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Koto tachi - opinions please


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I'm at the point of buying my first decent Nihonto, and would appreciate thoughts and opinions about it before I do.

Photos are on this link;

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/aadams196 ... directlink

 

I've been given permission to post the photos and I have the following information about it;

 

" It dates from the Nambokucho era (1333-1392) and shows slight wear from the many polishes on one side, as it is frequently seen on swords that old which have been used at war at various ages.

 

No problem for showing my pics to others. Just, I wish to address in advance potential remarks, as the sword in question is not a luxurious one, but a very affordable one for a blade 600 years old that showed to have been fighting over the ages.

 

The mounts are antique, there is some wear to the ray skin on the 150 year old tsuka, and I had to get the saya relacquered as it was too damaged. So today the lacquer looks new, but it will patinate with time.

 

- the hadaare is located on the right side of the blade ahead of the habaki, over a 15cm-long section over the shinogi-ji. This is typical of blades that sustained numerous polishes, as the polisher's body weighs more on one side of the blade (right side) than the left one, due to the polisher's traditional working position. If you look at koto blades, many of them have more wear on the right side than the left one.

 

- the only other tired part of the blade is the kissaki. It is a long and slender O-kissaki, which is more fragile than average. "

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Andrew

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I guess it depends on the cost. I am not sure i am comfortable getting in the middle of someones deal, that being said his description seems to be fair. I am not sure that unless it has papers that saying Nambukcho is right, but it certainly looks Koto so mabye 1300's maybe 1400's. As the seller mentions it is tired from polishes. So if you are looking for an entry level blade, and the price is comenserate to condition then it looks fine. It clearly is a genuine antique Japanese sword blade.

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I'm with Mark-Nanbokucho seems a bit of a stretch.....

 

And while I know several togi-shi and have talked with dozens of them over the years, I have never heard that they take more steel off of one side of a blade than the other due to their posture, or any other reason, for that matter....I have my doubts about that as well.....Not that that has anything to do with the blade...

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Thank you all for your responses.

 

Isn't the o-kissaki a feature of the mid -Nanbochuko period, so if not Nambokucho, then when may it have been made? Is there any doubt that it's koto?

 

I appreciate it's a bit tired, but that's ok if the age is about right. I think the seller has been very open about the condition

 

The asking price is around the equivalent of $4100. Not cheap, but I have seen similar swords for around the same or a bit more.

 

Mark, please don't be concerned about "getting in the middle of a deal " the seller is quite aware that I am asking opinions, and we both want to be happy with the deal.

 

I also appreciate that I am asking opinions from a few photos which makes things difficult. At the end of the day the decision to buy it or not is entirely mine,

so please feel free to make whatever comments you want.

 

Andrew

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On the photo the sword looks to have a nioigire at the point I've highlighted. I could be wrong and its just an illusion from the photo but its probably worth checking that spot carefully.

 

Your probably aware but the fuchi kashira are typical Jakushi school work.

post-9-14196785525515_thumb.jpg

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Here is the sales description if it helps;

 

Antique Japanese sword. Long, thin tachi blade.

 

Nagasa 73.7cm, O-suriage

 

Hamon : gunome midare, healthy.

 

Hada : combination of itame and mokume. Seems to refer to the Yamato tradition.

 

Signs of wear with age : hadaare, but no flaws, no kizu anywhere. Beautiful polish from Japanese togishi

 

Mounts :

 

Long old tsuka with matching iron fuchi-kashira depicting a temple in a traditional landscape.

 

Matching shakudo dragon menuki.

 

Shoami school tsuba with takabori work of dragon in clouds.

 

The saya has been recently restored with an ishime finish black lacquer.

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Hello All, I am with andreas on the odd rust on the nakago. I looks to me that in pics 15 & 17 that the rust "overlaps" the polish ,rather than being removed by it.

I also find the bright and off-angled scratches between the habaki area and going under the rust strange. It seems like recent work to me. Maybe to pretty up the heavy thinning of the blade into the nakago by polishing?

 

I am a novice so please take this opinion for what its worth.

Sincerely,

PererD

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I'll pass on this one (as tired as myself) hence the lousy joke

 

Chris,

 

Mark is not as old as he appears (Mark-Nanbokucho) or is it because of his O kissaki :lipssealed: :laughabove:

 

O-gassaki is FIRST seen in nanbokucho

 

 

According to NBTHK, it is typical of the period Enbun (1356-1361) to Joji (1363-1368)

 

Also, polishers can without too much trouble turn a chu-gasski into an o-gissaki.

 

Often seen on nagamaki naoshi

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  • 2 weeks later...

Andrew, it is probably best to pass on this one. Many reasonable objections have been made. Just in case you are interested in some more:

 

Very thin katana with "fragile" o-kissaki are most often pointing towards naginata-naoshi katana. On real tachi from Embun to Joji era, kissaki are usually well defined even after many polishes. Especially mitsu-gashira (point where shinogi, ko-shinogi and yokote meet) should be easy visible. Not so on naginata(-naoshi), for there has never been a mitsu-gashira from the beginning. Suppose you are dealing with a naginata-naoshi katana, kaeri (turnback of hamon) is the next thing you should look at. Old naginata-naoshi katana usually have little or no kaeri, for the uppermost part of the blade had to be cut off from the mune side in order to straighten the strong sori. - This particular katana displays a very long kaeri though. - Looking at the nakago next, it is covered by very odd rust and patina. Actually it looks very much like a retempered blade. Sori is adding to this impression. Katana in the shape of naginata-naoshi were also made during later periods, especially during ShinShinTo, but their appearance is solid, thick and strong. - As for hada and hamon, nothing valid can be said on the basis of these pics.

 

reinhard

post-1086-14196786107865_thumb.jpg

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