Mark

it looks "real"......... I have "real" nihonto swords that i sell for a few hundred dollars (if you come to SOS next week you will see dozens). They are real nihonto, antique, the blades are at least 150 years old...... but they are priced at what i think they are worth. If you are asking is it "real" meaning will it get a paper, can i sell it for more, then i think the answer is no. People have the idea that anything 200+ years old must be valuable and i think this is a mistake. If you bought that sword i think you would have bought a "real" antique handmade Japanese sword but you will have paid all it is worth today. If that is what you want you did not miss anything, there are dozens available (probably hundreds or thousands) you just have to have access. I always prefer to examine a sword in hand before purchasing and would recommend that is you are starting. I have bought swords from pictures but usually from someone i am comfortable with and have recourse if there is an issue. Buyer beware

i think his partner David Brown bought the swords. Robert was sharing tables with David

as far as i know the smith has to have passed away (otherwise he is the one to verify it was his work). otherwise it should not have fatal flaws and not be gimei. I think it is similar to NTHK and NBTHK others can comment further. I would think Chris B would know more (for NTHK-NPO)

Wild fires are nothing to mess with. Here is a collection. Some good names in there

Being it is Vegas you meet a lot of interesting people

Couple of quick pictures when I wasn’t busy

Guy had a bunch of bags of swords he picked up on the way to the show. Here are just a few

I am home. The show went well. A few table holders were affected by the fires in CA but otherwise it was a great time. Mike did a great job with the educational presentations, i think they were recorded so he may post some in the future. He was going to use a drone for filming but it was a bit noisy. A person in the back room had picked up 85 swords on his way to the show, mostly gunto mounted. There were piles and piles, bags and bags, sort of like the "old days". I looked at a couple but was busy with the show. I think he sold quite a few. It seemed like there were a lot more tables in the back with Japanese swords for sale, maybe dealers are noticing people attending are interested in them. There were several Juyo swords and fittings out for sale (or to enjoy) along with some kabuto matchlocks and other stuff. I took a couple of pictures, i will try and add them later. Home late yesterday so catching up today

i owned a 28" hizen katana maybe 20 years ago. i forget who signed it, Tadahiro, tadakuni or similar. I figured it was gimei as it was signed katana mei. Roger bought it, it passed TH, my understanding from Roger was that Mr Tanobe looked at it and said it was probably custom order and signed that way. Definitely very rare but not 100%

look like a date Shohei 1347

i am a NBTHK-AB member, have been for a while, maybe 20 years

i think the last time the NBTHK did a shinsa was in 1980 in CA as far as i know they do not plan to come back.

there is a link to room reservation at the show rate on my website https://www.vegasswordshow.com/ or here is the link https://book.passkey.com/event/50787566/owner/3453/landing rooms start at $110 (there is a "resort" fee all hotels add) let me know if you have any questions mark

Bob thanks for asking check the website below for details. there is a link for room reservations. It is April 25-27, 2025 http://www.chicagoswordshow.com/ Let me know if you have any questions tahnks mark jones

it is an antique arms show so the majority or items for sale are firearms. Yes you can sell guns (abiding by laws). If you have Japanese matchlocks or swords and a few guns you might want to be in the Japanese sword section, if you are just going to have a table for non Japanese guns you might do better in the gun area. I can refer you to the person dealing with gun sale tables if needed. let me know what works. it is one of the biggest shows so a good outlet for sales

Taikei Naotane. Famous maker. Looks questionable at best. They are usually dated and that can help compare signature as it changed during his life....... is there a date on the other side?

DTI is over, U.S. Holiday week over........ So now is a good time to think about the 2025 show season. If anyone has questions about the show contact me privately or post them here. I can add tables as the sword section can be expanded as needed. The tables ate 8' (not 6' as at most sword shows). If someone wants 1/2 a table let me know I am looking forward to seeing a lot of friends at the show. It is a great place to hunt swords, there are 1500 tables in the whole show (sword area is just a section) so there are usually a number or swords on tables other than the sword section. https://www.vegasswordshow.com/ thanks for looking Mark

thank you!!! I learned something i can use. i appreciate the help

Thank you both. that helps........... i have never seen these kanji used for something ordered or made for someone. Can you give me the Japanese/english for 応 and 需 so i can recognize it if i see it again thanks again for the help mark

Brian was in Japan for DTI, maybe still there or recovering. He may be busy if he just returned

Grey and i picked up a tsuba. We are having trouble understanding the inscription. We see left --- Masa Toshi Saku Kore so we think Masatoshi made this but i guess maybe it could be read differently like Sho??? right side -- we are lost, maybe O (Nori Toku), Aki , Hiro, Tsune ???? probably completely wrong Also we note the Hozon paper uses a different kanji for Toshi, so we are not sure if the paper uses an abbreviated form of the kanji on the tsuba or maybe the NBTHK knows who this is and the maker used this other kanji as well ?? any help appreciated, thanks Mark and Grey

hard to say age. It does not look gendai. The file marks are strange, almost looks like they were removed under the mei, i can see them in areas of the nakago. I would say exercise caution. If you are buying wait to see the blade, if helping someone they should be careful wish you the best for a speedy recovery

Mino kuni Masayuki with Showa stamp

Thanks Brian Mike -- where in IN are you located? I am near Toledo OH......... i have several wakizashi in the $3-600 range. If you are close you can come and see swords in hand by email is nixe@bright.net Mark

i have dozens and dozens of papers of all sorts i probably have what you need you can email me at nixe@bright.net mark