Mark

Dave Komonjo has had a table in the past at the SF show, Showa22 is usually in attendance and walks around but does not have a table (that i remember).

what does it cover? all smiths or a section?

retail market value $1200-1500 (mediocre showato 700-1000 staff tassel 250-400), bear in mind that is from pictures

if you google "shaku to inches" you will get a dozen converters https://www.kampaibudokai.org/Script.htm

Sadamune

Harima (no) Kami xxxxxx saku

yes, so easiest to look at the first 2 kanji, there are only a limited number of provinces, the when you find the right one look and see who had the title XXXX (no) Kami and pick your guy

Nambokucho Soshu Akihiro Nambokucho Soshu Hiromitsu i will do more research before making third guess

I found this on Bob Benson's site https://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/nbthk-shinsa-submission.html i would verify with the agent you are using they will know of any changes

you live a few miles from the Chicago show. why not bring them all next year and there are several people who can look at them in person and give you advice and then go from there.

I have used Robert Hughes (member here) and Bob Benson in the past. There are others but i do not have personal experience so can't comment. Both have been excellent to work with. You can check the web NBTHK has a site. You need hozon and TH before you can submit for juyo. I think you have to be a NBTHK member to submit for Juyo, you can check with the agent you choose and they can tell you, they may be able to submit it under their names. For Hozon and/or TH i would think the sword will be gone for at least 6 months but it may take longer you can ask the agent, Juyo is only once a year and depending on the outcome it may be more than a year before it is back. If you want to submit for Juyo a polish may be required, if so it can take a couple of years for it all to get done. When i have sent items before i try and forget about them and then i am happy and surprised when the return.

keep in mind they are not all the same size. they vary quite a bit so the chance you can buy one that will fit your saya properly are low. if possible try it or check it fits before buying it

my thought is ===== lower ranked smiths sometimes had a great day and made a great sword, and sometimes a high ranked smith made something that with a few polishes showed some issues. Personally i prefer a well made sword by a lower ranked smith, some of my favorites are Chu-Saku or ChuJo- Saku, but from a marketing standpoint the higher ranked smiths will always bring higher prices. Fujishiro-sensei had the opportunity to see many swords by a maker so he is ranking the whole of a smiths work, not an individual sword. Also being Japanese there are other factors that go into a ranking, like how the smith was thought of in the past, how famous he was or how well known, also some smiths benefited from sponsorship of powerful people and that helps. Sort of like the NBTHK today, you can have a masterpiece but if the maker has never had a sword pass Juyo that sword won't, at least it won't if i own it, if you are an important person you might have a chance of setting a precedent but not me. John, did you see the display in Chicago? The tachi with the horimono is one of my favorites and about perfect in every way but it won't pass Juyo (it is YuShu-saku) Darcy puts it better than i can, check https://yuhindo.com/ratings.html

i will have a few tables. Grey is not coming but if there is anything he has you would like to see let me know and i will try and arrange to bring it (just ask early as i may see him in a few weeks but no just before the show)

if you search the NMB for the author Mr Hoshino you will find plenty of information. You can form your own opinion https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/search/?q=Hoshino&quick=1