cabowen

The kantei-sho gives Eikyo as the date (1429.9.5-1441.2.17). The Showa date on the right side of the origami is the year it was registered (in Hokkaido).

Those Echizen roots I guess.... Personally, I have never been that attracted to the Yasutsugu group. No doubt the early generations did some wonderful work, but it always seemed to me that there were others that impressed me more. Hankei, Kotetsu, Kiyomaro, and the like had interesting, dynamic lives that have stimulated the imaginations of many for a long while. There works have often been the subject of lore- cutting helmets, stone, men in half who kept walking, etc. The romance adds to their fame. Of course, they were all quite unique, strong personalities and that shows through in their work. If you see enough of their work, the quality of the steel and ha becomes apparent-if you believe Nakahara, it is all about the ha(buchi). With Hankei in particular, his unique forging is prone to ware and they are not looked down upon as much as they would be in the work of other smiths. I have seen Kotetsu and Kiyomaro work with ware as well but again, due to the overall quality of their blades, it seems they are overlooked, like similar flaws in koto blades often are. Most would prefer to own a Kiyomaro with a kitae-ware than a perfect blade by many, if not most, any other smith. Some may argue they are overrated but it is hard to argue that their workmanship is not unique and overflowing with what the Japanese call "hyakuryoku" 迫力 - intensity/impact/vigor.

Sashi-komi, nioi-deki....

It is said to be the work of the nidai and signed by the sandai. Tokubetsu Hozon kantei-sho that apparently notes this... http://www.t-touken.com/archives/3630

As mentioned, lots fo mei and work style variations, making it difficult to tell from the photos. The boshi looks rather odd irrespective of the damage as the hamon seems to continue its rather dynamic pattern up through to the kaeri in a rather clumsy manner. The deep tani just in front and behind the large gunome above the hakobore give me the impression that this would not be repairable without some togi inserted boshi....

Here are some valid mei from the sandai from Kanbun. Looks pretty close to me given the test photo isn't the best...Definitely one for shinsa...and a qualified togi-shi as mentioned...

Chevy. Good car?

Yes...

Can't say for certain from the photos but it sure looks like this one is a goner...

Indeed! Thanks for the posting.... I came across an injured red tailed hawk along my driveway a few years ago and took it to a raptor rehabilitation center. Amazing creatures...

I don't think the blade is suriage. The hamon looks like something one might see in a Shinto Mino or Mino derived work, like Owari or Echizen. I asked about a yakidashi because those are common in Edo and Osaka Shinto works. Without one, it narrows things down a bit....

Hori by Munehiro....

I think that is what I pointed out in your original thread....

Does it have a yaki-dashi?

There were several excellent smiths who are well known for making fakes of famous Shinshinto blades in the late Taisho/early Showa eras to earn a living. Kasama Shigetsugu is perhaps the best known.

The signature is not cut with the same power and precision and there is considerable variation in the way the kanji are formed. The nakago jiri is different; the yasuri-me look to be different. All of this points to the likelihood of the signature being false. However, it is not always wise to conclude based on two comparisons alone. You should try to find more valid examples. It would also be a good idea to compare the blade characteristics to those of valid examples. It isn't always easy to determine. This is why there are organizations that specialize in appraising Japanese swords via a process called shinsa.

I received several blades via Japan Post/EMS recently (US). Is this new? I have quite a few blades in Japan at the moment....that would be a problem...

Now you need to compare the signatures of each of these smiths to yours and hope one is a match. Search each on google, both in English and Japanese for valid examples. No one said it would be easy!

Have you compared the signature to valid examples? Many can be find with a Google search. There are many Naotane fakes, many very good ones. Compare your sword signature to 8-10 valid examples and then let us know what you think....

You need to find a smith who worked in Settsu/Osaka that had a Yamato no Kami, Yamato Daijo, Yamato no Suke, etc., title....

I was assuming that you perhaps had made a typo. If not, it just means that the person who ordered it has a different given name than what I indicated. How can I tell if the mei is good or not when I have no photo of it?

Sword is signed Kanabo Hyoeinojo Masatsugu believe. Here is a valid signature for comparison. Circa Eiroku (1558)...

I don't think anyone who has their eyes open will argue that the market for Japanese swords in the West has shrunk as prices have equalized to a great extent with those in Japan. The number of collectors has indeed shrunk, if we take memberships in Western sword clubs, attendance at shows, etc. as proxies. I wonder though if the new riches in Russia and China have actually, in total, compensated for this contraction? The situation in Japan is quite a concern to most collectors and craftsman that I am in regular contact with. The market was artificially inflated during the bubble years and has now contracted quite drastically. The dearth of new, younger collectors and craftsman is a huge concern. One doesn't need to be an expert, study, attend shows, buy books, or otherwise do all the things many do when they get into the hobby if they are wealthy. All one needs is a fat wallet and an internet connection and you can buy papered examples of all the best smiths. It bears keeping in mind that post war kantei-sho system was conceived to meet the demands of dealers- dealers who wanted to make swords attractive to a larger pool of buyers, i.e., the wealthy without a lot of knowledge. I think there will always be a market among the wealthy for the best items. These will in almost all cases be papered or "known" and thus easily identifiable. In Japan, sword collecting has always been the sport of kings. It became more mainstream when the river of cash was flowing downstream...those days are over. In the West, in particular, in the US, "collecting" really caught fire when people realized the money that the Japanese dealers were willing to pay. This brought all sorts of treasure hunting opportunists onto the scene. Many if not most have either moved on to the next great thing or simply passed on. Due to the huge costs in terms of both real cash and time to learn to pan for this gold, the young for the most part now stay away. The days of walking into a gun show/garage sale/flea market and walking out with a few chu saku or better blades for $50 each are over. Of course, every now and then something wonderful falls from the sky for the cost of a car wash, but as I have said before, you probably have better odds with a lottery ticket. One didn't need much knowledge in those days- you made out just fine on quantity. Maybe three were train wrecks but that forth one you bought for $50 and sold to the Japanese dealer at the show for $500 made up for a lot of mistakes. No doubt there are still deals to be had today, but one needs to be a lot more knowledgeable to stay afloat. The young entrant isn't going to prosper in most cases in the shark infested waters that are today's sword markets. As has been said ad nauseam, the best stuff will always find a home. The same can be said for the bottom of the barrel. Things in the middle are....difficult. Personally, I am rather pessimistic about the near future of the hobby. For investment, there are better alternatives from a purely financial standpoint. To me, putting money into swords that one may eventually need for something else is not a good idea. Unless it is pure disposable income, in general, I would look somewhere else to park cash. I see many things working against the hobby, as others have mentioned. The only hope is finding an enthusiastic market flush with cash that can be cultivated. See above. As for Tsuruta san's message, I think he is saying that now is the time for Westerners to buy. I think many Japanese lament the fact that swords will be flowing out of Japan...As someone else mentioned, don't expect to see him at the next US sword show...He was one of the first and without a doubt the largest, to cash in on selling swords to the outside world on-line. He will continue to do well...

It says it was made to the order of a Mr. Horino Yoshimasa, assuming the first 之 is a typo....

I'm curious as to was asking the questions and translated it all into English...