Surfson

Wow, that Ki kanji really looks like a tortoise, and has a tail like a rye (dragon)

Did you buy it? I would like to know more about it, as it is an interesting inscription. I'm away from my books and don't know about either of those men.

Yes, Byron is the first name, I misremembered it. His polish work looked like the one in question.

Was that polished by Brian Shimizu?

The yasurime are not inspiring of great care exerted during finishing, however

You are correct Vince, it may just be machiokuri, which is when the machi is moved up without shortening the end of the tang. There is a little kurijiri on the end of the tang, so it is possible that it is the original jiri.

So sorry to hear this and I hope you recover it. I do have to echo what Grey said for any of you who might ship a sword. I buy the heavy cardboard tubes with plastic ends. They are incredibly strong - a full grown person could stand on them and they won't crush.

Vince, I think that it is unlikely to be a lost treasure, and is probably not worth submitting to shinsa to get an opinion as to school. Kirill is probably right that it's late muromachi. You never say how long the cutting edge is, but I am guessing under 20", is that right? It seems to be in decent polish and the mounts are nearly all there (other than the kurikata), which means it could be enjoyed by an entry level collector and doesn't really need any serious restoration. So, with no papers, and being a cut down wakizashi, I would estimate that it would bring $800-1200 or so at a sword show or an online auction, possibly more or less depending on the quality of the photos and listing.

I see a fair bit of tobiyaki/hitatsura, some kinsuji, some gunome with long ashi, some yo.... What does the tang look like? Also, is that rust in the shinogi ji or just some red clouds reflecting?

Here's one I sold on ebay last year. I had had it in the closet for over 20 years. Not sure if that is the type of damage you were looking for. This one clearly took a bullet, and I always imagined that it may have save the life of its owner at the time.

It looks like it could catch and hold a rope as well.

Based on George's attribution that the design is a chrysanthemum, I would think of a shishi dog - chrysanthemum theme for it. I think that Umetada might go well with it.

Hard to make out. Maybe Seki Kaneshige. Do you have better photos? It has the "feel" of an arsenal blade, perhaps hand made.

Thanks Ian, much appreciated. Cheers, Bob

Ian, is that a recommendation or are you neutral?

Thanks John. It's funny how some paper to Higo, others to Hayashi. Yet they look nearly identical. Well, I am happy with mine, considering the one you just found is nearly 5 times as costly!

If defenestration (throwing him out a window) doesn't work, you can fenestrate him with a tanto (definition #2): fen·es·tra·tion /ˌfenəˈstrāSHən/ Learn to pronounce noun ARCHITECTURE the arrangement of windows and doors on the elevations of a building. BOTANY•ZOOLOGY the condition of being fenestrate. MEDICINE a surgical operation in which a new opening is formed, especially in the bony labyrinth of the inner ear to treat certain types of deafness.

I have also been told by others that these were Meiji period for export, though they usually have older swords in them.

Oh, and please, please, please, if you have not been vaccinated for Covid-19, do it as a gift to your family, friends and self. It truly saves lives.

I am so sorry to hear this, as Larry was a friend and fellow enthusiast. The Minneapolis show organized by Larry and Chris has been the only show that I have had the time to attend over the last decade or so and getting to know Larry there, I appreciated his larger than life personality, his great sense of humor and his generosity to others. I will truly miss Larry and send my condolences out to his family and many friends.

I think that Darcy has had two Ko-Mino kozuka like the one on the Kunishige. This is one of the two that I happen to own (it had no papers and was the cheaper of the two). The one in the auction may be the same school, I don't know. https://yuhindo.com/mino-ryu-kozuka/

Thank you John, Dale, Mark and Morita San. Is that a book worth having?

I know of the fame of Wakayama. Was Kanzan Sato considered to be a true expert in kodogu? I see many hakogaki by him and have several myself.

I agree the prices were high, bordering on absurd. It's my impression that the Japanese sword market is actually climbing lately, as the same can be seen with lower quality pieces at local auctions. Jussi, everything you say about #22 is right. The all in suite silver signed mounts were quite good though, and the menuki looked quite fine to me. The mounts were even better on #19. I studied the mei carefully and was convinced that the Yokoya Soyo mei was good on the tsuba and matching fuchi kashira. There was a set of fittings with NBTHK papers by him on Yahoo.jp that reached the price of the whole sword recently. I agree with Luis about the kozuka, and would think that it was closer to a $3000 piece considering how nice the kokatana was, in addition to the fabulous gold dragon kozuka. All said, I have to admit also that I am relieved that I didn't get either. I had set bidding limits for myself of 7,000 and 5,000 on those two, but got swept up in the heat of the moment.

That would be greatly appreciated John!