pcfarrar

I checked through my books and the signature doesn't look good for any of the early yoshimichi. Nice sword though

Thanks everyone! There may have been a date but the corrison on that side of the nakago is even worse so its hard to say. The blade itself is in good condition just some minor rust, and its lost very little steel. Appears to be gunome midare with crab claws, and from the shape I would say muromachi.

Anyone have any ideas if this reads Bizen or Bishu Osafune Sukesada? Given the state of the nakago its just hard to see. Thanks, Peter

A catalogue from a shop showing the designs that they sell?

Anyone got any recommendations for good audio CD's of traditional Japanese music? Thanks, Peter

You have to understand with the shipping cost you are paying for the sellers time, packaging materials etc. not just the raw cost of the postage.

I don't recall seeing any pictures of turtle shell used in koshirae but they must exist. You find quite a few netsuke from turtle shell: http://www.netsuke.com/netsuke/Contempo ... atoshi.htm

The Aoi Art handling fee is very cheap. It was less than $100 on the last sword I had polished by them.

The sword belonged to my brother. Had to sell it to fund the purchase of a new gendaito katana. The fittings were very nice, the fuchi was signed with a big name, I forget who but we always assumed it was gimei. The tsuba was also very nice, I wish I'd kept it. The saya was a bit flashy, but its unique :lol:

I can't belive someone is bidding 200,000 yen for a gimei showato :lol: I have noticed Aoi Auctions seems to be a dumping ground to offload all the "bad" stuff. Still at least they are truthful....

I just noticed Aoi are selling a machine made WW2 showato Surely this sort of sword is illegal in Japan?? https://www.aoi-art.com/auction/en/auct ... 1141534367

I heard a rumour that he went back to Korea? His website is gone. You can still get on certain bits (without pictures unfortunately) using the following link: http://www.archive.org/index.php

Muromachi nio school wakizashi signed Kiyotsugu in a set of tiger themed koshirae. In David Hofhine polish, very nice blade! Starting on ebay tonight at 8pm GMT from £1. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=270028530529

It was the boshi really that made me think retempered, it just seemed a bit healthy compared to the rest of the sword. Just a gut feeling really as you can't be certain from the pictures.

Very interesting, thank you very much koichi san.

Out of interest can anyone translate what it says next to the date on this Shigetsugu katana at aoi art. http://www.aoi-art.com/sword/katana/06215.html Thanks, Peter

Some interesting items. I thought the mino kaneiwa was ok, but generally if the price is low and its coming from Japan its for a good reason. This one was interesting. Retempered? The buy it now price was the same as the current bid, which kind of implies the blade has a problem. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Japanese-sword-Ko ... 0026617307

Thanks again Rich! Do you have any idea of the approximate age of this tsuba? Peter

Interesting sword, but you do realise you've probably cut the value in half by cleaning the nakago? You'll have to get someone over here to repatinate it for you.

Thanks Rich, the guy I got it from said it was a Masahiro tsuba. So I just assumed that was what the mei read oops. What does the very top kanji mean if the bottom 2 are shoami? Thanks, Peter

Hi, Can anyone help with the mei on this tsuba? It came on a wakizashi I got recently. I think it could be Masahiro? Thanks, Peter

Nice result! Worth getting the gimei removed. BOKUDEN BANDÔTARÔ [ENPÔ 1673 HITACHI] SHINTÔ JÔSAKU He is of the Omura Kaboku Mon, is called Kawamura Chôbei, and in the beginning he signed as MUSASHI NO KAMI YOSHIKADO. In Kanbun Jûnen 1672, he, along with his older brother Echizen no Kami Yoshikado, became swordsmiths exclusively to Mito Yoshimatsu. From around Enpô Yonen (1676) he changed his name to BANDOTARÔ BAKUSHÔ NYÛDÔ BOKUDEN. He passed away on Jôkyô Gonen (Genroku Gannen) Shichigatsu Yôka. Many of the blades he made have a majestic form, hamon is ô-midare, notare midare, nie kuzure. (Ryôwazamono)

Hi Quang that sounds interesting, what was the mei and who did they think it really was? Peter

The colour is only like that on Microsoft Internet Explorer. It is much better on Firefox and easier to see.

A friend of mine has a Yasakuni blade in gunto mounts and the fittings are by "Suya Sho Ten". See this page: http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/logo/logo.htm