Verification Needed Wakizashi

[Lex Sakura]

Hello,

I have my sights on a wakizashi and in order to be sure I'm not gonna go look at a fake one I would like to translate the Mei.

 

Foto's are in link ( site where the seller sells the wakizashi)

 

If possible could anyone look at the papers on the photo and see if it corresponds with real ones?

Thanks in advance !

 

https://www.2dehands.be/verzamelen/overige-verzamelstukken/leger-oorlog-marine/nbthk-certificaat-wakizashi-koshirae-403114918.html

[ROKUJURO]

Lex (is that your name?),

welcome to the NMB!

The ORIGAMI looks like the real ones from the NBTHK, but I cannot guarantee that the sword is related to it. The blade is of course an authentic one.

The photos (not foto's) show a nice WAKIZASHI which probably will be a pleasure to own, but the main question is always: What do you know about it and what do you like? Can you appreciate what you have and can you care for it and preserve it so it will be in good condition for some 100 years more?

Good luck with all your purchases!  

[Shugyosha]

Hi Lex,

 

The papers for the sword look real to me, they have the appropriate seals and they match the blade. There isn't a full signature on the tang as it has been shortened. What you have says "奥州住" - Ōshū Ju - "in the province of Ōshū" (Mutsu). The paper says that the rest has been cut off "Ika Kiri" and attributes the blade to Kanesada 兼定. There were a group of smiths signing this way from the mid 1500s through to the mid 1800s so it isn't a very definite attribution. 

 

There isn't a close up of the papers for the fittings so I can't help there. 

[Lex Sakura]

Thank you for the information guys !

[TheGermanBastard]

This is likely either Sue Koto or Shinto.

 

Well, I can tell you that this is a solid package. If it is a bargain or not is always up to the buyer. It has two sets of paper that are allready costy for the Gaijin to acquire and there will be no import fees on your part which is also good.

 

You may wish to also buy some literature so you can as Jean suggested enjoy the real beauty of your new acquisation. For now it is like you buying a car without ever having taken a seat in one buts just seens them from the distance.

 

welcome to the world of Nihonto and enjyo your new hobby!

[Lex Sakura]

Since my last attempt where I bought a well made fake signed katana I didn't go any further to study Nihonto. And then I saw this wakizashi and I feel like I really want to learn again. The library close by had some decent starter documentation so I know what to do with my spare time . This wakizashi viewed from the eyes of a collector with more knowledge, knowing this blade needs some polishing and the missing habaki part needs replacing, in the condition it is with the papers; how much would it be worth to you?

[paulb]

Lex

I am sorry you are asking an impossible question. The real question is how much is it worth to you? As with all such purchases it is worth what someone is prepared to pay. Some one once said to me "decide which gives you more pleasure having the sword or having the money in the bank" Once you have answered that you will know what it is worth.

I am not trying to be difficult but really you are the only one who can decide if it offers you good value.

For what it is worth from the images I think it is authentic and I don't think the price is unreasonable. If you decided to have the blade polished and other work done then it is unlikely you would recover the cost in a future sale. However there is plenty there to enjoy as is.

[TheGermanBastard]

hello Lex,

 

why not study first, then watch the market and only buy in the last step of this process. Right now yu don't have it all set yet and I feel you are not ready to go. You are at a stage where you can not tell a genuine from a fake sword and where you think about having something in decent polish re-polished - which absolutely makes no sense on this blade!!! ... so my advice, sit down. Study some book keep on surfing the well known dealer sites and once you have come to the level you reached some insight and formed a personal tase buy something. Until then it is all just academic talk.

[TheGermanBastard]

hey, and just because I am curious ... please let us see some images of your well made fake Katana.

[Lex Sakura]

Thank you all for your comments on my question and for your advice ! I will invest in literature about Nihonto as there is so much to learn. I'll add some photo's about the katana I had earlier, NihontoCollector

[Lex Sakura]

I've uploaded some photo's to my photobucket account:

 

http://s38.photobucket.com/user/lex_mrt1/media/IMG_0993_zpssz2vefgt.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

[TheGermanBastard]

I could only see an iamge of a Tsuba that is indeed a fake. I can imagine the blade that went along with it.

[Greg F]

Hi Luis if you wait around 10 seconds for it to load after you see the tsuba you scroll across. (Worked for me anyway).

 

Greg

[TheGermanBastard]

I only get to see an awfull amount of advertisemnents. This photobucket thing is a pain in the ass. Why not just upload the images to the board?

[IJASWORDS]

Luis, you are 100% correct, photobucket never works for me as well! Its easy to add photos to a post. Secondly, you are correct about his potential purchase. Learn more before shelling out BIG money on some thing that he may not eventually appreciate when he learns more. And thirdly, have you noticed the prices of wakizashi are at best steady, even falling, where tanto and the longer blades are rising? This is true certainly in Australia.  

[Stephen]

Links that say photobucket dont get opened here, its not rocket science to post images.

[TheGermanBastard]

Luis, you are 100% correct, photobucket never works for me as well! Its easy to add photos to a post. Secondly, you are correct about his potential purchase. Learn more before shelling out BIG money on some thing that he may not eventually appreciate when he learns more. And thirdly, have you noticed the prices of wakizashi are at best steady, even falling, where tanto and the longer blades are rising? This is true certainly in Australia.  

 

You are fully correct about Tanto and Katana. Those are these ones thought after by collectors the most. Anything else sell for literally cheap money. The most awfull thing are Jumonji Yari. They are a pain in the ass to polish. Many polishers will even turn you down because the stones need to have a special shape and it is not worth the effort. Then when you have a perfectly polished Jumonji Yari it will often not fetch the money of the extremly expensive restoration.

 

By now I personally prefer to buy and collect Tanto on many occasions. They are the least costy in restoration and also much easier to handle.

 

Wakizashis can be great never the less as you basically get great work at cheaper prices - but again they are not in such high demand. Also for all the paper lovers it will be harder to achive really high papers on Wakizashi.

 

One the one hand that is because Wakizashi often are greatly greatly shortened tachi / katana and the less a blade is original the more it is hurt and less collectable ... on the the other hand Katanas are the true weapon of the Samurai where Wakizashi were open to other classes and thus also simply greater in number.

 

So if you are on a budget and just starting out a cheaper Waki may be preferable over a Katana for study purposes ... but you have to be aware that the demand will be lesser when wanting to re-sell it. I often speak about selling and values. For simple reason: Unless you are a billionaire you will always see the need to sell soemthing again in ordert to buy something ... and then you do not wish to take a loss or be stuck with your previous acquisation.

 

Collecting is like climbing a ladder ...

 

On the other hand there are people who just want to own a Samurai Sword and not get into the Nihonto path much more than that. For them it is just fine to buy whatever is appealing to them ... there will not be much dealing and wheeling.

 

Buying something you like and enjoy is in teh end the core advice I can give without hesitation. But the more you advance the more your preferences and taste may change.

 

The new collector will often find fancy huge billowing Choji or Gunome Hamon with a lot of Hadore the most thrilling while the old fart collector won't get his eyes of a perfect Suguha.

[b.hennick]

"Collecting is like climbing a ladder."

Love that! Some rungs are quite slippery.

[Lex Sakura]

Well after a few days of timewasting trying to fix a date to go and see the wakizashi, the owner suddenly decided to put it up for auction rather than selling it . Looks like I'm getting some more time to study. Thanks for the advice everyone !

[TheGermanBastard]

Well after a few days of timewasting trying to fix a date to go and see the wakizashi, the owner suddenly decided to put it up for auction rather than selling it . Looks like I'm getting some more time to study. Thanks for the advice everyone !

 

Well Lex, the owner may think that he does better putting it up on auction and may not be to eager at arranging a rendezvous with somone just for "seeing" it as he is into "selling" it. If somebody sends me a message saying he wants to see a sword of mine that is up for sale I will usually reply asking if there is a probloem with the images I uploaded. I only arrange for pick ups but no meet and greets. I have had plenty of people sitting in my living room, drinking tea and looking at my collection for houzrs without ever buying anything. I offer personal pick up on all the stuff that I have for sale. If someone shows up I welcome him to check out the sword in person. If something is wrong then shame on me and he will walk away. But if someone says he wants a meeting for only looking at a sword my answer is no.

[Lex Sakura]

Well the intention was to go over there with the cash on me, inspect it in person and pretty sure it would've been sold fast enough. I'm still going to follow the auction though

+ I wouldn't waste anyones time to just go and have a look, just to waste someones time and give them false hopes.

[TheGermanBastard]

Hello Lex, I keep my fingers crossed you will be able to get the sword. Case it does not sell on auction you may be able to bargain a bit with the seller ... and if you don't get it, don't be sorry. There are usually more great deals than ones wallet holds money.