DTM72

I was thinking that too. The obliteration looks almost like a grinding wheel, and not file marks. Horrible job. They could have at least performed the grinding in the same direction as the surrounding yasurime.

I don't think the flat saya tip would stay very well in the indentation of the base...plus it may be top heavy. I would think D-Handle down would fit and work better. Or...get a mounted tachi...

The katana I already own is not dated, but was given an era of Meireki (1655). The Wakizashi is dated from Manji (1658). The katana is o-suriage and lost its information along the way. The NTHK papers have 6 stamps, so I fell pretty confident in their attribution. As the article states, this will be an assembled set, not intended as a pairing by the smith. Still on the fence about getting the wakizashi and trying to "assemble" this daisho. The reading has been very enlightening!

Thanks Brian! Calendar updated!

Great information. Thank you!

I guess I fell victum to the hype...pre-internet, you could say stuff like that and it was hard to refute. So that being said, April 2-3, 2022 Tulsa Arms Show @ Tulsa Fairgrounds in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the largest gun and knife show "IN THE WORLD". https://www.tulsaarmsshow.com/

Brian, My small brain cannot figure out how to add events to the calendar. What is the trick?

I honestly have NOT been to the MAX show in about 10 years. It used to be at the EXPO Mart near Pittsburgh and was called the largest show then. Now that they have relocated to York, PA., I am hearing it is now smaller than the SOS... making the SOS the largest Military Antique show in the USA. The National Gun Day is held at the same weekend and is the largest gun and knife show in the USA. I have found some Nihonto there as well. I have already booked flights to attend the SOS and National Gun Day.

I already own an early Edo era katana that is mumei, but papered by the NTHK with five stamps. The wakizashi is at an auction from a militaria auction house coming in a couple weeks that is signed and dated with an older NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper. I'm now a little torn as to getting it. I haven't mentioned the name of the Smith as I'm hoping there will be few bidders.

Great article! Thanks Mark. For me, it is not a matter of assembling to make a profit....at least not in the next 20 years. I just like the thought of a matching set, by the same smith.

Will you be attending one or more of the shows?

I have a question regarding a katana and wakizashi from the same smith. Let's say you have a papered katana from a Smith that alone could sell for (using simple numbers) $1000. You also have a papered wakizashi from the same smith that alone could sell for $600. Individually that is a value of $1600. If they were in very similar or matching koshirae and sold as a set, would the value still be $1600 or would the value be more because of being a daisho? For it to be a true set, would it have to also contain some kind of provenance or story or just papers from accredited organization...NTHK, NBTHK, etc. Thanks in advance!

Brian, I was not aware of the calendar. I will surely add to it!

@Mark will there be a shinsa at the Chicago Sword Show?

Looks to be the remnants of a signature there. appears to be signed tachi mei.