SwordGuyJoe

Those interested in obtaining a copy of an excellent Gendaito reference, written by Chris Bowen, I have multiple copies available. The reference is a 50+ page study of the Kato smiths of Meguro, Tokyo, that includes historically significant documents, photos of the smiths, oshigata of period contest entries, and oshigata of blades displayed at the MPLS show. If interested please contact me via PM. Attached are the cover, index, and list of figures. All proceeds go to the Japanese Sword Club - Midwest. The price is $20 plus postage.

I’m glad you liked it. It is really an impressive amount of information.

Times were tough, officers weren’t making a ton of money and keep in mind that it was a rule to carry a sword. So I’m certain, even if an officer could afford a nice sword, there were those that didn’t appreciate it as the art it could be, so why spend more than necessary on something that equates to a tool? That and there were poor officers that didn’t come from wealthy families that needed a sword. Some were loaned swords - as discussed here, but those who were not, had to buy something.

Doesn’t scream soden-Bizen work to me. Looks Bizen to me, but I’ve been wrong before. This could just be the pics, but It’s missing the nie deki hamon and needs more activity - like sunagashi etc. Keep in mind that my comments are focused on the fact that I collect soden Bizen GENDAI, so I could be completely wrong.

Pics are tough to add much. I don’t see - in the pics - the activity you describe. It also may be the pics, but I don’t see nie deki hamon, as one would expect in soden Bizen work. Can you provide more pics?

Please see updated agenda: November Meeting Saturday, November 4th Time: Markus Sesko: 1:00 pm Short intermission for setup Chris Bowen: 2:30 pm https://www.jsc-mw.com/meetingsandevents

That’s right. Thanks Ray.

It has TH papers which jumps the price DRASTICALLY. Right or wrong, I loosely equate TH for gendaito as the equivalent to Juyo for older blades since they are SUPER RARE and gendaito is not eligible for Juyo yet. This is why, when I paper a sword, I just do the dual Hozon/TH shinsa even though the odds of hitting that “jackpot” is next to nill. The catch here is that I don’t think many people do this because they don’t think it has a chance, so there is a lot of blades out there that would get TH if submitted, but go unsubmitted.

Really interesting sword! I wonder what John wound up taking for it. I bet it was quite a ways from $40k. Even though this was a gassaku work and Sadatoshi collaborated on it, there two very important differences is that the tanto in question is not a gassaku work with Nidai Sadakazu who is a smith in his own realm, and it’s a tanto not Wakizashi.

I hate to disagree but, I’m not so sure on that it is a nice deal. It’s out of polish and just sold for $6,700. Add $4k for polish, habaki, and shirasaya and you’ll be into this for just short of $11k and at the end of it, they’ll have a $6-8k sword - maybe more if the polish showed an absolute screamer, but the length is on the short side and will cap the value, so not a ton more. My opinion - and it’s just that - is that the seller got the better end of this deal by a wide stretch. Given the potential risk from what could be found during polish - and the pics don’t help before pulling the trigger on the buy - I’d not have gone more than $4k for it and that’s assuming that I’m going to keep it. If trying to restore and flip it, I’d have stayed WAY lower than that.

Shoot. I almost bid on that. He’s the grandfather of Morioka Masayoshi - who was a master of Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu.

I’m sure you’re aware Klaus, but this is an early mei of Yoshihara Kuniie.

Anyone know where this one ended up? http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24721/lot/379/

Thanks Hamfish, but no where near correct. I know a very small bit more about a very small segments of swords than a very small set of collectors. Take me out of my sandbox and I’m a moron. For the show this weekend, I have to setup a yoroi... I have no idea where to start. The helmet goes on top right?

Masamine sells at a very high premium as compared to the smiths I listed. Ssdatoshi would be roughly in the same ballpark as the Yoshihara’s and Ono Sensei. Honestly, I’m not entirely sure why. His blades are phenomenal - but I don’t see such a radical difference in his stuff than other top-of-the-top-of the heap shinsakuto.

Daisho, with the shoto being tanto or Wakizashi? Either way that had a daito and the market has soured on second hand shinsakuto in the last 5 years. Did your friend buy at $50k? I’m guessing not, since you said it was a quote. A seller can ask whatever they want for a sword(s) but that doesn’t mean they’ll sell at that price.

$40k for a tanto? Sorry, but no. A daito from a mukansa Smith is in the ballpark of $30k. With horimono, $40k-$50k and that’s commissioned, not second hand. The second hand market drops like a stone. For a gorgeous tanto - and it is excellent! - $10k to maybe (and this would be a HUGE stretch) $15k or there abouts and it would likely go only to a die hard Gassan collector. Otherwise it’ll sit for months/years at that price. Look at Yoshindo, Shoji, and Ono Sensei for comparison sakes.

Looks like gendaito. I checked the Seki smith list but can’t find him. Very possible to be undocumented.

王 is Ō or Kimi 見 is Aki or Chika (mi May be an option too, but I don’t know that one but trust Guido) It’s a name, but I can’t find the smith, so it may be a family name and not his smith name.

I checked with Chris on this Smith as he came from the Kato group and that is a family he studies. He didn’t share any concerns on gimei, so you should be in the clear. Nice grab.

Here is your guy. I doubt gimei on this one. Kunimitsu (国満), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shizuoka – „Kunimitsu“ (国満), civilian name „Sugiyama Bansaku“ (杉山万作), born 1909, he studied under a certain Mizukoshi Hiroshi (水越広) and later under Katō Sukekuni (加藤祐国), he made in Gotenba (御殿場) guntō

I’m with Ray on this one. Late gendai, early shinsakuto, but a nice one.

... and most branches of government...

Should be a good time and hopefully a nice little fund raiser!

https://www.jsc-mw.com/meetingsandevents November Meeting Saturday, November 4th Time: TBD Held During the 2017 Minnesota Annual Arts and Arms of the Samurai Japanese Sword Show ​ Crown Plaza Aire, MSP Airport - Mall of America 3 Appletree Square Bloomington, MN 55425 ​ Lecture, with Special Guest Speakers ($5 Entry) Topic: The impact of Shinshinto and Bakamatsu eras on Meiji Swordsmiths Speaker: Markus Sesko: Blog Markus is a well known translator and publisher of excellent Nihonto and Tosogu titles.​ Topic: Top Secret - You will not be disappointed Chris Bowen: Website Chris is the Director of the American branch of the NTHK-NPO and an established subject matter expert in Tokyo Gendai swords and Sword Smiths There will also be a illustrated booklet supporting Chris' presentation, including oshigata, historical documents, ​and more available for purchase - Price TBD ​​ Raffle to Win a Set of Armor (Yoroi) with Storage Box: You can purchase raffle tickets at the JSC-MW table at the show or at the lecture Friday through Sunday at 12:00, at which point the raffle will be drawn. Be in person to collect or local pick-up only, as I will not be shipping. Tickets can be purchased for $10, 5 tickets for $40, or 10 for $75