My first sword, was it a good pick and suggestions for presentation?

[dhammer_911]

I just bought my first sword, and this forum was extremely helpful in that process.  In one of the discussions, someone made the distinction between those who collect swords as artifacts and those who collect them as art.  I am more the former category - I feel the pull of weaponry more through its history than its artistry.  With that in mind, I was very happy to come across a Wakizashi signed Suishinshi Masahide with Tokubetsu Kicho papers.  It has some blemishes, but nothing fatal from what I've read in the forums, and it looks beautiful to me.  And again, being a genuine Mashide is super important to me from the historical aspect. 

Of course, I can't translate the cert, and I am a total newb and could have gotten the id way wrong on the mei.  There's a lot I could have missed.  Or maybe I misjudged the flaws.  In any event, I would appreciate any feedback you guys might have since you've been so helpful to this point.  The first link is to some pictures.  The second link has a video of the sword.  

Also, please feel free if you have any suggestions for presentation.  Would you leave as is with just the shiraya, or perhaps new koshirae?  If so, what should I be looking for to maximize this type of blade?

Thanks!

Pics:  

 

Video:  https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV16R4y1V7YL/

 

[dhammer_911]

Here are some photos of the mei and blade if you don't want to click through.

  

[Mark S.]

1 hour ago, dhammer_911 said:

And again, being a genuine Mashide is super important to me from the historical aspect. 
 

If so, what should I be looking for to maximize this type of blade?

To start, the most important thing is that you like the blade.  My following comments are most certainly not a judgement of you, the blade, or what you like.

 

Conventional wisdom is that green papers (kicho) are not considered to be valid judgment papers any longer.  It doesn’t mean they are always wrong, they just can’t be relied upon to be right.  You can find quite a bit of information on the NMB (and elsewhere) about this subject.  For example:
 

Green papers = no papers – The Cutting Edge

 

Green Papers Pt. 2 – The Cutting Edge

 

So, in my opinion, the first thing to do to ‘maximize’ this blade and to satisfy your ‘historical perspective’ need is to re-submit to Shinsa for new papers confirming what you have.  Also, storage in shirasaya is the proper and best way to keep swords.  This would be the case whether the sword originally came with koshirae or not.  You would probably never recoup the money spent on a new made koshirae and even then, shirasaya is still the proper way to store.

 

[dhammer_911]

Man, thanks Mark.  How could I miss that?  There are so many pitfalls to trying to find a good one.  Would it be better to just cancel the sale.  I am worried that without legitimate papers that I'm looking at gumei given some of the comparisons I've seen in the signature.  

[Mark S.]

I can’t tell you to cancel or not, nor do I want to get involved in a sale, especially if it involves someone here at the NMB.  My only comment is to read a little on the subject and then decide for yourself.  I added a couple links, but you can also search here at NMB for more reference material on papers.

[Brian]

At that price, it has to be considered gimei.
That said, nothing wrong with gimei. Lots of fine swords with false signatures. Seller didn't price it as shoshin. Looks like a nice sword, and being tokubetsu kicho and not just kicho..I wonder if that means that a certain quality level exists aside from the mei.
Ask the seller if he guarantees it will paper again. But really, if it had modern papers it would not be at that price.

[WillFalstaff]

I might be mistaken, but wouldn’t the sword be automatically rejected for Shinsa if the signature is even remotely suspected gimei? If it is, can the green papers lend support that it might not be a gime when resubmitted? Just wondering if it’s worthwhile to resubmit. 

 

Without niggling the pics, it’s a nice blade. 

 

 

[Shugyosha]

The issue with the green papers is that the Yakuza were leaning on shinsa panels at NBTHK branch shinsa to pass gimei blades. Consequently, a sword with these papers attributed to a big name smith should be treated as though unpapered. 
 

 

[Franco]

28 minutes ago, Shugyosha said:

The issue with the green papers is that the Yakuza were leaning on shinsa panels at NBTHK branch shinsa to pass gimei blades. Consequently, a sword with these papers attributed to a big name smith should be treated as though unpapered.

 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/search/?q=green papers&quick=1&type=forums_topic , plenty to read on this topic. If memory serves green papers from the late 1970's through the very early 1980's, especially with significant names, should be treated as suspect.  With the passage of time almost assuredly newbies will fall victim to old traps. 

 

 

 

 

[WillFalstaff]

Finally had time to read through The Cutting Edge posts on green papers. What an eye opener! There are still some blades being sold on ebay with green papers--I just saw them a few hours ago. 

 

Question to those in the know; are there other colors of paper from the decades in question that should be suspect? (underline and italics on color of paper are mine)

 

"If you buy a blade papered with old green, white or blue papers from the NBTHK absolutely insist on a guarantee of Hozon and have the dealer send the blade directly into the NBTHK immediately. This is your biohazard gear." - https://blog.yuhindo.com/green-papers-no-papers/

[NewB]

8 minutes ago, WillFalstaff said:

Finally had time to read through The Cutting Edge posts on green papers. What an eye opener! There are still some blades being sold on ebay with green papers--I just saw them a few hours ago. 

 

Question to those in the know; are there other colors of paper from the decades in question that should be suspect? (underline and italics on color of paper are mine)

 

"If you buy a blade papered with old green, white or blue papers from the NBTHK absolutely insist on a guarantee of Hozon and have the dealer send the blade directly into the NBTHK immediately. This is your biohazard gear." - https://blog.yuhindo.com/green-papers-no-papers/

 

 

It depends on the name of the maker! I hardly believe 100% of all papers issued during that time,in the colors mentioned, were fake. It's a big slap on a pretty noble face IMHO..

 

J.

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

It is chiefly the larger names that are most suspect, Suishinshi Masahide is definitely in that category. The more "regular" smiths are likely unaffected and Hozon often confirms the previous attribution.

[Ken-Hawaii]

Dallas, one phrase I haven't seen in this thread is, "Buy the blade, not the mei." So, if you like the blade, don't worry about who signed it, unless you're planning to resell it in the near future. It's a good first blade, so study & enjoy it.

[DoTanuki yokai]

From the little I can see of the blade I would say it got a chance to paper. The hamon looks right for the date in masahides life. Are the defects ware or rust pitting ? (I checked the pictures again and it is from rust) With ware I wouldn’t send it for shinsa. Just my opinion.