SwordGuyJoe

Blade seems alriight and a decent price, but I agree with Brian, the fittings look like they were molded out of...um...material of a natural nature rather than iron

I checked 'Connoisseur's...' which led me to Yamashiro, looking for Nobukuni and Aoye - no luck. Can you help provide me with some key attributes or a reference so I can help myself tell the difference between the two? Thank you all so very much, your insight is greatly appreciated. Off-topic: Hopefully I have expressed how much I enjoy this sword and that should help you understand that I am not going to part with it any time soon. I say that to preface my next question. Can someone PM me and give me an estimated value so I can insure (and understand if I paid more than fair market value)? I would also be interested in value if in full polish to try to cost/benefit whether I need to leave it as is or if it is worth a polish (in the coming years). I know the value is really what I place on it - and it's worth a million to me - but the insurance company doesn't like that as the answer! Again, please PM on that topic if you don't mind.

I am interested in Chris' answer, but wanted to say, $30! Gendai, Iai, or Showa-to be damned, that is a hell of a deal! Well done Jason. I'd ask where you are finding these deals, but I probably wouldn't tell me if I were you either. Cheers

I may be wrong on the name, since lining these up with kanji on computer is tough for me, but that's relatively irrelevant. If the yasurime didn't tell you it was seki tosho, the combination of that plus hamon sure did - it's definitely sanbon-sugi. If you really like this type of sword (Seki showa period blades), you are going to have a field day, since these are relatively easy to find. Just go to any militaria show and you should be able to find at least a dozen. Do you think this is gendai? Can you say why? Too tough to see any nie or nioi in the scan, so it looks at first blush to be showato.

Jason, I more thoroughly read you post and find this interesting: How can you tell that this is tamahagane by the hamon? You must have unparalleled insight as from my understanding it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between tamahagane and other steel without tests destructive to the blade. I am joking with you, but a hamon isn't going to tell you if the blade is tamahagane. :D

This is a WWII blade and looks like showa era 'civilian' tsuba. This if Koichi San or Morita San may disagree, but I think this is a seki tosho smith Ishihara Yoshisada (石原義定). He is listed on Dr. Stein's site (http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm) about a third of the way down the page.

Very interesting that you bring this up! There are two major things that are striking to me about the blade, first the health - which I mentioned. The second is how it feels when in hand. Remarkably well balanced and feels, for lack of a better phrase, it just feels right. I have only been collecting for about five years, so I haven't had my hands on thousands of blades, but certainly hundreds and this is by a wide margin the most well balanced blade I have ever held (much less had the privilege of owning). Fantastic blade, well done even down to the suriage. Truly a wonderful piece and am dreaming of it in full polish!

I understand on nanbokucho over muromachi and I thought about putting that as the date, but didn't want to make this older than it was, so as a default, called it muromachi. But pinning it to Nobukuni and Aoye, could you help me understand how you are connecting those dots? Thank you so very much!

I looked around and the best I had was light green.

Talk about not seeing the forest for the trees! Thanks Grey. I was thinking about how to get a high-res scan of the whole blade or pasting the pics I have together to do the same. Urgh, sometimes I am a complete knucklehead! I can post a higher res if needed...

I can try, but it would be difficult. I have read the scanning pdf that has been floating around the NMB and getting the time to do that would be difficult. Any thoughts on the school based on the photos I do have?

Not-so-close-up: Better Photo of Nakago:

All, I have a mumei koto katana, which based on the sugata I have dated to mid to late muromachi. I am stuck on the school. The polish makes it difficult to tell, but I think Yamashiro. What are your thoughts. Here are some blade facts and some close ups. I'll also post some not-so-close-ups. I should also mention that this blade is remarkably healthy. I have inspected over and over and the blade doesn't have a single ware. In most of the examples I have seen around this price range (I'll keep that to myself thanks) they have at least had some minor ware. It was acquired in mounts discussed on NMB- F/K: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7248 and Tsuba: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7485. I would very greatly appreciate your opinion of the blade itself and confirmation/correction on school if possible. Thank you deeply in advance. Blade Measurements: Nagasa: 26.5” (Before suriage, 29.75”) Hamachi: 0.12" Munemachi: 0.16" Nakago: 7.75" Sori: 0.75" Kasane: 0.25" Mihaba: 2.25" Yokote: 1.73" Blade Details: Date: Late Koto, Muromachi Period (1392-1573) Mei: Mumei (O-Suriage) School: Yamashiro (?) Nakago-jiri: Kiri (O-suriage) Yasurime: Kiri Mune: Iori-mune Jihada: Masame-hada, but difficult to tell due to polish Hamon: hoso-suguha (w/ slight notare undulations) Tsukurikomi: Shinogi-zukuri Sori: Torii-zori Hi: Bo-bi Hi-tome: Kaki-nagashi (hi width decreasing past original mekugi-ana) Boshi: Ko-maru sagari Nakago: Kisaki: Ji:

Colin, Thank you very much! That was a very insightful article and sounds very much like my tsuba. I like it as it closely 'matches' the f/k set that is on my sword (viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7248). I am not trying to sell, but like to be as accurate as possible when I catalogue my pieces. I was just running into brick walls when looking for a matching school. Thanks again!

What service is this? Is it a type of 'shinsa-lite' where they just confirm authenticity of a mei?

All, I was wondering if anyone may be able to help me with information about the attached tsuba? I am looking for age and school if possible. I don't think this to be a mastpiece by any means, but I am just looking for information or guidance. It seems to resemble the "Myochin Tsuba" at Gaigin's Japanese Art Swords (http://www3.telus.net/sword/sword/index ... sbsale.htm), although when searching the internet, I was unable to find another Myochin example similar to mine. Thank you in advance and I appreciate your help.

My guess on age is shinto and is based on the patina of the nakago. The patina looks way to fresh for Muromachi. While it is tough to tell by the pics, but it looks healthy (although better pics would help) and should hold a polish. The big question is how much would it be worth in full polish and if that doesn't exceed the cost of what you have into it plus the restoration cost. If the math doesn't work out, enjoy the blade as is. What type of mounts did it come it? Shirasaya or koshirae?

With a blade in this condition, it may be restored. What you would need to be prepared for is that when the polisher begins their work that they find a fatal flaw below the rust. The rust can make it impossible to see flaws before the polish work starts. Once it starts, if flaws are found, you may be left holding the bag on your investment.

Brian beat me to it. These were mounted as Daisho and shouldn't be split up IMHO. It may make the set more difficult to sell, but should pay off in the long run. Katanakake could be sold on it's own (to me...).

I agree that this isn't at all tired and from the pictures (and having no idea what you paid for it), worth the investment in polish and re-patination.

What do you think Jason?

Agreed, it's not gendai

Top one is Hattori Masahiro, middle I'm not sure, but looks like Kaneyoshi to me.

Thank you David, I appreciate your opinion. It will be interesting to see the work completed and using better photos. When I view the original high resolution photos, you can still detect the nie and nioi in the rolling gunome hamon, so the hataraki hasn't been hidden with the hadori. This is my fault by posting small format photos. I am looking forward to seeing this in hand. Thank you again David.

Yeah, this isn't a window. He did some work and provided me a few photos of the progress. I am really pleased with the milky kesho finish. I agree with everything that you are saying. Anytime you try a new polisher, you incur a pretty significant risk. It is for this risk that I mentioned that neither of these swords are at risk of being ranked juyo any time soon, but needing of a polish. If they were, regardless of the references, I wouldn't have risked it. You are one of the many class acts here and I know you are not saying anything about the polish or polisher and appreciate the public service announcement - it is very needed. I assure you and others, this decision wasn't made lightly and was after careful conversation, research, and consideration. I am posting my experience so the rest of the board can share in my experience with a relatively unknown polisher. I do not suggest anyone make a decision based solely on what I have posted or will post, but take a lot of time, talk with people and make the best informed decision possible. Thanks again Grey