Mark

the tsuba looks familiar. i have (or had) a matching tsuba. What size is your tsuba? If they would make a daisho i would sell you mine or buy yours, it would be nice to have them together

check eBay item # 250615429268

Masachika or maybe masanobu (saku)

Nagamitsu from Seki (not Ichihara Nagamitsu)

one positive thing about lacquer is it comes off. So submit it as is, if/when it does not pass maybe the shinsa team will tell you what they think it is - then you can decide, remove the attribution and get a paper or keep it as is. As a note if you think it has any chance of being mid 1300's Soshu submit it to more than one group for shina before deciding to remove the lacquer

as the attribution just says Sadamune (and not other idenifiers) then he is says THE Sadamune - the big guy. Blade looks Shinshinto to me, most attributions will have the person doing the attributions name and Kao on the reverse side

i have seen good blades with umegane to repair open blisters. I think it would have to be a good blade to make it worth the trouble but i think i very good polisher could repair it

if youwant prices i would think as follows: #1 $20-50 #2, 3, 4 $400-700 each without seeing them in hand iy seems $1500 might be a fair price for both parties

Chris Not a problem. It might be kind to let us know what the information will be used for when you post the question. Most of us are happy to help but we like to know in advance what the purpose is, that way we can decide about answering. If it is a simple question it does not take much to reply, but to spend valuble personal time to help a new person interested in swords (we all want to fan the flame of someone who is interested in learning about and collecting swords) is a bit more fulfilling than helping someone make a few extra dollars

ok.... i am probably wrong about being cast, maybe it is just the pictures... I think Ed is right, looks like i can make out Echizen and Kinai is certainly another posibbility

Certainly hard to read. I maybe wrong but it looks like a later cast copy of a ChoShu tsuba, i guess BuShu would be the other option.

maker is Kanemasa from Seki in Mino province

Awataguchi Omi (no) Kami Tadatsuna name from late 1600's. 2 generations both signed this way but generally these kanji were used by first generation hope that helps

Peter I do not think i am a heavy hitter, maybe a light to medium hitter, but here goes. There are gimei swords that are worth restoring. I have a sword that is not mumei that was gimei. The mei was removed, it was polished and passed Juyo. That being said - the blade is everything, if it is good workmanship the mei can be removed. Many swords made in early Showa had "big" names, so if it is a Showa oil tempered blade then not worth it. Best to leave it as is and research the blade, try and show it to a few collectors and listen to what they say then decide

Stephen Bob emailed me. It is a small world, he had the sword (and others) for sale at the SOS last month in KY. I remember his table. I do not t hink i looked at the mei then as the price (and seeing the sword) did not require a look. He will be at a show where i will be in a couple of weeks so i will help him out, hopefully I can nudge his interest and he will join us as a sword collector

Stephen i can not view them either (not a member), but i see the guy posting is from Ohio. Do you know where in Ohio? Maybe i can get with him and help

I think the length of the handle was a choice, i have a Russo sword with a very long handle that could be used with 2 hands so i do not think it was required to cut the nakago down. I think it was more a reflection of the times, sword wearing was recently banned and blades were plentiful

it was not made to use as a weapon. It was made for "parade" use, or as a part of a dress uniform when not in the field of combat

i think in the past (1945-recent) seppa were not thought of as important and were discarded or mixed up and used as needed so a lot have been lost. I have a few set i have put a side over the years so i will have some if i need to mount a sword, i bet quite a few collectors do the same, so that limits the availiblity. I put a nice gold foil set on ebay last week (item # 250589471959 ) check them out, it will be interesting to see if they get many bids.

Stephen, Thanks! seems to be a match. It is used 90 degrees differnt tahn mine but i guess that could be a variation. The other fittings have the same mon, so on my example it is being used as i showed it thanks!

James -- Thanks for checking -- must be a minor one Amati -- Thanks for the response. I am sure i have it right side up, i took a picture of the fuchi and as you can seethe tsuba is beloe and the wrap above, i can't believe they would display it so you have to hold the sword with the tip pointing up to read it correctly. maybe it is a different mon? T

Thanks for the link, i checked it and could not find the one i am looking for. Here is a picture Thanks!

when i saw that sword on eBay it seemed Mike Y had posted the translation, maybe i remember it wrong. You could probably ask Mike as he should have notes about it. Or maybe someoen here can make it out (sort of hard with the angle)

Seems i remember there was a link to pictures of family mon, but i can not find it. I have some fitting with a "mon" on them and wanted to indentify the mon and who may have used it Thanks!

Justin I live near Toledo Ohio, and there are other collectors in Indiana, also you are close to Chicago so you should plan to attend the show there.