Babu

I've had a quick look and can find nothing on this Smith. It might be worth adding that very few kogatana were signed by the Smith who made them rather the names were added more as an attribute. You can tell the real Smith made items as they take as much care with the kogatana as they would a sword and the nakago ,nakago jiri and yasureme will be true to the Smith as will the mei. You can even glean which generation if multiple generation were around,they are that accurate. Yours looks to me more like just a random attributed mei but the nakago will tell you for sure Adam.

The tsuba looks a late one, but is showing signs of a change in mounting. The translation will help as it's critical to the decision to buy Grev.

Roger it's a nice thought. Just my opinion but if the opponent's sword has got that close you have probably got a serious cut to your arm at the very least. The tsuba stops a blade from sliding down the sword onto the hand or the hand from sliding into the blade. It would be rather risky to use it to parry or deflect a blow as suggested. The mune and flat are used for this purpose. Put the tsuba on a blade hold that blade in your hand and look at the angle of the cuts to determine where the blades top 3rd is likely to be as your strike will be around the monouchi. I think if they are indeed battle scars then I feel that samurai may have lost. But they are not fine enough to have been caused by a sharpened blade which would leave a fine indent not these thick ones.

Yes beautiful piece Francois. I'm glad you are enjoying it.

The seven flowers of autumn are often depicted with the bell cricket (Suzumushi) Flowers are indigenous to Japan. Bush Clover hagi, Japanese Silver Grass susuki, Japanese Arrowroot kuzu, Pink nadeshiko, Valerian ominaeshi, Joe Pye Weed fujibakama, and Balloon Flower kikyo.

Munemitsu swords significantly over 70cm will fail shinsa. This is from a very respected sword expert. Fumbari is based on measurement as is Nagasa. In fact almost every expert I've consulted has asked for all measurements, so I'm not entirely sure where your information is supplied Brian. It goes without saying if measurements are required then they play a pivotal role in kantei.

It's yoroi Doshi so I might suggest it was re-purposed as its design is clearly armour penetrative. It's tempered and looks mino den to me but that's just because it looks like a mino den tanto I once had. I like it but shame about the Nakago. It's Unikubi-Zukuri ( Cormorants neck) aka Nagamaki naoshi

No probably not, its condition is not perfect Robert. I might do the Tsuneyuki, the Tōu and the Kaneyuki one day though. My confidence in them and condition almost requires it.

I've spoken to Louis, he is indeed in a far better place now he is out of the nihonto grip and getting stuck into wonderful projects . I think it always stays with you the bug... but better it doesn't control your life as it can for some.

Ok let me offer a description of the sword for you to contemplate. I have been told by a very respected expert that it very much reminds them of something. nagasa 70.3 cm sori 2.0 cm motohaba 2.8 cm sakihaba 1.8 cm kissaki 2.8 cm nakago nagasa 18.2 cm nakago sori 0.1 cm Configuration (sugata) with longitudinal ridge line (shinogi-zukuri), shallow peaked back (iori-mune) and medium point (chu-kissaki); length (nagasa) 2 shaku, 3 sun, 2 bu (70.3cm.); curvature (sori)koshi-zori of 2.0cm.; increase in width of blade (fumbari) 10 mm. Forging pattern (jihada) wood grain (itame). Tempering pattern (hamon) very wide Ichimonji midare with juka-choji and widely scattered utsuri all extending close to and into the shinogi. Point (boshi) omaru on the outside and slight flame-brushed tip (hakikake) on the inside. Tang (nakago). Shape (keitai) regular with the shinogi extending the full length, slightly shortened (suriage); file marks (yasurime) slanted (katte-sagari); end (nakagojiri) straight (kiri); holes (mekugi-ana) three; signature (tachimei) obscured.

Here is a removed orakaeshi mei that is non reverseable Here also is mine with the mei reinserted.

Most people I showed it to including everyone on here shouted Gimei. I asked Paul and he eventually (due to time and distance delays agreed with the appraisal) A very noted expert in this field kindly researched this blade for me and told me in a very Japanese way that in its current guise it would be a total waste of money to send it to shinsa with that mei as that smith was noted for never producing swords over 70cm. This sword was at least 85cm. He also stated it would not be worth the cost of polishing in its current state. The mei was wrong. Confirmed by many. The panel was easy to slide out and as I said easy to slide back in. The fold has been cracked to facilitate this. It still matches the two sides perfectly when pushed back in and you can barely notice. So I could send it with the gimei or remove the gimei then get it to shinsa and once I knew more about the sword return the mei back into the panel. History preserved, but me a little more informed on what I have. So really is it worth all this stress over a solution I have found that can be reversed? Also I do not do things lightly or without significant advice as I quite hoped it was shoshin orakaeshi mei. But frankly too many experts say its not. What I asked is will it be acceptable for judgement if they (the shinsa panel) assume that mei lost to history?

I have a sword with orakaeshi mei that although preserved by the samurai on shortening is none the less not correct in spite of his belief at the time in the muromachi that it was. The problem is that the smith its claiming to be had a sword length of 70cm approx and rarely exceeded this if ever. It's tachi mei and the mei "panel" is quite easy to remove with only nominal Work and is also easy to replace. If I submit it to shinsa as removed with its little slot empty, will it likely be rejected? Fortunately the panel steel is as corroded as the Nakago so colour wise it's OK. I feel the sword worthy of shinsa and need to know more about it.

That's better I've done a year so much easier as I know it's done each time. It offers to renew automatically but you will need to set up automatic reminders a month before renewal date of those that didn't select that option. I might suggest renewals or subscription run from the first of the option selected month. Ergo my subscription started first of September and will need renewal 1st sept 2021 Otherwise you will enter a nightmare world. Reminders go out first of the preceding month for September subscribers.

So the gold tuft of hair??

Please put an option on for 6 month 12 month or 24month. I do not want to do six monthly

This would only work if you could interpret the rest if the design as water which I do not feel you can . It is too organic and plant like. Owari is my guess as well.

If the koshirae fits the sword correctly then you need firm thumb pressure to the tsuba to push the sword from the saya. I've seen photos of Samurai with the sword almost upside down and there being no signs of it coming loose. This one is 1867

Yes, the are Ko Kinko Mark. NBTHK Hozon origami.

Ah Brano that reminds me of my first sword at 18 years of age, found in a barn collecting dust in Devon near Okehampton. There it was hanging from the beam with baler twine around it. I asked what the farmer wanted for it. He said he used to do house clearance and got it at an estate with many others. It had been up there 20 years. £50 bought it, signed Tamba no kami Yoshimitchi with surare ba just like that and that bold Yoshimitchi mei. I took it up to Victor Harris for kantei all those years ago. That was the start, but then deals could be found and these swords turned up cheaply at all the local auction houses. Now prices over here are ludicrous..... Supply and demand I guess.

Did you have no proof of delivery or tracking then?

For comparison

Could anyone please enlighten me as to this theme for menuki? Thank you Adam

And yet in wakayama they show an almost identical example for the 2nd generation and it looks good to me so there must have been an accepted variation on his work.. I would assume ?

According to wakayama and Sesko it is but as we all know only shinsa will confirm this for sure. What are your thoughts?