Surfson

Did you buy it? Looks like it has been sold.

I have had problems with several koshirae getting stuck (no pun intended) with Buyee for various reasons, or no reason at all. They will sometimes give you the choice of paying storage or to have them destroy the item. Their communications are often either bad or non existent. My solution to this problem was fairly direct. I have canceled payment (through Paypal or the credit card company) on more than one occasion, which puts them in a bind. They don't mind holding a "stuck" item if you own it, but once they own it, they suddenly get motivated to solve the problem. I hope this helps.

If that habaki is solid gold, I agree with the others - it will be noticeably heavier than a typical habaki. If you don't want to take it to a jeweler, you can get a simple acid based test kit. You would rub it on an abrasive stone, and then treat it with the different grades of acid. I have never used one of these, but they seem fairly simple, and as long as you are careful to choose an unobrusive part of the habaki, the rubbing part won't be overly destructive. https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Platinum-Testing-Stone-Jewelers/dp/B000OVHWLK/ref=asc_df_B000OVHWLK/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312270791747&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7381579657912300181&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021715&hvtargid=pla-569657247504&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62213987215&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312270791747&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7381579657912300181&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9021715&hvtargid=pla-569657247504

Thanks, didn't know that. b

Dirk, two of those are Naomichi

That is a very fine piece.

My read is: The water service cat looks like a mountain flower. Hilarious!

Hard to answer your question. Even if we assume it is gimei. Does it have mounts? is that an unwrapped handle in the background? Are all the other mounts there? What condition is the blade in? Any fatal chips, hagire or bad pitting rust? Probably worth less than $1500 if gimei.

He is a well regarded smith from the Mishina group. Like Yoshimichi, they often use sudareba, kikusui, Fujisan and other artistic motifs. Here are a couple shots of one in my collection. Also, here is a nice article about the school. http://www.nihontocraft.com/Mishina.html

Here is a screenshot from the sales result of the other tanto that went through Yoshimune's shop and appraisal service.

Wow, thanks for posting that Bob. I had forgotten about this little study that I had done of Ittosai Yoshimune. I do love those tsuba - still have them. Interestingly, I found one in shakudo that was very similar but was pear or plum blossoms instead of cherry.

Marugata suemon?

Paz, many are bitten by the "koto bug", including myself. However, I have kept most of my great shinto and shinshinto blades (mostly signed, ubu, polished, papered and obtained in need of restoration from ebay over the last two plus decades), and just been adding koto blades to the collection. My frustration with koto blades is the huge emphasis on kantei, since so many of these swords are osuriage. That puts collectors often in the position of buying, for high prices, mumei (osuriage) blades with high level papers to makers that the shinsa team chose. In many cases, we are paying huge prices just for the papers on swords lacking a signature. Since I have bought many of my koto blades on ebay or at shows and had them restored, I have to say that I have several that have gotten two, three or even four different attributions. I don't share your sense of koto superiority - shinto and shinshinto blades are wonderful, are often great examples of the pinnacle of Edo period sword making and can be found in perfect, near-mint condition, as they were when new. Also, the imagination of swords as art fluorished during the shinto period and later, and there are many schools that produced magnificent pieces of sword art. Many of these, e.g. Kiyomaro, command prices at or exceeding the prices brought by many of the koto masters. The path you have taken is very common and perfectly normal, though it need not be accompanied by a loss of affection for shinto swords. I have found some very nice koto blades and love owning and restoring them, but I love my Edo period swords as well.

JD, Sharpness and durability were very important to a samurai when he was using the sword he was carrying in battles. Call it worthless if you must, but it was a valid and accepted method of testing the sharpness and durability of blades, and the nomenclature is still used today. These testers, and experience in battle, were also attuned to the tendency of certain swords with excessive tempering to break, another feature that had life or death consequences.

Kirill, my first guess is that it is a sword that you will have at the San Francisco show! I also thought Norishige, based on some sections with what looks like matsukawa hada (plus you liked the Ko-Uda call). Beyond that I thought it might be a shin shinto utsushi of a Yamato blade, but that seems out of the question.

Aoi has arranged and covered shipping for the blades that I have bought from them, but it has been many years since I purchased one from them.

It also says shakudo nanako ji maru bori...(tetsubun?)

Tameshigiri using human bodies is fortunately not done these days. However, having the results of decades of study using this primeval method has resulted in the ranking system that has been passed along. Although it is nice to own a sword by a maker designated as wazamono or better, I find that the Fujishiro rankings, which you use as well, are a better guide toward sword quality. The two ranking systems seem to be correlated to some extent. It's my understanding that Fujishiro made his rankings based on his personal experience from polishing thousands of swords.

As a general rule, most collectors prefer blades to be at least "josun" or 70cm, which is just over 27.5". An ubu nakago is always preferred, regardless of era or age. Signed is preferred to not signed. In terms of length, after the Edo period, the standard length for gunto (military swords) was closer to the range of 66-68 cm, so the view of the above mostly applies to swords from Edo period or earlier.

I hope to be self aware enough that I can start to distribute my collection at least a few years before I shuffle off this mortal coil. The problem is that we really can't plan for surprises (e.g. getting hit by a bus), and parting with my collection, especially my most favorite items, will be traumatic. I am trying to do what you have done Chris; that way, I will have the memories of my pieces secured in text and photos after I have found them new homes.

How long is the cutting edge on the unsigned blade?

I'm planning to take mine with me.

Well, the good news is that now you have images of the lost papers!

Thanks Georg. I'm about to go out of town, but had a quick look. I changed my mind on the length and now suspect that it was shortened. having a nagasa of 75 cm after shortening means it was likely quite long. Based on what looks like a high shinogi, and the hamon, I am going to guess Yamato Tegai. I'm not afraid of being spectacularly wrong! I hope you like the shinsa result that you got.

George, I am happy for you that you have made a decision on it. I expect that after having a new saya and habaki made, and getting a professional polish (best done in Japan in my opinion), it is likely to be a very beautiful sword and a nice family heirloom. I recommend that you get NBTHK papers after polish if you have the work done in Japan. You don't seem to have any expectations that it is a good financial decision, but your attachment of sentimental value makes this a useful and valuable exercise. I do hope that along the way you will learn how to care for it well, as a fully polished blade needs considerable care. Depending on whether you live in a humid environment, or near a body of salt water, you may have to clean and oil it annually or even more frequently. There are useful discussions on NMB as to the best way to care for it. This has been a great success, as you sought help from the right group, you processed the information you received well, and you made a very reasonable decision. Even the "expert" that you sent it to gave you the same advice, so I presume they are a knowledgable person. Was it somebody that you found through NMB? Best wishes, and please post some photos after the restoration is done.