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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello from Northern Virginia:

 

I've been a lurker here for a while learning, and thought I should finally register. I've had an interest in Nihonto for quite a while but until recently I only superficially studied them. Now thanks to this forum I've got a few hundred in books coming (my CC loves Satcho.com...) and despite my better judgement I purchased a Shin Gunto from an auction that I found here (the recent Willis Henry auction http://www.willishenryauctions.com/catalogs/asian-art-militaria-nov-16-2014/lot-16-military-sword-2/). Hopefully I'm not about to get a semi-expensive education from them...

 

I appreciate the educational posts from more experienced folks, especially on maintenance and cleaning since without reading here I could easily see myself overusing something like Uchiko, etc. Since I don't know even what I don't know I don't intend on posting too much though once I've got sword in hand I'd like to put it up to get folk's opinions (gulp) and I'd like to know what other books to pick up in the future.

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Welcome Steve,

I'm not an expert on gunto blades but I have to say that one looks pretty nice, healthy too. I'm sure the resident's here will be able to provide you a lot of information on it once you get. I know they will want to see a good shot of the signature as the auction site references only a partial signature (perhaps a shortened blade) and an untranslated signature at that.

As for books I say get what you can when you can find it. About 15 years ago I came across one of my holy grail books at a gun show in NH and they were asking around $300, I knew this book to usually go for $400 so I should have just bought it right then. But no, I though I would show mild interest in it then work my way back to it later and offer $200 cash and see if I could nab it for a steal. When I went back it was long gone! Took me about 5 or 6 years after that to locate another copy for sale and finally get one, ironically for around $300 IIRC.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi there, I'm Allen. I'm rather new to nihonto as a medium and appreciate all the references in the links (some need to be removed as the sites are dead as I'm sure many are aware) as well as the forum posts and replies. As a free resource this board is pretty impressive.

 

I typically "deal" in estate auctions and sales with my sister and her husband; they mostly deal in restoring and selling old furniture, I tend to stick with toys, comic books, and sometimes vintage video games and electronics. I came across katana swords at a recent estate sale with lots of World War II memorabilia including Japanese army flags, boots, belts, etc., the price was right, so I decided why not; the past couple of months have been spent casually learning this and that about them, Japanese blades, and Japanese style blades. It's an interesting world; admittedly I think I'm happy only dipping my toe in as I'll likely not ever be a collector, so to speak.

 

However, I appreciate learning about lots of things so this has been a fun exercise and has expanded my brain into an area I had no knowledge, if nothing else.

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Welcome Allen! I'm sure that you will bring a unique perspective to things here coming from a different perspective. Many here have the collecting bug. You might use the Izakaya section for your other interests.

I suggest that you take some photos and start a thread on your new sword. Read the info on posting images so that you get that right. You want people to open the image without having to go to another site. Crop the pictures and keep them to specific things. You might want to look at the posts of others who have been here for a while to get what is needed.

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Hi Allan

 

Climb aboard and welcome, I am sure you will find the board self explanatory in its workings. A small point if I may!

Yes the board is free at point of entry, but members through donations, and other gift enabling schemes, help with the running costs. All voluntary of course.

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Hello everybody,

Think I posted in the wrong place, oh well better luck this time!!

A Merry Christmas to you all, accepting that this a truly international forum so not all will share my views (on just about anything!!).

I have always admired a stylish blade & have collected a number of knives, bayonets etc along the way. There has always however been a desire to own a 'genuine' (nihonto) Katana.

I studied Kendo for some years as a much younger man & became quite proficient, but (as is the way for many of us) got married which pretty much killed off the Kendo practice. For the record, I am still happily married (before you ask!!).

To cut a very long story short (er) I chanced across what I believe to be a Nihonto at a local auction, it called out to me to buy it (which I did). I am now the proud owner of a tatty Shin-Gunto (WW2) Katana!!!

No I did not buy many books & study (I do have one or two left from 30+ years ago), if nothing my years have taught me that sometimes you just have to go with your gut feeling.

There is always the chance that it is not what I believe it is, but the more research I do (here & other 'free' resources) the less worried I have become.

In time I will post some photos of the nakago, it has 5 character carvings on both sides (date & signature??). I have downloaded what I can to compare, but not being the least bit literate in Japanese I am finding it a tad confusing.

I will continue to follow threads on here with great interest but will probably not post very much as all I have at the moment are questions, questions & more questions.

 

With very best wishes,

Howard Meredith

(Worcestershire, England).

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  • 2 weeks later...
Hi all,

 

Happy New Year from sunny Nottingham!

 

I've been lurking for a while getting a feel for how things work and making use of all the incredible knowledge collected here. New year, new board software - better get around to introducing myself :)

 

My interest in nihonto goes back nearly 30 years, but with a very large gap in the middle where it lay dormant. In the late 80s & early 90s I was a frequent visitor to Liverpool Militaria (for those that remember it) and built up a very modest sword collection. Unfortunately this was sold to fund my time at university, and after that I was too broke to afford anything. By the time I had any money to spare I'd discovered fast cars and proceeded to waste all my money there :D However, after a responding to a question about Japanese swords in the off-topic section of a motoring forum, the old interest came surging back and I (probably unwisely) found what seemed an interesting sword on eBay and bought it. Whether it was a good purchase remains to be seen. I'd planned to research it in depth and get some good photos taken over the Christmas break, but my wife had other ideas on how we'd spend the time (at least the new guest room is now all sorted!). Once I can get some decent photos taken I'll post them for you to comment on.

 

I look forward to learning more from you guys and hope one day to be able to help in turn. 

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

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Greetings everyone!

 

Long time lurker here, I've been learning as much as I can about nihonto for the past year and I've decided to finally take the plunge after recently purchasing my first true nihonto from Aoi Art.  

 

My name is Mitchell, from San Francisco CA.  I am a concept designer in the film industry. The Japanese side of my family has a very long history of samurai descendant (Tsugaru clan in Hirosaki) which naturally led me to become extremely fascinated with nihonto. I hope to have a very long history of studying and owning them!  I've recently purchased a beautiful Koto era katana from Aoi Art with plans of taking high-res photos very soon in order to share with everyone! There's still so much to learn, but I'm excited to be here and learn from all of you. Hopefully I may even get to meet some of you at the San Francisco Token Kai this year! 

 

Cheers,

Mitchell 

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  • 5 weeks later...

Hello all,
My name is Paul and I live in Perth Western Australia.

I have lived in Japan on and off for about 5 years.

I have a sword, this sword and I have a bit of history, it's recently come back into my possession.
I'd like to put some pics up of it, not sure where to though. It is definitely Japanese as far as I and some friends can tell.
It has a fitting on it, the kanji on the fitting says made by Umetada Ryukou. There is nothing on the Nakago (Tang?).

I know this post is a tad brief and stilted, but the last time I posted the whole forum was migrated to new software.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Greetings all,

My name is Juha, 43 winters seen, originated from North Finland but now living in France.

I have practised martial arts from tender age of 12. Always been a Japanophile and loved swords and other pointy things.

Been making knives from 1989 for my pleasure.

I hope to learn about Nihonto and I love to hear stories behind the art.

 

Yours Sincerely,

Juha

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello to everyone here,

 

I'm Xavier from France, I'm about 40 years old and begin with studying in a proper way the story of Nihonto.

My passion is due to a personal and family story with a wakizashi that I'm trying to retrieve.

I'm here thanks to the suggestion of a member of the board, Travis Clarke, and I feel that I'll do such great progress talking with you of this so special interest.

I'm also a japanophile and begin to practice Iaido and to study Japanese.

I'm at the moment waiting for my two first Nihonto purchased in auctions or on internet (thx Travis !!) and will soon post threads about them.

I just apologize for my poor english but will be very glad to share with you my passion.

 

Regards

 

Xavier VW

 

P.S. : excuse me Brian, I actually read about the signature but forgot it... 

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Hello,

 

My name is Thibault and I am from Paris. Another Frenchman on the board!

 

Some members of my family started collecting Japanese antiques as soon as the 19th century, but my personal collection is more modest: a few Hiroshige woodblock printings, bronze and brass small objects and three swords:

 

- A Hozon paper mumei (Shimada school) Katana in koshirae, dating from the end of the 16th century;

 

- An Army kyu gunto from the Russo-Japanese war, company level, with golden sword knot;

 

- A Navy kyu gunto with a Naohiro Taisho mei stamp, with sword knot.

 

I like nihonto and have a lot to learn on the subject!

 

I also particularly appreciate Meiji / Taisho gunto, because I think these are weapons which are both very elegant and ruthlessly efficient. On the other hand, I am less interested in WWII swords.

 

Cheers,

 

Thibault

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