John C

I made no judgement or accusation. Just the observation. John C.

Carlos brings up an interesting point. As reproductions get better and better, particularly in the WW2 market, will that water down the market? And what if they get so good it is too difficult to tell the difference? This happened in one segment of the collectible document market when a very expert forger of Mormon papers flooded the market with fakes. His works are still in some collections and values have dropped because of it. John C.

A papered blade being sold on Ebay. Note the metal polish in the background. John C.

As in the Borg? My opinion as a novice collector is that the origami adds verification in the same way as graded comic books or trading cards. But if I were an experienced collector, it may not matter as much. And as has been noted on the forum before, if it cannot reach higher than Hozon, there is not much point. John C.

Dennis: I am by no means an expert, however I can tell you that Taira is a rank, like Assistant Lord, and the "no" is spoken but not written, so you won't see the kanji for it on the blade. John C.

Militaria in general seems to be a strong market. I wasn't at Vegas this past January, though it seems it went well. John C.

Thomas: So what is your working theory? Are you getting a sense of what these might actually be? Chinese fakes; Island manufacture; "rare Air crewman's tsuba"? John C.

I'm not saying this is the case here. But in terms of textured paint, I have used this product in the past to get similar results. Not sure how long it has been around, though. John C.

Jacques: I'm really not trying to pile on here. But I, for one, am on this board to learn. If you have some knowledge, please share it without reservation. Thank you, John C.

@Geraint the figure reminds me of Pan. Is there a Japanese equivalent? John C.

I can't see the mei very well, however my research into the Nobuyoshi family suggests they had a variety of signature styles. In addition, there were several dozen smiths using the Nobuyoshi name from the 14th to the 19th centuries. I believe there was a Showa Nobuyoshi smith as well. Since the Nobuyoshi group were average smiths, they aren't faked that often. But Echizen, the younger brother of the 1st gen, was considered the better of the family and would probably be the one to fake if one were so inclined. Just my two cents. John C.

Notches in steel seems fairly elaborate when a pencil, paint, or chalk mark could accomplish the same goal far easier. Unless the marks need to be maintained through some quenching or washing process that would destroy other types of marks?? John C.

Mal: Just to add to the mix, isn't the tsuba a mid-war design? John C.

Jason: In terms of it being a type 98, I have some reservations with the fittings. The fuchi and the kabutogane do not have the standard sakura flowers and leaves design; the ito wrap looks a bit new to me; the mekugi do not seem to have the detail I would expect; and the sarute seems a bit long, as some reproductions I have seen. Now, this could be some other form of furniture I am not familiar with so I will let others discuss. Here is a link to what a typical type 94 or 98 would look like for reference. http://ohmura-study.net/905.html John C.

Thanks Dave. Reinforcing pieces makes a lot more sense. I couldn't figure out how it would be a template. John C.

A sword cane. But the "hamon" does not look authentic to me. Could be a reproduction. John C.

Likewise with the same crappy clipped nakago; clearly from the same factory. John C.

Has anyone seen these before or know anything about them? Not interested in buying; just curious. https://www.ebay.com/itm/255950787606?hash=item3b97db1416:g:atkAAOSw6DZj1ZP5&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsJtw4u3VjpBqpOGRCorDgFqKYJ%2FiEzER640IZRB4Vka1Kfcbiu6DLYkpF3k9%2F0INoX5a179WWm7lOvDEnPD%2Bk94bPY2W%2BsANQfS4le%2Bk4WOYlXo%2FRLPq20eCJAjXRlMIZLvuDzi%2BL%2BX7SGDNOMyNqX%2FXatoLJxZWiOSLjpDN%2BSsr8ERcf6FtB1fH0DyS%2FkoukK%2BL1qPFn4ABDIeDMCm9yHight0IfnVU6WGQdiobzv0F|tkp%3ABk9SR-bTtuXTYQ John C.

Could be an officer's cap? John C.

You can also get bone burnishers for leather working on Amazon. They come in different shapes. John C.

I think this is probably true. From my perspective as a novice collector, having one would be really cool. But people want 4 to 5 grand for one because it has a different handle when I could spend that money on a really nice blade. John C.

Here you go, if you want to start the doc. John C.

Yes. They are the exact same one. The masking tape on the saya and the scratches on the blade match up perfectly. That's how I noticed the cord wrap to begin with. John C.

I agree with some of you who have made a distinction between literacy and signing a mei. Just from personal experience, I have know MANY documented and undocumented aliens who could not read or write their own language but who had some of the most beautiful and elaborate signatures. John C.

Looks like the end of the nakago below the mekugi-ana has been welded on. Could the stamp have to do with a repair? John C.