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I have had a few paid translation requests come in these past few months, thanks to the forum. So I'm sharing the wealth with a donation to NMB, who makes such connections possible.

I've benefited greatly from this site, it's members and your efforts. Another new gold member here!

Really hate to even mention this. But many of the hosting and software bills have just come up for renewal and had to lay out a chunk of change. Although we are still ok with the current reserves, there has been more going out than coming in. I know times are tough, and therefore any contributions will always be voluntary and not expected. But it's mainly the Gold memberships and dealer subscriptions that keep us going, and we have a lot of unrenewed memberships due to people coming and going through this complex collecting field of ours. I just want to ask those who are able, to consider a membership if you are able. I feel for $5/month, we offer a ton of info here...over 15 years of it. You get far more pm's, less time between searches and other benefits mentioned here: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/subscriptions/ Or at least please consider renewing if you membership is expiring. We accept Paypal, and if you send me a pm, I can send a CC request through a secure payment processor too. Donations for sales done here are also a huge help, but of course are also voluntary. If you would like to see any other benefits for Gold membership that are within the scope of the software, feel free to ask. Would love to add more plugins that offer more features and themes, but most come at a price, and a 6 or 12 month renewal period. Anyways, just a mention, and of course a huge thanks to those who are always stepping up with contributions, memberships or just info and assistance to members. From the guys who answer newbie questions, to those who give their time and knowledge with translations and expertise. Thank you all. Couldn't do any of this without you. Brian

Really appreciate it folks. You guys keep this place going, I'm just the driver :-)

Hi Stefano, Looks like a nice saya. The mon is upside down. Its a Gohei Mon (crossed scepters used by Shinto Priests) - a variant of the one shown here.

Maybe 後 - back/behind/after.

allow me to say type 94 with double hangers

A ship can't sail without its helmsman

Seki ju Kanenori saku WWII Seki smith who produced gendaito (traditionally-made Japanese swords of the time period).

Brano is amazing seller, I can recommend him. It is quite rare to find Jūyō books in Europe.

And never give up.. https://www.touken-m...uct/shousai/TSU-2779

G'day guys, Dragons are common subjects for horimono. There are many different styles out there. They pop up on this forum from time to time and people will often comment that this example is good, this example not so good and so on. If you are doing research on them it is difficult to find many examples in one place. I have discovered that it is also very difficult to take a good photo of one. I thought it might be a good idea to dedicate a thread to them. I will start it with this example by Gassan Sadakatsu dated 1920. Cheers, Bryce

https://www.aoijapan.com/tusba-mumei https://www.touken-m...uct/shousai/TSU-2792

For reference. https://www.aoijapan...ord/2015/15619-1.jpg

Fujishima Tomoshige

For sale: we manufacture according to the original template extremely rare handle screw for gunto typ 3 headiameter 10 mm as well as Headiameter 7 mm price 100,00 Euro each + shipping Worldwide

Bob Benson said that when he made his uchiko it was screened and sifted seven times to ensure its quality and fineness. Additionally, if you want to see whether or not there are hike from uchiko on a sword view it under a quartz halogen lamp. Which you may want to use for sword study regardless as quartz halogen lightening shows off the good, the bad, and the ugly.

鉄扇　Tessen Fans used for Tessen-jutsu can be normal spreading fans internally, with strong iron external sections to ward off blades. In the case above though, like Dale, I see maybe a ginnan (ginkgo leaf) kanzashi hair ornament. 芸者の簪 - 検索 画像 (bing.com) 芸者の簪銀杏 - 検索 画像 (bing.com)

Type 3 is like a Datsun compared to the Type 94 and Kai Gunto......

As expected, I couldn't find an exact match Here are two examples which, however, differ in the arrangement of the paper strips: To simplify, guess we can call it "丸に違い幣" (Maru ni chigai hei).

Get yourself a Wise account and buy the yen now. Your nuts will thank you.

I don't have much experience or knowledge, but strictly on a basic economic level early 2021 saw the JPY at around 103 to 1 USD, compared to around 154 right now, an increase of around 48%. I was able to track the sales history of some swords I was interested in recently (with some help) and the prices only marginally increased over the past few years, essentially keeping with inflation as Brian noted above. So on a basic level, your dollar will go a lot farther now. That being said, I think it is only a good time to buy if 1) you would otherwise be in the market for a sword anyway (i.e. you have discretionary funds available and set aside), 2) you know what you want and why you want it, 3) what you want is available and in the condition you want it in, and 4) the price is reasonably within range of comparable offerings across the market. If answer to those is yes, then you will either save a decent chunk of money, or get a finer specimen than you might have earlier in the decade

Imho, Japanese prices have largely stayed the same, and there is a benefit if you are spending $'s or Euros. Doesn't help those of us whose currency fall matches the Yen...but for the rest of you, there are considerable benefits.

@Bruce Pennington Did you notice the #40 XXXX?

maybe Yasuyoshi? The yasurime in this case looks like "takanoa" Mino Yasukuni however is always kiri yasurime

John, info and examples of Kanenori in this NMB download:

Ed Marshall of Yakiba.com is in Louisiana, if that is not too far.

Thank you for the info and quick reply. Do you have any info about this stamp near the guard? Thank you again

I understand your point of view, this nakago des not look showa at all. Not even shinto IMO.... Artificialy elder? ... Black rust FeO3 takes usualy 300 years or more... Best, Éric VD

my last one was 5 weeks too, only 1 month ago

Humidity 95% yesterday in my area of Japan. Now… 4:15 am

How about when humidity is 70%+ eg Japan and many other locations? Also how about answering my question…..if it is to be avoided why do the Japanese continue to use it….if it is “no longer an option”? (In your opinion?)

I totally agree with you that with the climate of inland Europe there is no need to oil the blades if you check them regularly

Hello everyone, I would like to share some pictures of my first nihonto because I always enjoyed photos others posted here and I have also one question about it. Mumei (attributed to Enju Kunifusa) O-ei era (1394 - 1428) nagasa 61,9 cm sori 1,36 cm weight 467 g Moto-haba cca 27 mm Saki-haba cca 16 mm It is one of the smallest katanas and definitely the lightest I have heard about, but I really like it. I am sure I could buy a more valuable sword for the same amount of money, but I absolutely don't regret it. It also came with a beautiful koshirae, although not originally made for this particular sword. I will post some photos later. I am sorry for the quality of photos, I used my cellphone. Best regards Jan L.

Brano - you have some amazing swords. And you like sashikomi, as we have discussed with you several times. Applying uchiko (with the usual caveats: carefully, gently, using the best polisher uchigumori powder you can find etc) on sashikomi polish blades has a lower visual impact (as the website of the Kashima sisters that Brian linked explains) since the approach to the polish is different in the finishing stage. In fact having seen blades that have been uchiko-ed many times, I have noticed that a hadori polish after years of uchiko starts to look more like sashikomi (despite the nugui stage being different). It is the abrasiveness of that powder that 'brings out' artefacts that might not have shown before or could have been hidden in the kesho method. But as we know, the polisher could also achieve that with uchigumori, if he were to keep at the sword - again, it is a matter of time, cost, desire etc. So, I am still of the belief that if the polisher wanted to and had the time (not rushed or pressed by other means), could achieve the 'multiple year of uchiko-ing' effect as part of his initial treatment. This is a contrarian view to the in-house polisher of the sisters (http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/uchiko.html). I will be curious to see your tanto 'in progress' next time we catch up. In effect, you have continued the sashikomi work of the polisher by using hazuya powder....

Yeah....I think I tend to believe Japanese experts over you. There is more to this than just "do or don't" http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/uchiko.html I'm not advocating for the free use of uchiko either. But it has its place, especially with experts who know how and when.

Well, let me bring a bit of an off beat horimono example with my only Dragon which has a bit of an artistic depiction and isn't considered very high quality work. Most of the dragon is supposed to be hidden by clouds and the horimono actually goes over the mune and continues on the other side of the blade but for some reason I can't find a photo of that on my phone but you can see it in the video link. This blade's horimono are ato-bori most likely modern horimono and there's also a tiger horimono lower down on the blade therefore I've dubbed this blade crouching tiger hidden dragon. Then here's a video I took of the blade: https://youtu.be/3tn...?si=FHb1GcFV10B-A2C5

We coud start a movement called ノーモア指紋！！！ No More Shimon!!! (fingerprints)

Sherif, there is a lot to study and learn for you. Both blades seem to be authentic Japanese swords, but we only see the NAKAGO (tangs). The blades have to be seen in full and by close inspection for any judgement. The first TSUBA is a cast copy; no collector value. The metal parts of the TSUKA (handle) look depatinated, if not cheap reproductions. The second TSUBA is corroded; not good. A defect on a blade is never interesting in a positive sense, it reduces the value. In some cases, defects can be fatal. It would be good to show your swords to an expert. Perhaps you have an NMB member near you in Texas?

1. Wakizashi Mumei: Thought to be 宗弘 (Munehiro) in Fukuoka (福岡) Late Showa era 2. Katana Mumei: Thoght to be Kanemoto (兼元) in Noshu (濃州) Circa Tensho (天正, 1573-1592)

From the actual exhibition of the Museum of Asian Arts in San Francisco:

It doesn't mean much but the design turns up under a "Fan tsuba" Google search - it is like a lot of art, all in the interpretation of the observer.

There is no such surname/clan in Japan. That is a mistranslation of Ii (double "i"), pronounced "ee" as in beet.

Tachibana, there are innumerable variations for different families.

So close except for the sekigane - the slight difference in size would make a good daisho. Great spotting Peter!

Thanks for the reminder, Brian. $5 a month is a great price to support the exchange of information here.

Now also a gold member. Thank you to Brian and all members for a wealth of information and help.

Since I have jet lag and can't sleep, here is a topic full of issues which I can try to shed some light on.... Here is my take on some of this based on comments and info I have received over the years from collectors, dealers and researchers in Japan: Firstly, on the question of why a big name signature that doesn't match the known examples is always considered gimei work rather than the work of some lesser known smith of the same name, there are several answers: the most obvious is that fakes are and have always been common and it is always safe to assume gimei when confronted by a big name that doesn't match especially when done in the style of the famous smith. There have surely been more than one Masamune, Nagamitsu, etc., but when the workmanship, meikan, and other resources are consulted, it is nearly always the case that the signature is not genuine. With Shinto and Shinshinto it is usually much more obvious as it was not quite so common with titles and such for an identical mei by a different smith. Smiths working in the same tradition in the same period tended not to use the same mei, especially when there was an established smith of note. There are always exceptions and thus the course of prudence is to consult meikan and taikan to find evidence of a smith with an identical mei. As to what to do with gimei items, that is always a personal decision. There are certainly examples of gimei work that are of a high quality and some people appreciate quality on it's own merits despite the false mei. Others can't. There is no right answer to this question. One collects according to one's own taste and rationale. In Japan, signed works, especially in later periods, are always preferred. Dai mei, dai saku (not dai saku mei), and dai mei dai saku are another rather complex matter. It was a common practice, especially in the workshops of successful smiths who trained many students. There are many well known examples and researchers have identified the traits of many of the more well known groups, such as the Hizen Tadayoshi group and others. This tradition was very common during WWII in the shops of well known smiths like Kasama Shigetsugu, Gassan Sadakatsu, and the like. Of course there are honest examples of each that have gone unrecognized and mislabeled as gimei. One needs to remember that a key feature of Japanese sword appreciation is that top quality works are those that are rather typically obvious as to the maker. If it isn't clear, it isn't top shelf! Surely there are many smiths that made work outside their usual pattern- a sanbonsugi Koyama Munetsugu I saw recently springs to mind- but these are nearly never valued as highly as the smith's usual work. And the reasons for false signatures were not always monetary, as has been correctly pointed out. Gifts are the oil that keeps Japanese society running smoothly, as it has always been. It is truly the thought that counts..... I often hear arguments that rationalize a questionable signature-the smith changes his signature through time, he was drunk, he signed that way only on his favorite work, etc. One needs to remember the mantra that the blade confirms the signature, not the other way around. There are many sources of oshigata for well known smiths that one can compare across working periods to check for variation, etc. This is also the function of a shinsa team. No blade is rejected because one stroke is not identical- blades are rejected because they do not meet the standard and characteristics of known work by the smith. Do they make mistakes? Certainly. This is why an experienced shinsa team is essential to get an accurate opinion. One also needs to remember the context in which kantei sho originate- in modern times the NBTHK primarily and the NTHK to a lessor extent, serve primarily a Japanese dealer clientele. Swords with a pink sheet and an attribution do not sell on the Ginza in Japan. The use of kantei sho as a learning tool is a Western construct- in Japan it is part of the sale. And while there is a market for gimei in Japan the feeling I most often see expressed is that unless the sword is of high quality and can have the signature removed and high level papers received, there is little to no interest in any sort of attribution. The fascination with names in Japan existed long before the NBTHK was even a dream and we can't hardly lay the blame on these organizations for meeting the needs of a culture that worships brand names. I do agree and have said here more than once that I think people put too much emphasis on names and kantei sho and not enough effort into identifying quality first. But there is no denying that signed works of art, in most cultures and fields, are the most highly sought after and valued.... Maybe I can sleep now....