lonely panet

ok, iv never really like these over the top style tsuba, but its killing me to know if they are modern or very late edo?? what do you guys think??? http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAIR-OF-ANTIQUE-Japanese-GILT-DRAGON-DECORATED-IRON-TSUBAS-SIGNED/331989660624?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D39241%26meid%3De160415f9b6b4f50bfcb261bd6152b26%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D331990634934 my apologies to anyone whos secret auction I have spoiled \

sorry, nothing to see in JI at all. I would say some clown with metal polish or fine wet-rub have ruined any chances of seing the hamon/hada aswell as rubbing over the yokate

its a odd little hole, done after the Mei was struck by the look of the burling on the hole. but would it be considered a flaw?

its all a matter of money, you see I have none

Thanks for the help guys. Next stop Sasano

But how will i learn to tell the differance nishigaki and akasaka hahaha

Hi guys well im almost ready to study and collect tsuba (because I cant afford swords anymore) normally I would just buy what I like, but out of interest is there a more common sense approach to helping me learn the schools and linages while I buy? I was just going to look at buying good examples of the schools listed here, except yagu as I think there very overrated anyone got some good advice regards H

ok, I haven't read all the posts but heres my 10centss They are a point of interest on cheap/lower end swords an flaw/damge to quality art swords. like vintage cars, we like them in mint condition, not with stone chips in the paint, but if its a Toyota carolla now one cares

Looks like light pitting from rust

I would say its a wakizashi in shinogi zukuri or a unokubi zukuri with a okissaki, its a tricky shape considering. whats the nakago look like

do you think the sale is aimed at the western market? with the rise and rise of popularity of the simple showato, maybe a well planned tactic to slowly bring more people back to the work of nihonto. after all, many including myself started on showato. and then the disorder became untreatable

Interesting, whats the quality of the blade like. Also any mention of what stamp it was? Conspiracy theories will appear soon hahahha

odd ball is a term that is miss-leading, IMHO is worth avoiding due it being of almost rubbish quality. if you want a true oddball, check this out. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-SWORD-SABER-PUBLISHED-IN-DAWSONS-BOOK-VERY-RARE-RUSSIAN-BLADE-MONSTER/162184005689?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D37252%26meid%3D4d5876ea844b482fb6bcdd73cf5e1ce1%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D11%26sd%3D142100208475 PS I would like a commission on final sale ahhahaha

very nice, but when I read the title I thought you were aiming for a double entendre,

True Bill, but still very high. Yasukuni/okimasa high prices. but I like this quote "VALUE AND QUALITY arn't directly related to each other in the market place", and when does a certin rareity become more valued then others? and if we count up over the net, I remember seeing 3-4 for sale in the last year, Also this seller must have aleast half the worlds yasukuni swords because I would say he sells atleast 6-8 per year. But at the end of the day, I didn't buy it, I would pay that much and I cant afford it so the topic has ran its course.

If any knows were they are they will under no conditions of torture will they tell someone they have never meet, or there mother for that fact

How long will the fade last ? It just like the hype around the type95 ncos sword back in the early 2000. Heaps of peaple paided high prices and now theres more on the market then peaple buying them

Hi guys, its no myth, got first hand information from a gentleman who was on the Kokoda and Bull tracks. he was one of the few packhorsemen that would take all there supplys in via donkeys, they also had the blacksmiths with them to shod the animals. this is how the myth began. I have been shown one of there pieces of work, and i can say there very good, but noticeably not Japanese nihonto. my family have know each other for 3 generations so its very solid information, his name was Snowy Noble and he had a book written about his life, i will try and dig it up and post the correct tittle. He use to tell me shocking stories of what the war, sadly snowy passed away about 10 years ago. regards H

Yes, i watched it. Peaple with more money then common sence. One simple stamp and booooom and the price goes through the roof. I will also mention the crazy prices of Generals grade shingunto tassels too,

Hi random poster IMHO, I doubt it was evan made in Japan. I wouldnt touch it. its got repro put togeather written all over it. the tsuba is poor evan for a late war piece the tsuka is complete rubbish, the blade and nakago are poor evan for late war maybe the scabbard is real what does anyone else say?? regards H

Zack, Rich is dead right. iv tried to cure myself twice now, by trying to sell my whole collection and put the money back in too my new family. I never happens, fate or bad luck/ good luck always stops me. regardless of your financial level, aways buy the best condition and best quality you can afford at the time. and never go past a 50//50 buy. we all kick our selves for not buying something we should have. the old saying, THATS EXPENSIVE TODAY IS CHEAP TOMORROW.

the collection didn't sell in time, I got slugged with provisional tax (again) and couldn't make the deadline, so I have kept a few items and this is one of them.

I can help with that

Hi Grant, here is a simular army Kyu gunto to your, the blade is very simular, some areas have some hada but im sure the hamon is acid etched on steal. this is not a dress sword either as the blade will cut paper. there is limited information on a early experimental duel purpose sword that was designed to be a dress and combat sword. but iv lost the link. maybe from the same company, who knows. just a tickler to keep you interested, very oddly the applied mon is a 10 petal umi plossum and there are no sukura. they are all umi.

It can differ alot from smith to smith. Some my use core steal, while some will use western monosteal and make to shape and oil quench it. Its a very subjective topic on its own