Cuirassier

Hi Ted Thanks, but I am starting to go a little I have referred to several books (Robinson and Scott Slough mostly) and I wonder if John Scott Slough got some wrong as I thought I matched "Seki" with an example he gave. Anyway.... Hi Koichi OK, my final attempt unless I get at least 2 characters right Gio or Yoki Gawa Masa Michi Saku Please, if I do not have at least 2 right (if so, please tell me which ones are right), put me out of my misery and tell me what the mei actually is, please Regards Mark

Hi Koichi OK, Seki Shu Toshi Mune Saku ? Mark

Hi Please do not tell me what the name is if I got wrong. I am trying to learn to read mei. This is maybe not even the right sort of sword for this forum, in which case forgive me. It has a showa stamp on it. Yes, it is in military mounts. I think it says Tsu shu (Tsushima) Toshi Muni Saku Helpful, "you got the 3rd (or whatever) character wrong" comments are welcome though. Cheers Mark

Hi Ted Thanks and sorry, I sort of thought it was added automatically Regards Mark

Franco Sorry, I just realized I posted a reply to you as a new thread http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5620

Thanks for the information. The tip looks natural to me (cutting edge corresponding with the ko-shinogi; maybe it was the angle I took the last picture from (to avoid the flash reflecting back). Here are some more together with a better picture of the hamon / blade condition.

Hi again Peter OK tang signature attached; hopefully it is OK / good enough. Hi Jacques I have had a really good look at the blade tip after your comment and can see nothing like a break / repair. There are a few chips along the cutting edge, do you mean these? If not, can your circle the area on my earlier photo you think this might show this so I can look through a magnifying glass?

Hi Peter Thank you, phew! I hate spending 3 figures on things I know too little about. Waterloo era British or French swords, I know and have no hesitation in plunging in, but I have had only even luck thus far with Japanese swords. The blade is in very good order, though it clearly has been cleaned with an abrasive pad or something, I do not think wire. There are no forging flaws I can see which I found about to my cost regarding another earlier purchase. I am not a good photographer and need to work out how to take pictures in the light Japanese swords are mostly done in; they must use some form of light diffuser. Anyway, I have taken a couple of pics which I think are fairly representative of the blade condition overall.

Hi All I was not sure where to post this or to start. I am a collector who prefers (sorry) Napoleonic swords, but now have a few Japanese items thanks to some kind recommending Kiwi who got me into this a little. I have bought a number of books but still have problems with Mei and blade era / province recognition. I should mention also (having read the forum guides) I offer to sell everything I own (it is the only way I can keep collecting - I have around 150 swords); I am not a high volume seller / dealer and only do it as I said so I can continue to collect, to experience and hold different swords. I recently bought a katana, a shin gunto with a bo-hi blade signed Ashu Ujiyoshi Saku. I have found a couple of web pages; http://www.touken.or.jp/english/nihon_koto_shi/(51)%20No.608.htm another my Kiwi friend found http://www.sho-shin.com/nan2.htm. I wanted to know though is this the same Ashu Ujiyoshi Saku? OK, also, I wondered what the value likely was and could be. This is both for commercial reasons but also because this might be a "keeper" for me (some swords I own I am not very likely / willing to sell). I wanted to know whether I got a good deal (it cost me 1000 GBP all told) and whether I should a) invest in a polish and / or b) have the blade remounted (my instinct is to leave it in military mounts). I have another Katana undergoing polish at this time with Tony Norman in the UK if anyone knows of him. He is taking about 6 months right now. So I wonder if I should do the same with my bo-hi Ujiyoshi, whether the effect and value are worth it. I hope I will upload an image of the katana but wonder if the file size may be too big. Any help / advice appreciated.