Natichu

Just for example on that point, you have this on Touken Komachi as well (quite a nice sword to my eye, but with a few knocks against being likely shinshinto suriage and mumei): https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_ja_tachi&katanaA021125.html Kurashiki papers to a jojo-saku ranked smith, and then four months later NBTHK papers Hozon to...Takada. Not to knock Takada (I have a lot of interest in the school) but that seems like a pretty significant downgrade.

Thanks for this Jussi. Just in terms of showing my thought process (primarily so that my beginner mistakes can be highlighted for me) to my eye Nanbokucho sugata, with the size and o-suriage pointing to that period rather than a retro throwback from a later period. Masame/nagare in the shinogi-ji pointing to Mino-den, and togari elements in the hamon agreeing with that. Guess is Naoe Shizu (maybe Kanetomo or Kanenobu?).

I may have something that fits the bill that I'm debating parting with. Am tied up for the next few days but want to shoot me a PM? Hozon, late Muromachi, shobu zukuri. Otherwise there are a few good options (at least to my beginner mind) in the for sale section here on NMB. Would also recommend checking out Touken Komachi as Tsukada-san is great to work with and she has quite a few reasonably priced offerings: https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katana.html

Is the mei signed over top of the patina/corrosion on the nakago?

For reference, some of the security features of the Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon papers are discussed here: https://www.nihontocraft.com/japanese_sword_papers.html

My apologies for the quote Rohan, but I can't get the spoiler box to work on my phone. Have edited the contents of the spoiler box (so its content is mine, not Rohan's), though conveniently I agree with Rohan's order.

My understanding was that the NBTHK only specifies generations in rather rare cases (or I suppose better put, typically does not specify generation). Am I incorrect in this, or is there a peculiar exception for this school?

Now that is quite the stunning piece. Not to sidetrack from the original topic too much, but would you mind posting the measurements of the Sukesada?

Very interested to see what the more experienced members think, but just on their face they seem quite different pieces, while both gorgeous. A large and wide Enbun-Joji sugata Yamato style katana vs a rather elegant katateuchi-seeming Bizen blade (at least to my beginner eye, given its short length, narrow width, and shorter nakago). I like them both, but would enjoy hearing what draws you to each of them.

Phenomenal, thank you very much! That is extremely helpful and greatly appreciated.

Hi Michael, Yes, it should be Hoki Province with work in the Shinshinto period (Ansei era ish), and one of the smith's names was indeed Shimizu Yoshiyuki (apparently after being adopted by another swordsmith it seems). I think you have found him there.

Just to close this particular loop, on pages 154-56 of Paul Martin's Japanese Swords and Armor, the author has included photos of several pieces of tosogu attributed to Miyamoto Musashi, as well as a bokuto attributed to him. With respect to the bokuto, Mr. Martin states the bokuto "was made by Miyamoto Musashi at the request of the lord of Matsui Castle, Matsui Yoriyuki. He asked Musashi to make a bokutō...to the same dimensions as he had used in his last duel on Ganryujima. The bokutō is of faulty standard dimensions ensuring its ease of use, just in an extended length ." (italics omitted)

Thanks so much for the photos. I can't quite tell from the photo, but was the boshi on the Kiyomitsu ichimai? Looks like it flares out at the yokote, but I can't quite tell if I see a maru and kaeri or if it's just all hardened.

Many thanks for the thoughts there Dee! Just caught my eye as aside from some of the shinshinto kinnoto, I don't know that I've seen many measurements of quite those lengths for more standard shinto katana (not that they didn't exist I'm sure, and assuming the ronin weren't carrying long ubu koto tachi).

I believe there is one of his bokuto featured in Paul Martin's latest book, but will double check when I get home. There also a few fittings that the NBTHK have certified as having been made by the man himself (including at last one set of menuki). As to the original list, what seems odd to me is the length of quite a number of them. Several of the katana are listed at 2.8 shaku, 2.9 shaku, and 3 shaku, which seems out of keeping with most Shinto era pieces. Does anyone else feel like these measurements might have included the nakago?