Babu

I have seen GSP shipping prices for items outside the UK that were eye watering . I do not use it . There are expert export companies that can deal with delivery almost anywhere for a reasonable fee. Our issue as I've already identified is internal movements where either ”antique” or ”Sword” will trigger rejection or destruction. If antique is acceptable then your insurance is invalid.

Thank you gentlemen.

Hi Michael, Yes I've the original Japanese text book.

Has anyone got the English translation Of NIHON- TO-NO-KANTEI NYUMON I could buy please? CD, PDF or printed is fine Thank you Adam

Hi can anyone perhaps tell me what the small paragraph is and the smiths name which I think is kiyomitsu? Yasumitsu? Thank you

If its pink slipped they used to at least give an opinion of it. Without hijacking a thread how does one commission Tanobe to make a sayagaki? I'd like to have this on a couple of mine but Paul Martin said he doesn't know him.

No ill touch base with him tomorrow. Conversation is so slow by email there's several hours between asking and answer.

So what was the general consensus because regardless of Fords explanations your is the only one I see that exhibits this trait. How can you darken pure brass in that manner?

The unusual thing about Bernhards tsuba is that the zogan is not zogan it's been applied with leaf which is wearing off even around the circular emblem. The others are clearly brass overlay Zogan with the inserted circular decoration.

Yes it looks like an Anaconda

I think so yes.

Ah yes perhaps I misheard 180,000 could be right.

What he did say was to make sure it was no too over wrapped so easy to open for inspection by officials as he would likely be in a queue and not want to hold people up. I'd better check first before I pack. It won't be until Monday now it's the weekend in Japan.

First I would suggest shinsa then decide on polish to next level. It is not conforming to any known examples. It's got enough showing to get Hozon if not gimei I expect.

He has not suggested collection Grev. Michael S. They have no Shirasaya yet that's part of the job so it will have to be koshirae which is all very expensive top end. Plan is Shirasaya, shinsa, if required mukansa polish shinsa again then sayagaki hopefully by Tanobe Sensei.

This is a picture for sugata.

OK it is just about a katana as its over 60cm. Its been shortened and the finish on the Nakago jiri and the two mekugi ana back this theory up. It does not appear to be signed. There is no way anyone can see the hada or hamon in those current images and I worry its been sanded over so all detail is lost. The fitting (and I mean no disrespect) are very mediocre and of relatively low quality when new. I am not convinced that the tsuba is not cast iron hand finished. It's really important you take a picture of the blade on a towel on the floor at midpoint so people can see the sugata.

One will be muromachi or earlier the other Kamakura. Should I pack separately or together? Should I put them in the koshirae or loose blades but well wrapped? Is there a Japanese document or will my UK declaration with harmonised codes be acceptable? Thank you Adam

Additional information

Hello. I'm sending my swords to Paul Martin to send to shinsa and once we have a result we will decide on submitting to further shinsa levels or perhaps if it goes Pink have the mei removed and resubmit. Can anyone help advise what I need to put on the export import documentation to ensure I don't hit problems? Paul has said value Inc postage below 1800 Yen. What else?? Thank you Adam

Thank you John.

Anyone make this out? Thank you

What would you like to know? Thank you

I agree with Jacques that no Munemitsu was working in the shinto period or after in the Bizen tradition,his references to this on my thread made me look again. I also note that the mune character on my sword has an atari going the wrong way for extant examples of mei as he pointed out. There was a Bizen munemitsu in 1233 no records of his mei exist. Only the recognised 1st gen 1312-24 signed Bizen. 2nd 1364 signed Bishu 3rd 1394 signed Bishu 4th Bishu 5th Bishu 1487 Bizen kuni Osafune munemitsu Heianjo Saku Kore. 1541 Bizen kuni ju osafune munemitsu Tsukuru 1532 Bizen kuni ju osafune sakyoshin munemitsu tsukuru 1540-58 Bishu again. 1573 Bishu There are others but not in Bizen school.

Many menuki were adapted for this purpose after 1879. It may well be, but my experience of pouch clasps has almost always been thin pressed examples in copper. The thicker ones almost always Menuki re-purposed I'm sure there are no doubt exeptions to the rule though. I'd still like to know what if anything it reads. Thank you