Bruno

Hi Many years ago, I have been told or read somewhere that in Japan, shinsakuto must be dated by law on their nakago. Indeed during, years every shinsakuto I saw had a date of production engraved on their nakago. Yesterday, I saw a shinsakuto by a top smith for sale on a well known Japanese seller website. The sword has no date engraved, only the mei. Hence I asked the seller why no date and he replied the following : " I do not know from where you obtained such information, but while it is mandatory to engrave the name of the swordsmith, it is not legally required to engrave the date of production. Currently, there is a 50/50 split between those who engrave the date and time and those who do not." If someone of the NMB has a documented answer about this, I would love to read it. Thanks

Nagasa?

Thanks for the help. It is from a past auction on Yahoo Japan. Here is the link: https://buyee.jp/ite...ge_closed_watch_list

Piers, you mean the right column is the name and birth of the original owner? Quite a tough one for my limited skills.

How do you know Kunihiro passed away in 1989?

Thanks Piers. Indeed on the first photo I cannot decipher.the 2 colums.

Hi, I am struggling with this nakago. I guess it is from Showa Kunihiro. May someone give me the full translation of bothe sides of the nakago please? With the courtesy of M. SESKO I think he is : KUNIHIRO (国広), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Fukuoka – “Chikushū Yanagawa-jū Yashirō Kunihiro” (筑州柳川住弥四郎国広), “Kunihiro” (国広), real name Hiroki Kunio (広木国男), he lived in Yanagawa ́s Yashirō-chō (弥四郎町), he signed first with Akitsugu (昭次) and studied under Nakao Sanjirō (中尾三治郎) and Miyairi Yukihira (宮入行平) Thanks

Thanks Lewis B. I have read about Jauce (do they really export nihonto for sure?)but was wondering if a real person could do the job.

Hi, Kelly Schmidt recently told me he stopped exporting blades more than a year ago. Do you know a reliable middleman/broker who could bid, buy and export outside Japan (to France in my case) nihonto on Yahoo Japan? Thanks

Can't find any Showa era TAKEYASU smith in SESKO book. A meikanmore smith?

Hello, I am looking for an english index of the Gendai Toko-Kinko-Shykukata Soran. Thanks for any help.

Hi, I am gathering the most possible exhaustive list of main Japanese sellers websites who sell shinsakuto. So far I have : https://www.nipponto.co.jp/sword.htm https://e-nihontou.c.../list?category_id=21 https://www.samuraishokai.jp/index.html (No paypal) https://www.aoijapan.../inro-and-netsuke-2/ If you guys know other reliable sellers (who accept Paypal), please share. Thanks

This same sword was posted en 2021 by a different owner. https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/34680-translation-signature-on-mantetsu-blade/#comment-510855

Mei looks well made and typical of Mantetsu-to style mei. Habaki is typical of the Mantetsu-to style too. Shirasaya seems of quality and blade has been re-polished post war. I would have been quite a lot of effort to customize a random showa-to just in order to make a fake Koa Isshin-to. To me, it might be legit despite the lack of number on the mune and unusual hamon.

Thanks Steve. I could not find any other mei to compare so most likely fake indeed. More diifcult to spot chinese kogatana than china-to!

Thanks Steeve. Any idea on whose smith he is supposed to be? Or is it a fancy/honorific mei?

Hi, I may read YASU HIRO for the 2 last kanji but would. appreciate a translation help for the whole mei. Thanks

Wow Mal, that was a great offer! Sad I did not saw it sooner!

Shinshin-to smiths are among the category with the most numerous gimei, on the contrary gendai-to smiths seem to be the category with the less gimei.

Finally I found one, on Yahoo Japan. Maybe the brass has been a bit too much cleaned. According to seller description, it is cucumber leaf(?!).

Daniel, Your best choice may be to contact directly Chris BOWEN.

Takeo SEKI : togishi1@gmail.com Takeo SEKI may not want to polish it since it is not traditionally forged. Then I would ask Woody Hall in Nevada or Benson in Hawai.

Nice find Bruce. I wish I could find a tsuba like this one.

May I ask who polished it? Any photos?

Shawn, Woody told me more or less the same regarding my Mantetsuto, it was 2 years ago. He won't polish standard showa-to but may do exception for well finished ones. I reach him on Messenger but can ask him more details to contact him if you need.