question on certificates or Japanese swords

[Scifighter]

hi i am still browsing Japanese original swords and came across something interesting ,  i cant read Japanese so i can tell the difference if something is real or fake,  i heard there is a lot of whats called Mumei   i assume fake or unverified swords.out there.  

 

i attached the certificate of the item that i am looking at , maybe someone that has more knowledge can let me know if this is something original, i also noticed most certificates are in yellow this one is in green color.

 

 

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thank you 

 

christian job

[SteveM]

Hello Christian,

 

Read the thread below, and also if you search this site for any thread or post on "green papers", you will find a great deal of information on this topic. 

It is one of the most discussed topics on this forum.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/32084-some-thoughts-on-papers/

[Bugyotsuji]

Nothing to add to what Steve has said re the validity of these old green papers, but the paperwork says the wakizashi tang is signed Muramasa.

It's a minefield, so 'Caveat Emptor'.

[Scifighter]

thank you for the information, yes i understand now a lot clearer the difference in the documentation of these swords and its hard to actually tell what is real and what is a fake.

 

 

the papers are form this sword what i tought was a good bargain but now i am not that sure lol

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Muramasa-Sword-Wakizashi-NBTHK-certificate/184222162421

 

 

and buy looking close i actually see some differential from the image of the the handle vs the actual photo of the handle.

 

 

thank you

 

---------------------------christian job

[ChrisW]

I would completely disregard any green papers; ESPECIALLY when it says a big name like Muramasa. I would also eye any type of papers suspiciously that claim that name anyways.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Christian,

Mumei means unsigned, not fake.  Stay away from ebay or you'll get burned.  Buy books and study.

Grey

[Scifighter]

Mumei means unsigned, oh ok ty for that  i was not sure what it means , now its clear,,

[Surfson]

Christian, I agree with all of the advice given so far.  If you were an experienced collector, this sword would only be interesting if you knew that it had been outside of Japan since the 70s and never submitted for shinsa since these papers.  Oh, AND you liked the signature after study, and the price was as if it were a gimei sword and.........   I echo what the others said, it's best for you to avoid it like the plague.  If you are interested in buying your first sword, I recommend that you enlist the aid of people on this board for advice (which you seem to have just done) or to buy one from one of the many members that are selling in the for sale section.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Christian, please click on your avatar & go to your Profile, where you can add your first name just one time in your signature.

 

All of us were anxious, at one time, to buy our first Japanese sword, so we understand what you're feeling. So, please trust us when we tell you to stay away from eBay, like the plague! After you've spent a year or three studying, & handled some blades, then you can go back, because you'll be looking with different eyes.

 

The NMB For Sale section is a good place to consider for your first blade, but there are other long-time sellers. I love browsing therough Ed Marshall's yakiba.com, & I've bought a number of his well-documented swords. You can learn a lot by just looking at his photography.

 

One other piece of advice. You do NOT have to start with a katana! One little secret is that a well-made tanto will sell for just as much as a well-made katana.