pcfarrar

Hi Gwyn, Yes it's my sword, I'm pleased with it, the early type 19 kyu gunto koshirae is in excellent condition for the age. Peter

I managed to get a decent photo of the jigane for anyone interested in what the "Dutch" tetsu looks like.

That's definitely not true with regards to the NTHK-NPO. With Miyano on the panel they have one of the best (if not the best) judge in Japan.

Hi Peter, Thanks, I have seen that one but with old green papers I can't be sure that isn't gimei... Peter

Does anyone have any oshigata of this smiths work so I can compare? I found one in the Toko Taikan but the mei has differences although the mekugi-ana placement matches.

Actually eBay does list them as being based in Japan.

The Microdear cloths from Japan are very thick velvety fibre not like a normal microfibre at all. There is nothing in the UK for sale that is equivalent, if you go on pro camera forums you will see they get constant praise as being the best for lens cleaning. I got mine from Paul Martin several years ago. There's nothing wrong with normal microfibre cloths but microdear just do the job better.

I'm my opinion these are the best microfibre cloths for swords, they really are great I've yet to find anything better. http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00FE7QFHG/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=187205609&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B008QT9B2A&pf_rd_m=AN1VRQENFRJN5&pf_rd_r=1F66PQZBXEGDY9R4EMXY Only problem is they are real pain to get hold of as Amazon Japan won't ship them internationally. There is a camera shop in the US that sells them but they have massively over priced shipping fees to Europe.

Here's a few more Sukesada that all appear to be possible kazu uchi mono. http://iidakoendo.com/718/ http://iidakoendo.com/710/ http://yukodo.net/waki_sukesada.html

Can anyone help with me this kozuka mei? I'm pretty stuck with it... Thanks, Peter

I did suspect it was kongobei school due to the sotaba-gata nakago, also the jigane reminded me a lot of a kongobei wakizashi I once owned. Thanks, Peter

Thanks guys, it's a nice sword with suguha hamon and kanbun shinto sugata. It is also mounted in a kyu gunto koshirae.

Good price, I think you've done ok.

Looks ok to me, Kazu uchi mono are usually full of kizu and rough hada. Of course it could be gimei...

Anyone have any thoughts on if this Masayuki mei is genuine? I can't find any examples of his mei in my books to compare. It is the following smith from Sesko: MASAYUKI (正幸), Jōkyō (貞享, 1684-1688), Ōshū – “Annonji Masayuki” (安穏寺正幸), “Masayuki” (正幸), “Annonji Mishina Ason Masayuki” (安穏寺三品朝臣正幸), he lived in Sōma-Nakamura (相馬中村), he signed also with the supplement “Oranda-tetsu o motte tsukuru” (以阿蘭陀鉄造, “made by using Dutch steel [= nanban-tetsu]”), ko-itame, suguha or gunome-midare in ko-nie-deki Thanks, Peter

I think this might be Minamoto Yukiyoshi ? Blade looks koto and has a nice shape (see photo). Anyone got any thoughts? Thanks, Peter

Thanks! One last question is this an NTHK NPO paper or Yoshikawa?

Can anyone help with this NTHK paper, in the remark section underneath Bungo Kuni it gives the date. Is this Tensho period? Thanks, Peter

Enjoy! https://youtu.be/xh5PsFfATqk

Sorry to see that its been damaged, it has to have happened outside of the saya so Japanese customs must be to blame.

Don't you think the seller would have done that already considering the trivial cost of getting a paper when you live in Japan.

13th May 2014, i tried again this morning but still no joy it just downloads the original version.

The updated revision doesn't seem to work, when I go into my Lulu account download section and download the book I still get the 2012 version.

I have a small 15.5cm yoroidoshi tanto (0.9cm kasane) signed Masanori. I'm assuming its shin-shinto but it doesn't have the tight ko-itame hada you often see on shin-shinto tanto so I wondered if it could perhaps be a bit earlier. There are loads of smiths signing this way in the late 19th century, but in the books there are very few examples of signatures. Does anyone have any ideas on which Masanori this might be? I'm guessing the fairly distinctive hamon might be a help. Thanks, Peter

Was assisted by a friend, the inscription is the one made by Kojima Takanori on a cherry tree for Emperor Go Daigo