stephan_hiller

Here are the dimensions Nagasa 45.1 cm / 17.8 ” Nagako-nagasa 12,3 cm / 4.8 ” Moto-haba 2.8 cm / 1.1 ” Saki-haba 2,0 cm / 0.8 ” Moto-kasane 0.5 cm / 0.2 ” Saki-kasane 0.4 cm / 0.16 “ Sori 1.5 cm / 0.6“

Thank you all for you replies. What I can definitely say the ito is not laquered leather. It is a hard material like wood or horn, but in the meantime I rather tend to horn. I would assume that if it would be wood (and laquered) then there would have been damage to it where you can see the unlaquered wood - but that is not the case. I don't know about the whalebone Dave mentioned. I would also assume that is rather white/yellow - and if laquered I would expect so see it the unlaqured bone in a damaged area.

Hi guys, below are some pictures from a wakizashi I have. It is definitely not a high quality blade but it has an intersting tsuka I have never seen before. The tsuka and tsuka-ito is made entirely of wood, except for the fuchi/kashira and menuki. I am even not sure if it is really wood, it could also be horn as it is entirely black. The fuchi/kashira/menuki are definitely horn and they look different than the tsuka material. The same is just inlays - you can see it in one of the prictures where the same is missing. As the blade has no metal parts for fuchi/kashira/menuki I assume that the wood/horn tsuka-ito construction is a sign of a cheaper blade. As you can see in the pictures, parts of the tsuka-ito were raised on both sides to insert the menuki - there are small ridges. From a practical point of view wood/horn does not has the same grip like silk/cotton and is also not able to absorb sweat. Maybe the sword was never meant to be used in combat? Today, carving a tsuka and simulating the tsuka-ito would be more expensive than using silk/cotton for the binding but labor was probably cheaper at its time of manufacture than metal parts and real tsuka-ito. I wonder if anyone of you have seen such a tsuka before and it you agree to my assumption that this is a sign for a lower-end blade? Thanks, Stephan

Grey, do you know when Volume 2 will be out? I received volume 1 in early December and wonder when the next volume is available. Thanks, Stephan

Hi Sal, at first you limit the sale to US and Canada bidders only, although there are many collectors outside (e.g. Europe, like myself). The koshirae seems to be quite nice but the sword itself is in a bad condition. The "polish" seems to be an acid wash. This would mean that you have to invest in a new polish if you want to restore it to its former glory. Summarising this investment and taking into account that the marked is currently quite down, there might be other opportunities that are more rewarding. Maybe someone is jumping on it in the last few minutes of the auction but if you have a look at the sales section of this board over the last few months you can see that prices are currently going down. I also currently keep my collection and do not sell any items - I rather acquire new blades as it is a buyers market these days. This may change but I can not say when. I hope I wan't too rude with my comment above but this is how I see the sword. Stephan

Hi Grey, Thanks for your reply. I got my copy earlier this week but have not yet read it. Will read it this weekend. Stephan

Hi Grey, I am a member of the JSSUS. Should I contact Harry Watson for further instruction on ordering/shipping? Thanks, Stephan

Hi Fuuten, I don't know if you are referring to importing antiques into Germany or into another EU country. If you are able to prove that an item is antique then you can skip the 1,7% import duty for antique items but you can not skip the VAT (you can skip also the VAT if the FOB value does not exceed 22 € :-) ). For an antique japanes sword (HS code 9307.00.0000) you have to pay 19% import tax into Germany. Furthermore proving that a sword is antique is quite difficult. Any origami (NBTHK/NTHK) stating a period of manufacture is useless as you have to proove in GERMAN by a "known" authority that a sword is antique. Taking into account that you then could only save 1,7% import duty is not worth the hassle. For an overviev of worldwide import duties and VAT please have a look here: http://www.dutycalculator.com/hs-code-duty-rate-import-restrictions/930700/katana-sword/9307.00.0000/9307.00.0000/96/ I am importing Japanese swords into Germany now for over 20 years and would be glad if there is a way to avoid (or even reduce) this "nasty" VAT (from non-EU countries).

If we import a sword to Germany from outside the EU we have to pay 19% VAT + 1,5% customs fee.

I added four books to my library. Great deal. Thanks, Stephan

Hi guys, many thanks for the information and opinions. I think Hidehiro is one of these "unknown" gems with a lot of potential. If someone is interested Aoi-Art currently has an auction for another Hidehiro here: http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-chikugo- ... u-hidehiro Although I am tempted to bid on that one I don't want to risk having trouble with my wife. She already "approved" 4 blades in the last 6 months :-) @ Joe: Yes, I have read that story when I googled for Muto Hidehiro and from your descriptions I also knew that my new acquision was originally yours. I think you had the kissaki slightly reshaped by Bob Benson. @ George: Many thanks for your information and scan. I will add that to my records. One final question. I know that the Tokubetsu Kicho papers that came along with the blade is an "old" paper but I wonder if they issued these papers for still living smiths. The paper was issued in 1979 but Hidehiro died in 1989. AFAIK the NBTHK only issues papers for already deceased smiths. Is that generally correct or only correct for the "new" papers? Thanks, Stephan

Hi Jeffrey, that's not a secret. I paid 3.111 US$ (equals to about 2.300 €) which I think is a pretty good price for a papered blade in that condition. I have paid already more for other blades that aren't as nice as that one. If interested, this is the link to the ebay auction http://www.ebay.com/itm/201085684714 I acquired it from a Germany seller who I knew and from whom I had bought a blade many years ago. Very smooth transaction and I did not have to pay VAT and customs as the sword was already in the EU. With about 20% on top of the sales prices otherwise this would have been quite a significant addition to the overall price. Stephan

Hi Morita-san, thanks for pointing that out. Yes, it is KUNI, not KAMI. Stephan

... and some more Stephan

A few weeks ago I acquired this nice gendaito from Muto Hidehiro and would be happy to get your opinion on that blade as well as further information on Hidehiro. This is what I have gathered so far about the blade and the smith but would be happy for anything not yet covered. Could someone send me a scan of page 100 of Ono Gendai Toko Meikan. I have been told that there are some more information about this smith but do not yet have this Meikan. Ok, here are the facts: Nagasa: 67,6 cm / 26.63” Nagako: 21,5 cm / 8.5” Moto-haba : 3.4 cm / 1.34” Saki-haba : 2.2 cm / 0.87” Moto-kasane : 0.7 cm / 0.3” Saki-kasane: 0.5 cm / 0.2“ Sori: 1,6 cm / 0.63“ Mune: Ihori Jihada: Very tight Ko-Itame Hada which reminds us of the konuka hada of the Hizen tradition Hamon: Suguha with ashi Boshi: O-maru Kissaki: Rather large chu-kissaki Activity: Nioi, Ashi Nakago: Ubu Mekugi-ana: 1 Nakago-jiri: Haagari Yasuri-mei: Kesho Mei: CHIKUGO NO KAMI MUTO HIDEHIRO SHOWA NIJU NEN NI GATSU (February 1945) Koshirae: Shirasaya Habaki: Solid silver habaki with cat scratch design Origiami: NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho paper from 1979 Muto Hidehiro is a gendai smith who worked during and after the war. His real name was Muto Hideyoshi and he lived in Fukuoka ken Ogawa shi. Hidehiro was born in Mei 24 (1891), he started making swords for the army in Showa 14 and re-started in Showa 32. He has won several prizes including the Army Gunto Skills Encouragement prize. After the war he used Hizen style suguba. During WWII period he worked as a Rikugun Jumei Tosho(RJT). His blades were marked with a star stamp and have a very sharp pointy hamon almost nokogiri (saw teeth pattern), but more irregular. The hamon consists of clear nioi. He is on page 100 of Ono Gendai Toko Meikan 1971. He descends from 8th gen Hizen Tadayoshi - 1st Gen is Muto Shinano no Kami Hisahiro (his father) - 2nd gen then is Muto Hidehiro His yasurimei is kiri in WWII but sujikai after the war, with kesho. He died in 1989 Stephan

Hi, Please count me in for a copy. Stephan

...and some more. Will donate to the NMB if it goes to a member.

The blade is still availabe and as I have to make space for a new investment I am lowering the price to 950 € + shipping. This is already well below what I paid some years ago. I also added some new photos. Stephan

Sign me up as well. Would also be happy to share pics and all information of my gendaitos. Stephan

Hi, I totally agree to John's idea to also cover the non Top gendaito smiths. We all see the museum quality pieces in various references and catalogues, but most of us never come across such a blade. Personally I like good gendaitos from lesser know smiths (I avoid the Emuras and Nagamitsus) as gendaitos are generally "healthier" than koto blades and less expensive. As a gendaito collector, I have many english and Japanese references but they cover only a minority of gendai smiths. I really would appreciate a book that covers also lesser known gendai smiths with background information - similar to John Sloughs book with oshigatas. I would also be willing to provide pictures/oshigatas of my gendaitos Stephan

Hi, I also somehow missed the poll. If possible I would like to go for 1 set. Thanks, Stephan

Hi, just wanted to share my experience with Eric Molinier from owazamono.com. It was a great transaction that went very smooth. Very good communication with prompt shipping. Sword was packed very carefully and arrived safely. His items are good quality with a lot of good pictures and exactly as described. I will definitely do business with him again as he is one of the 'good ones' Stephan

Peter, Thanks for pointing this out and for reading it more carefully than I did :-) It was a copy&paste failure but I have it corrected now. Thanks again, Stephan

and some additional pictures Stephan

After 3 years I decided to part with this wakizashi to make space for another Nihonto purchase. Originally I bought it in October 2010, coming directly from Japan with a new polish. So, here are the facts: Period: Late Muromachi Mei: Mumei School: Bizen-Den Sugata: Shinogi-zukuri, iori-mune Nagasa: 17,8 in. (452 mm) Nakago: Ubu, 4,88 in. (124 mm), 2 mekugi-ana Nakago-jiri: Iriyamagata Yasurime: Katte-Sagari / Sujikai Kissaki: Chu-kissaki Boshi: Ko-maru Motohaba: 1,1 in. (28 mm) Sori: 0,43 in. (11 mm) Hamon: Kawazuko / Kaeruko Hada: Mokume Activities: Nioi, nie Mounting: Shirasaya and solid silver ichijyu habaki Asking price: 1600,- USD (1200,- Euro) + shipping Payment method: Paypal, bank transfer Please PM me for additional info or pictures. Stephan