DTM72

What Mark and Thomas state above are great ways of doing it. Easiest way, if you have time, is to go by a USPS, Fed-Ex, UPS place and ship the sword to yourself. BUT, if that is not possible, then checked luggage and direct flights are the best bet.

Last bit of advice, stick an Apple airtag in the box or container with the sword. You can watch in real time where your stuff is going if you transfer planes, and ensure it continues to travel with you.

The blade.

After having this on display at the Las Vegas show, I was asked to post here. Took me a while to get the drool  cleaned-up that @Brian left on it. lol

Beautiful 1883 pattern Navy Kyu-gunto with signed and papered katana from Bungo ju Fujiwara Sadayuki earning 76 points at the Chicago NTHK-NPO shinsa. Most interesting feature is the tobiyaki found just above the shinogi line, with one or two on each side of the blade that are in both the shinogi and the ji areas. With the shinogi being burnished, it has been impossible for me to catch the tobiyaki in the photos. The shagreen (sharkskin) saya is completly unblemished and in museum condition, as well as the fittings. Hope you like!

Showa stamp pretty much seals it's fate as a Showato <-- machine made arsenal blade. The only way to 100% know for sure is for someone knowledgeable to see the actual blade. 

Looks to be signed Kanemune 兼 宗 although not 100% sure on second character.

Dated Showa Ni Ju Nen Ni gatsu  (Feb 1945) 昭和二十年二月

In types like 5, 6,& 7, you can get ware' on the side of the blade, between the high carbon edge and the medium carbon sides. BUT....depending on how well the medium carbon steel was processed before sandwiching it all together, it too could have a forging flaw mixed in.

This may help explain what you could be seeing on the back edge. Examples 4, 5, 6.

If you have the time and energy, the ronin knot is very nice to look at.

I agree with Chris. This is a forging ware'. Being that it is in the mune and is tight in nature, it is not a problem. It is possible that this is the core steel not bonding to the skin steel.

On 1/29/2024 at 1:33 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

Thanks Ray!

 

Safe to assume it's this "Yoshi"? - 吉近

I would say yes. Yoshichika from September 1344 <--

John summed it up pretty well. The fittings all appear to be newer, but assembled nicely. Nice little tanto. Enjoy!

10 minutes ago, ChrisW said:

RIP

It would have been better to have been left in a relic condition than whatever was done to it.

I can see it now. Bubba was in his barn on the outskirts of Martinsville, IN. sayin' "imma gon sharpen this here samurai sword and chop some trees round Thelma-Lu's garden."

Someone took a belt sander to this Emura. May it rest in peace.

Just be careful, there ARE replicas of this out there.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266206030875?hash=item3dfb1dac1b:g:5dcAAOSwE~Vj6Fsm&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4KDrqMrr6umQUc%2BOmAili8Dyoe%2BrBFOqWH%2FDKlauPknYt1EBlwHUd2t6%2Fai%2BUFfOZpMx6INQFGf3jKq1pMVru21lSz%2BGF9CDjXmZ8fV6ejBY7osTWEF9uxUSi8ZSwkFaz76hN1XTAOd8ZY%2B7NTBW4o1Iv088Uq2SHEFW%2BNg3UbU%2FNyGE9G8iTUVdig%2BzSKreoOOsURNAchG1FBDqwk%2F4Snvv4563DPqhlYhT%2BBEPujDWxEQ5h%2FY2UdQKdEACSAQH7z6KfXWt0KYaPK6yzXzB%2F4ANqECxtrW8nyfh2M4KQevo|tkp%3ABk9SR8T4xo2sYw

Shin = New

Gun = Army

To = Sword

So if it has an older blade inside it is stil a "New Army Sword"...with an older blade.

On 1/27/2024 at 2:37 PM, Ray Singer said:

While it is correct that the papers attribute to Sukemitsu, the blade is not signed Sukemitsu. 

 

Mei: Bishu Osafune ___ (suriage) 

Nengo: Eisho gannen ___ (suriage) 

Ray translated correctly something that I see quite often. May be a big deal, may not, I just strive for correctness. This particular sword is signed Bishu but the papers say Bizen in kanji and in English. Beautiful wakizashi though and great overall package.

I had some issues with him as well. He got angry because I was requesting additional pics of a wakizashi. Called me all kinds of names and told me to buy a rope and use it. Really nice guy. lol

Sending message

On 1/29/2024 at 1:32 PM, omidaijo said:

Thanks to Mark Jones for the Vegas Japanese Sword section... as always some fabulous items to drool over. ..... and great to see Brian there all the way from South Africa. There is no truth in the rumour that he was stopped by the South African Airport Police on arrival with 4 katana stuffed down each trouser leg, which were apparently easy to spot due to difficulty walking off the aircraft. The large bore tanegashima/teppo pistol down the front of his trousers went un-noticed. 

 

Since Roger Robertshaw @omidaijo sold/traded all of his extra items in Vegas, he will no longer need his table(s) for this show. If anyone is interested in taking his tables, give me a shout. It has taken me 3 years to get a table at this show, and i finally got two tables. You can literally get your foot in the door by taking Roger's tables. The tables are $100 each, as seen in the pictures above.

Contact me for all the details.

Hats off to Mark Jones @Mark for making this show happen. These shows are alot of work to organize and layout....who goes where, can they fit in the space given, do they have enough chairs, etc.

Wife and I had a great time eating some of the best sushi ever. as Brian @Brian said, the plates just kept coming and coming. We ended up with a few plates that no one else could eat. I became the garbage disposal and ate all the unclaimed and unloved sushi. lol

I highly enjoyed showing my Navy Kyu-Gunto to Brian and making him drool. 

My three biggest hits were the previously mentioned Navy Kyu-Gunto, the Edo period elaborately mounted tachi, and the Chinese replica tachi. It was properly identified as replica. People giggled but admitted it was not a bad looking replica. It has now found a new home and will make someone else happy.

I look forward to what next year's show brings...and the next shows I will be attending this year. <-- another story.

Good pic of Mark and Gray

Todays pics

Friday Night Sushi Dinner Group

@Stephen

@TnMike is in the background of the picture of my table. Eric Moliner is in the black, just over his shoulder in the distance.

I have chatted with Mark S. a few times today. He does not have a table but is on the hunt for hidden gems.

Have not crossed paths with @Brian yet.

I’ll take some pics during dinner tonight. All the above should be there.

Last but not least, @Mark Mark Jones (back turned to us) and Gray Doffin