Mark

i think supply/demand has an effect. Many blades have been shortened over time due to a number of factors (use, fashion, regulations etc) so the number of blades that are still quite long are fewer. Also they have a better chance to be ubu, or closer to the original shape.

it is a late war navy or naval cadet sword. the blade is made with stain resistant steel (salt water exposure). Can you please post a picture of the paperwork.

I read Seki Fujiwara Yoshinao it looks genuine WWII, it is a Showa stamp. not traditionaly made

Bi Shu Osafune Sukesada

I have a Sukemune, it was on display at the MN show, it looks classic Shinshinto Bizen Yokoyama gunome/chogi. The yasuri, mei, blade, of the sword here does look anything like mine. So i would agree with Chris

sadaharu

yoshikane. looks like a factory blade

army officer's sword. Blade looks hand made, probably an older antique blade. hard to say exact value from a few pictures, we do not know length, if there are fatal flaws etc, but if forced to guess from what i see i would say $1000 give or take

a "sword" is not a problem, but you need to have paperwork for customs to avoid any duty, you should have paperwork, in english, that states that the sword is antique and the age, it should "look" official, maybe on a dealers letterhead, with that you can get through customs without a problem, if the customs agent wants to charge a duty remind him, kindly, that it is an antique, if hat does not work ask for a supervisor. The customs regulations state that you can import an antique without duty but some agents are not well trained.

from the shape and condition of the nakago it looks, to me, to be Showa era, maybe one of those swords made around 1930 with "big" names. If so it was made by a decent smith as the areas of Ohada do give it a Koto look.

maybe a bargain, hard to tell. to me it looks like an unsugned wakizashi that you are going to have to buy menuki for, have wrapped, and still have an unsigned wak. If you figure polish and paper you will have 4-5 thousand in it. I felt it was ashame to break up the daisho, but i guess that happens

i would submit the sword for shinsa first. You want to make sure the mei is genuine. Where are you located? maybe there is a sword club or collector group near you that you use as a resource.

i vote for it being put together. I have seen a number of swords like this and have heard from some vets that there would be a pile of swords and a pile of scabbards (why they were spearated i have no idea), and the vet would select a sword and find a scabbard that fit. Try taking a wire (like coat hanger) and slide it down the scabbard and measure how deep it goes, compare that with the blade length, i will bet you find the scabbard was made for a longer blade

the fourth kanji is NEN means year

Tenmei seven th year second month

the last 3 kanji do say Minamoto Masashige... but the first 2 kanji are NOT Minamoto, they are a province, check a list of provinces and you will have your answer (the second kanji is Shu so it is using the less formal form or the province's name) you are doing well

this tanto is/was owned by a NMB member. It was discussed in the past. As i recall it was offered to NMB for sale some time back. It is a nice tanto

probably made that way, katana in the shape of a naginata naoshi were made in the 1860's

maker Kanehiro, circa 1943. mismatched scabbard $400-500

makers name is Yoshikuni, made circa 1865. many familys share the mon or crest so no way to know who. hard to say value from pictures but probably $1000-2000

forgot to mention, personal name Muto, he is shown on page 203 of J Sloughs book. If you do not have the book let me know and i can bring it to OGCA this weekend and you can check it out

date August 1944 maker Yukihiro living in Chikugo Province

Mr. Koichi Moriyama, Thank you! I have added a bit clearer picture, but i am sure you have it I had looked up the Sendai Kanetsugu, but some of the references i found seemed to show he used Fujiwara. After checking the Nihonto Meikan it lists a Sendai Kanetsugu using Minamoto.

I have a katana that is dated 1855, i can read the maker is Minamoto Kanetsugu, but am having some trouble with the rest. Any help appreciated... Thanks!

the show was much more active than in the past. All tables were sold and set up. There were quite a few "walk ins". There was one Japanese dealer there, he had items for sale, and that seemed his main reason for coming, but he did buy a few tsuba from me. I thought there was more buying/selling this year. All in all a very nice weekend.