Papered Showato

[SwordGuyJoe]

Here is an obvious Showato blade that had the stamp removed and passed through shinsa. Very obvious the new takanoha yasurime where the stamp was removed. Goes to show that even though these panels are the foremost experts in Japanese swords, they're still learning on more modern blades.

 

 

[lonely panet]

Interesting, whats the quality of the blade like. Also any mention of what stamp it was?

 

Conspiracy theories will appear soon hahahha

[SwordGuyJoe]

It's an active sale in Japan with hozon papers. The smith is Kanemichi. The sword is average Showato - nothing more, nothing less.

[lonely panet]

do you think the sale is aimed at the western market?

 

with the rise and rise of popularity of the simple showato, maybe a well planned tactic to slowly bring more people back to the work of nihonto.

 

after all, many including myself started on showato. and then the disorder became untreatable    

[SwordGuyJoe]

Possible I suppose, but the market is less the point. I was merely trying to show a hozon papered showato that was papered with the smallest amount of "fixing".

[Brian]

Which organization?

[Jean]

Hozon = NBTHK

[Brian]

Missed his second post.

Hmm....90% this was not due to ignorance or negligence..it was likely just a favour. Happens everywhere.

[pcfarrar]

Lack of experience of oil tempered WW2 showato most likely. I expect the average NBTHK judge has had next to no exposure to oil tempered swords.

[paulb]

Thats an interesting point Peter. I was once party to a discussion when it was suggested that western collectors generally were more capable of assessing swords in less than perfect polish than the Japanese, simply because they saw more of them. swords presented for shinsa are generally in good polish so judges have less experience of seeing swords out of polish. Likewise oil tempered and other showa-to are not seen so often so it could be a mistake.

One of the governing criteria to pass shinsa is that a blade should be made using tradional techniques and Tamahagane. Neither of these are necessarily true for a Showa blade especialy one that had a stamp on it. therefore it should not have papered.

Does anyone closer to the organisation know if anything has changed regarding requirements?

[Ron STL]

Just came across this topic. Could it be a "somebody" doctored up a discarded origami to fit the sword? It's been done before. I would doubt the NBTHK would make such a mistake or offered such a favor. Photo of origami? Ron STL

[Jean]

Ron,

 

I love the word "doctored"

[SwordGuyJoe]

Even the papers show the file marks.

 

[Brian]

Depends who submitted it.
Thinking it doesn't happen is a bit naive imho.

[kunitaro]

NBTHK deleted the column for the name of submitter from the back side of Hozon paper. I think that is since 2011 ?

so, we could not know who submitted the paper.

[Brian]

Yes, but what I mean by that is that there are well known dealers and people with contacts who might very well have things pass where others would fail.

This isn't an allegation of dishonesty, just that the "old boy's club" exists at every level of society, and in every place where decisions are made. Fact of life, and the fact that stuff occasionally passes that might be questionable doesn't always represent a mistake, but sometimes a favour.
We have recently discussed the Showato that Aoi is selling, that has a clear Seki stamp and papers. You think they just missed it completely?