Lewis B

Seems at first glance to be a bit of a bargain with early registration papers.

Which could have been yesterday. Tsuruta san is very astute and the papers say Awataguchi and not Hisakuni so they don't have a clear attribution to a specific maker, despite the sayagaki. For me this would be a blade to appreciate but not own.

Jedediah, since you saw the blade in person were you able to see this feature. Could this be a further fracture extending up from the Ha to the shinogi-ji (it's clearer in AOI's images)? It passed Juyo in 1981 but there is no mention or image of the massive kirikomi in the Zufu. Is it possible the damage was sustained after 1981? Would the stricter Shinsa today mean this type of damage would prevent it getting higher than TH papers?

What was the auction site? Has the whiff of shill bidding (by the seller) judging by the repeated MO. Thanks for flagging this seller. Would be nice if they can respond and clarify the matter.

But there will be hefty import tax and duties imposed when shipping to the EU, now that the UK is a 3rd country.

Well that was the price I was quoted by the dealer back in June.

Thats TokoJu is described as a kodachi. Hard to see the jihada or hataraki, but it appears to have utsuri. Perfect condition though as you would expect.

Does this mean that replacement Juyo papers that have been reissued are easier to fake and therefore require closer scrutiny and additional research? These appear to have fewer security features. No suggestion the one I feature has issues but it illustrates the difficulties of ensuring authenticity.

Certainly a rare piece. The kirikomi could possibly divide opinion given its location and severity. If it was on the mune or the blade was attributed to a big name with Mei and I would be a little more forgiving. Personally I would pass but only because the blade strike extends beyond the hamon. Let us know what you decide. Read some of the excellent threads on kirikomi and their impact in the market, like this one https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/20392-does-kirikomi-add-to-or-detract-from-a-swords-value/#comment-208730

Personally I would focus on a high quality juyo. Preferably one from 60’s shinsa. The TJ premium is not worth price of admission IMHO.

I know of a TJ Norishige available in Europe. Not cheap at 320k Euro. Said to be the first Norishige to pass Juyo Shinsa and then subsequently attained TJ status. Strong Ko Hoki appearance. Whats you budget?

You also need to change the description on the Catawiki listing too.

Yep, scary

Welcome. Thats all well and good and I guess we all make mistakes, but how about addressing G.J.'s reference to your claim “The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate notes that ‘Heianjo Nagayoshi forges a finer jihada (steel grain pattern) than both Muramasa and Masazane." for the Nagayoshi. Nowhere on the NBTHK papers does it say this.

For those non Dutch speakers: Hello friends, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Cor, owner of Kyodai Originals. I would like to respond to this issue I am sorry for this. It is important to know that at Kyodai Originals we only offer authentic items, and this sword came directly from Japan, so whatever was tampered with was done there. As Jussi said, it is difficult for a foreigner to verify any certificate, especially with Hozon and Tokubetsu hozon. The moment I was told that this piece had been changed, I immediately cancelled all offers. I refuse to sell anything that is fake, even if it means losing tens of thousands of dollars. I wouldn't even know how or where to get this kind of forgery done. This is a world contrary to my beliefs. I am in contact with Japan on this matter and the sword will return to them, obviously I assume they will launch an investigation. I am a father, grandfather and very involved in my community. As a 4th Dan black belt karate teacher, my core belief is to be respectful and fair to others. If you feel any of my offerings are incorrect, just contact me so I can address it. We all make mistakes, it's all about how we deal with them. Please contact me personally if you have any questions or comments. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Have to say not an appealing look.

I think Peter was suggesting that after this disappointment, members here might be able to point you in the right direction for a purchase and avoid some of the pitfalls and mistakes like the one you fortuitously uncovered here.

Kyodai have taken down the images. The plot thickens . Reported to Catawiki so curious how they respond. Top bid is currently 16K Euro. Update. Catawiki removed the listing. Great first post OP and welcome to the NMB. Saved an unsuspecting buyer from being scammed. I will add Kyodai to SupeinNihonto on my list of EU businesses to avoid. Sabbah has also earned a red flag.

That is Patrice Sabbah. He's a well known sword polisher from France, who I met at the Japan Art Expo last summer at his booth. Talk about trashing a reputation. Catawiki is becoming about as reliable as Craigslist and Gumtree with buyer protections to match. AVOID.

Could have been so much more. Any ideas on the sword makers? Solid gold tanto koshirae. Must have weighed a fair amount.

Thanks Sam, certainly food for thought. The kaki-toshi bohi would support such a hypothesis.

Later Mino Senjuin?

It passed TH Senjuin in 2022. Attribution confirmed by Tanobe in the Sayagaki. Mino Senjuin would be recorded in the NBTHK attribution and quality of those blades is questionable. I've yet to see a mumei Mino Senjuin pass TH.

0-suriage, probably lost 10-15cm. All the pieces of the puzzle point to a shortened katana rather than an uchigatana from moment of manufacture.