's really difficult to gauge the voracity of that since we have no idea what is available behind closed doors and within carefully curated circles. I plan to visit the DTI next year and maybe this will help to figure out if we are really swimming in a shallower pool. As with anything it's often who you know so buying through an intermediary may pay dividends (there are a couple of EU based players who can offer this service). You might pay a little extra but I think it will be well worth the investment. I plan to make a big purchase at the 2025 DTI if I see something that tickles my fancy. I will contact a few dealers ahead of the event and ask if they have something that meets my specs so that it can be brought for inspection. Regarding taxes (at least in Germany) the standard MwST levied is 19%, although if you can prove the item is over 250 years old (with NBTHK papers) and of historical significance (perhaps a littler harder to establish) then a 7% import tax is applied. I am currently going through this process having been told to pay the 19% upfront and then dispute the applied HS tax code in the hope the lower tax can be negotiated. This can all be done online.

I presented the Senjuin katana at the Bring and Tell session at this weekends NBTHK-EB meeting. It was well received and the overwhelming consensus was that if I wanted to submit for Juyo, to avoid risk of further degradation that might be inflicted by another polish and send it as is. The 'delicate' sugata suggest the blade was late 13th Century early 14th Century at the latest, putting it in the late Kamakura era. While Go Yoshihiro (its historical attribution) is unlikely, I feel it has enough features in common with the Echizen Yoshihiro group (based on a Juyo SY katana) that it could come back as a named blade, most likely Senjuin Yoshihiro, if accepted for Shinsa. Someone also suggested the typical Senjuin jihada is more roughly forged and that would fit with the weak Senjuin attribution mentioned here. According to Kazuo Tokuno a group of smiths relocated from Yamato to Hokuriku on the Northern Coast and incorporated elements of Soshu style swordmaking to their traditional Yamatoden origins. There was a Senjuin Yoshihiro in the late 13th Century and a signed/dated piece from 1343. The earlier Senjuin Yoshihiro is said to have been born around 1280 and was Go's father, and that the later dated blade could be by the same Smith. The postulated dates fit this hypothesis. Another hypothesis by Honami Kozon is that Go was not a Soshu smith at all but one of the Senjuin Yoshihiro group who adopted some of the Soshu style. I added a more high rez images to my Google Drive and I hope these give a good impression. The detail in the blade is highlighted by the macro lens and use of appropriate lighting. I found a cheap Ikea LED, with integrated lens to disperse the light, to be really good for these images and Nihonto in general. Offset high intensity halogen was my preferred light for visualising the hataraki. Enjoy. https://drive.google...j-eZWYtgSKfamVWFUlsO

This is likely the explanation for the poor responses. Thanks for posting. That the export docs have taken so long to process is odd. I purchased a blade in September and the export paperwork was ready in 3 weeks. Is it possible the papers don't match the blade and this is the reason for the delay. I would be patient and give it another week and then make phone calls.

Well there is Mei. Hopefully not gimei, so that should tell you who made it.

These are model images of how horimono should look. Fantastic quality.