Paz

Hi all. This might be a big ask as I don't beleive sword shortening / o suriage takes place anymore in our modern world. But does anyone have a video or photos on an actual suriage or shortening process ? I'm not expecting much, as this process took place on many older blades before cameras. Thanks

Your right Jon it is

Thanks malcom appreciated

Hi all. Quick question I've ordered a sword from the USA and the private seller used usps express international. What does this convert to once it arrives in the uk? I'm guessing royal mail. ??? Thanks Kind regards Paz

Thanks Colin appreciated ! £1900 for a Chinese fake ? At what point did the poor sod realise his mistake if at all Regards

Hi there. Sorry for another UK orientated post. But this is a stab in the dark and I don't expect much response. Does anyone have any recommendations or links for good UK nihonto auctions ? If they exist at all ? I heard from word of mouth that there are some Japanese sword auctions, and bargains to be had due to some people not knowing what they have. But can't seem to find any link to them. Thanks Paz

Hi one final question I do have. Are you allowed to do sayagaki on the tsuka of the shirasaya or does it start habaki upwards. The reason I ask is that I see most sayagaki done after and nothing on the tsuka. But if the blade is less than 70cm say 67cm. Would it be OK to start writing from tsuka upwards? Again I'm doing sayagaki only for aesthetic reasons, i have the hozon papers. And don't initially plan to sell on. Thanks

Hi all I'm wondering how much to offer for this blade on Facebook. I a m looking for a tanto. This is unpapered signed hikoshiro sadamune. However I think @Ray Singerhas beleived that this blade is possible Gimei. And the blade may be uda ,which fits into my collection. The horimono may have been done after. Here's the pics , I'm looking under 700usd maybe much more. Again there is no shinsa papers. But the seller is determined that its genuine work by sadamune. Thanks

@Toryu2020 Thanks Tom for your advice and time. Im interested in the NBTHK kantei posts and il check them out now. Otherwise il keep my money for now. I'm tempted to pick up hachlaks book when the price drops just to see her perspective. Thanks

Sorry Thomas 😆 yes I've read them. There not just sat on the shelf. I have been over them through, however not enough. My specific area I'm looking at are koto blades which is a large area indeed. The first two books are similar and for beginners and intermediate. Kokans book is fantastic for learning about dens throughout the eras and sword smiths. And is my reference book. Seskos book is great again, but is centered around kantei. My biggest issue in the UK is that we don't get as many shows, or places to view these blades unlike the USA. Having a blade in hand makes a huge difference. The only thing I'm hoping for is a token meeting closer to London soon. The books I have in mind are yuri endos book, however that knowledge may be covered already in leon kappa and clives book. Otherwise I think I might be done in need for books and keep on reading these as suggested. Thanks

Hi all It looks like I might reached the end of the book collection. But im considering buying yuri hachlak endos book to add to this collection is It worth it? Also any books that I need to add ? Please take a look at the photo and tell me what you would add. Thats my collection so far. Thanks

@AntiquarianCat Hi Juan I've got nanbokucho with tokubetsu hozon which has a carving , two. However I beleive these to be genuine of that time due one showing some ageing. Otherwise that you have their is fantastic looking blade which I would definitely take to shinsa

In that case John take my honest advice please. Just save that 1k and don't buy anything. Maybe books for 100 bucks yes definitely. But if you save to up around 5k or 4k then you should be in the market to buy something good, papered and also you will have more knowledge. I didn't enter this hobby until I was ready to spend around 6k. And then I spent 300 bucks on books which some cost around 40 each. Don't do what i did many years ago and buy replicas or take big risks. This hobby is very expensive and requires more knowledge than some of us can fathom. Even when I had my budget I still ended up buying and selling 3 nihontos. Maybe come back to buying in a few years. You will be glad you did. Kind regards Paz

Juan That article by Darcy was fantastic 👏 I think sense usually will dictate that older swords are going to have flaws such as lack of boshi ect. Especially if these blades were from the late kamakura, nanbokucho eras. Because they were weapons and repair was going to be needed. But I think it's sad that some people couldn't just appreciate the work and history of Rai kunitoshi sword for example, and instead try to get higher ranking papers for profit. It's like everyone wants to be a dealer than an actual collector. I mean TH ranking is high enough for appreciation from any collector who's not in it for flipping the blade. That's one of my frustration of this hobby is that people judge the worth of the blade for profit later down the line, rather than looking at a piece of work which has hundreds of years of history. That it still exists and can be mostly appreciated would be enough for someone like me. But I guess I can't moan, especially if people have the eye and knowledge to flip a sword for higher price by getting it shinsa ranked increased. I find it logical that the NBTHK grant TH or hozon status to flawed blades which are very old and have a good excuse ie fighting on one of the monster battlefields. Which appeals to me. Has anyone seen the episode of antique sellers I beleive where Pablo kuntz is trying to sell a blade ? Everyone ignores his pitch about the characteristics of the blade. And suddenly they all wow when he mentions it was used on the battlefield by such n such ect. Regards

Hi all just looking for some more clarification. A more general question I have which might be quite simple. I've been reading clive sinclaires book, where he mentions ha giri and other faults which could mean that a blade is tired, or at the end of its life. However, from my knowledge on NBTHK hozon certifications. The NBTHK would not give hozon papers to a blade which is faulted or has ha giri or signs of tiredness? Is this correct? So buying papered blades ie hozon or tokubetsu hozon are a guarantee that you are not buying a tired blade with major critical faults, which the shinsa team have missed. I also gather it depends on when the papers were issued too ? If this is correct then this should be another indicator to why a new collector should try to buy a papered blade until they have the knowledge or skill to identity faults in a blade. Thanks

The way it reads you sure THIS wasn't a koto 🤣🤣 Just buy papered swords and save yourself

Hey all question. I'm looking to get either yuri endos book or koto kantei by Marcus. Also I don't have seskos encyclopedia yet. I have most other books. My question is which of the above books deals more with the Koto era smiths and swords ? I'm guessing koto kantei, which yuri endos book looks more like an introduction book to general collecting.? Thanks

As John said. Yes. Throughout Japanese history. As Japan lacked land swords were given as gifts. But to the royal family I'm presuming the Japanese royal family 😆. Throughout the ages shogun and noble would gift the noble family because swords were also a religious symbol. And yes I have visited the Buckingham Palace royal collection and a rai kunimitsu I beleive was gifted to the British. Which also means no not always or probably ever were swords made to a foreign royal family. When they have an inventory of ancient blades which surpass whatever a new smith would make. . Here il even give you a photo

I hope this isn't 1k up. Or few hundred. To me you absolute need papers if your at the beginning stage. Or you'll end up wasting money on regrets. Please post pics of the sword. Think, only you will benefit from it no matter what.

@Okan @oneshot onekill You both make great points. John absolutely you would want to study its history ect, that's the reason I'm in the business. And as Okan said quote rightly that a sword shop in Japan would have done more with it if it carried value. But judging by your responses John you have to accept what the blade and love it for what it is, even if it doesn't turn out to be the dates your hoping for. Shinto or shinshinto are still valuable. And I dont think its a good idea to be ever biased to one era as their are amazing stories in all eras. I personally enjoyed edo period works because it was such an interesting time ! Regards Paz

If you get any of the reccomended sword books, you'll find a ton of info in there on what and how it happend. Literally every book I have on Japanese swords start with this scenario in history

Your only bet on knowing what this is. Is by shinsa. But why wasn't the blade shinsad before being sold. I'm sure the Japanese had a clear idea of its potential and would have done all that themselves and sold it at a higher price if they beleive what your being told by the 40 year expert. It's still o suriage and you will have to hope it's early muromachi/ nanbokucho for it to fetch value. But the market right now doesn't favour sellers, unless you plan to keep it. For example the other day I met someone who purchased a nanbokucho badly damaged and full of kizu for 300 bucks. Which he will polish. But the blade defo looked early muromachi just from the horimono and shape most of all.

SOLD

Your in the U.S ... different story , apart from the 3 to 4 week wait for papers. Customs should be quicker. I've ordered twice from them. Very good

Offer made pending my decision by end of week. Price drop £2,400.00 open to offers. UK only. FB to be updated soon.