Mark

thanks! i will have a good look and see if i can figure that out. I find "grass script" or that type writing hard to translate

I am having trouble with the date. It should be shinshinto. I think I can see year 8 th month day but can't figure out the nengo and number of the year. Any help appreciated. Thanks

i would recommend Grey Doffin, he is well known here at NMB. He describes honestly and will answer any questions. check his site and "click" on sword section http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/

didn't have time to try it all but a quick look Showa 17 1942

yes, that was what i heard

if the auction house/sword is in CA there is a shinsa in CA in July/august they could submit it

i think it is shinogi-zukuri, just yokote worn away. mei seems very crisp and deeply cut (for 600 years old) but poorly done, maybe added at some time?

i would think TH papers would say the material

my opinion would be that these were done by a sword dealer to fancy up the swords for sale. It would seem to me that if an owner was 91 and had 2 swords he wanted inscribed in gold he would have had the 2 done exactly the same like a matched set

the close up of the nakago seems to show scale, maybe it has been in a fire? If so saiha is possible and would affect sori

says Masachika saku.......... not sure that this looks right for a WWII era sword. Looks like Shinsakuto but if so it would be dated (required if made in Japan)

i had a sword pass Juyo to Yamato Shizu that was in gunto mounts, a friend has a signed Ichimonji that was in Gunto mounts.

looks like Mitsu Tada Ichi (or Kazu)

i did not ask the polisher. It is shinsakuto so i guess i will ask the smith. I thought i would at least do some research before doing that

Chris Blade is currently being polished so don't have it for pictures John & John thanks for the comments mark

I have a shinsakuto sword that is named Silver Willow Leaves using the kanji 銀柳葉, Would anyone know, or ever heard, of a sword with this name? I am wondering if it is a copy of an older sword by that name or if he named it based on his perception of it's appearance. Would this name have any special meaning in Japanese other that a literal leaf? any thoughts or ideas appreciated. thanks Mark

Jeremy I see you are in FL. I will be at the Orlando sword show this weekend. I can bring my spare seppa and you can see if one will work for you, i have dozens of seppa, gunto and civilian. stop bye my table and ask

3&4

Toledo. I will be at a show in Wilmington Oh 6/14-15

people took pictures so i am sure they will post and comment. I think the thing is this year the show was a "mad house" there were more people and activity than i expected. I think attendees get busy and just forget the post as they are tied up doing stuff. The NBTHK-AB presentation was great, a chance t o handle greeeeaaatt swords. There was no charge and there was more attention and interest than they planned for. It was strange but in the morning sunday there was a rush of people attending, more than in any past year. anyway i will leave it to some others to comment and pics

is there a picture?

Hoki (no) Kami Fujiwara Hirotaka

Mark Saturday is the day there are all the presentations. Times may change slightly but as of now 10am Grey Doffin presentation ""Care Etiquette and handling of Japanese swords" .... 1pm NBTHK display (hand on) and lecture on Yamato swords covering all 5 schools great swords will be available for examination many Juyo. 3 pm Markus Sesko and Bobby Block lecture/presentation on "Horikawa Kunihiro and the Horikawa sword school he founded" Should be a lot of great information. I am sure you will enjoy it thanks mark

if you don't like it you are welcome to return it. I want everyone happy. I figured might as well help out and encourage you in your sword collecting. You will have it shortly, hope it fits perfectly mark

this year the NBTHK-AB is having a display/lecture of Yamato swords. Great examples of all 5 schools including many Juyo examples. Here is a chance to learn a lot. You can listen, study and examine in hand the these wonderful swords so you can see exactly what is being explained from examples... Even better than seeing things in books or online.