Mumei NAOTANE

[BIG]

Barry gave me the tip, mumei with Hozon papers. Did one member bought this for 400000 yen ???

Nice Naotane starter sword.

 

https://www.toukenko...&katana_A010823.html

 

Best

[Alex A]

An owner will always be left wondering why it was unsigned. Some can live with that, some cant.

[BIG]

This is very nice article by Markus Sesko and Fred Weissberg about Naotane. So some people gave him other year birthday.

 

https://nihonto.com/3-1-23/

 

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[BIG]

Yes Alex, but for less than 2800 Dollar someone saw it as a bargain. Sold fast.

 

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[Alex A]

Peter, i forget, sometimes go around in circles with this hobby. Reading the article made me remember about the school copying older works.

 

I should know as studied Naokatsu etc.

 

Maybe intentional.

 

Cheers

[DoTanuki yokai]

Mumei, if it really is a Naotane it wasn’t good enough for him so why should it be good enough for me 

 

Here is my highly speculative guess without seeing the blade in hand why it is so cheap and unsigned. 
The picture we have show a lighter color close to the edge what I would interpret as softer then the part above , it could be the result of taking to long from the fire to the quench in my opinion. 

It could just be the light on the convex surface of the edge but it looks to me it is visible on both pictures. 
 

 

Sorry for the bad smartphone edits.

 

Also no Horimono and the Kaeri seems to be only a fog of Nioi what I only want to see on old blades. 
The Hadori seems to make a good job making the Hamon look more organized. 
 

If I’m wrong in my observation please feel free to correct me or share your opinion.

 

 

Edit: The polish also got some ugly spots. 

[BIG]

Christian, do you want that I share my opinion, than please tell me your decision. I`m not talking about „high speculative“ interpretations. The blade is like other Naotane  soshu blades. The NBTHK said „mumei Naotane“ not den-Naotane, and they had some specialists doing Kantei on a lot of Naotane blades ( think about 30 Juyos ).

 

Again for that money, esp. when you start collecting him, its a seldom possibility. You will never find a signed and dated wakizashi under 1,5 million yen in Japan. Shipping and customs and fees and you have to pay nearly 2 million yen only for a good TH sword. You can ask Ms. Shiho about the blade, she is a friendly seller and can give advise..

But the blade is sold, the second mumei Naotane. The first one I saw was a mumei katana here on NMB. Have some TH Naotane and we learnt to collect the Japanese way, where in it is said.. only buy better swords. 

 

Best 

[Alex A]

It was good value for money, you cant get too picky when you want a Naotane for that price,

 

They mention slight rust on the edge, looks like nothing to worry about. That's what i see in one of their images. (stain)

[Vermithrax16]

Great buy for that price. Given the hada and shape, was perhaps unsigned or a bad mei removed. August NBTHK papers and a fine work IMO. Debated this one big-time yesterday. 

[Alex A]

Chunky at 3.30cm and 0.8 thickness.  In that respect find it a little unusual that the Hamachi appears worn.

 

Again, maybe intentional along with the lack of mei and two ana, as in reproducing the shape of an old works.

 

Think the main reason for cheap price was simply folks like signed swords, especially Shinshinto.

 

Seen Naokatsu katana which are unsigned going relatively cheap.

 

It has Hozen, for some folks that's all a blade needs.

[DoTanuki yokai]

But then I can see a similar appearance on this blade https://www.aoijapan...the-66th-juyo-token/ . 
 

Now I would think it could be the result of a complex construction like San Mai or something else,  not a flaw 

 

If it really is a Naotane it could be a good buy but it would be to much unnecessary head scratch for me.

[Jacques]

On 8/12/2023 at 7:07 PM, Alex A said:

Chunky at 3.30cm and 0.8 thickness.  In that respect find it a little unusual that the Hamachi appears worn.

 

Again, maybe intentional along with the lack of mei and two ana, as in reproducing the shape of an old works.

 

 

 

The description refers to a moderate kasane, the 0.8cm are very probably just a typo. 

[Alex A]

Maybe, Jacques.

[Tom Darling]

Naotane, is very well made, reminds me of Nobukuni absolutely beautiful, papered is a real plus.  Great buy.