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Hello everyone, I wanted to give a quick introduction to my new dealer section. Having been active in this wonderful community for quite a while now, and having sold Japanese swords for over three years, I thought I would obtain dealer status here on NMB. This allows me to support the forum and have a more direct way to communicate updates concerning stock and upcoming swords. My name is Lex van der Jagt. I started selling antiques when I was 14 years old and started my own company as soon as I turned 18, based in the Netherlands. I have focused my interest on Nihonto ever since I was legally allowed to own them here in the Netherlands. I specialize in Japanese swords from the Koto period (before 1596 AD), as this is the period that interests me most and is also the main focus of my own collection. Japanese swords are my passion, and I stand behind every sword I sell. Almost all swords I sell come with modern NBTHK Kanteisho, and some have been submitted to shinsa by me personally. I visit Japan every three months in search of high-quality Koto-period swords that I can offer to my buyers, which I personally export by plane. I plan to have a website up and running within six months. Until then, you can contact me directly here or send me an email at: lexvdjagt@gmail.com. Greetings, Lex van der Jagt The Netherlands

Yesterday the famous sword appreciation event in Tokyo co-sponsored by the Toyama Sword Research Group and the e-Sword Research Group took place. It took 5 months to make happen. The theme Soshu-den, showed off a luxurious selection including Bizen Saburo Kunimune, Shintogo, Masamune, Norishige, Go Yoshihiro, Sa, Rai Kunitsugu, Taikei Naotane, Dewa Daijo Kunimichi, and Kashu Kiyomitsu! And even had the sword fittings, including the famous Atsuto Shiro, the sword fittings and Kaga metalwork that came with the famous Satsuamee koshirae, and the Hirata school of cloisonné! More than half the participants were female! #Sword

Dear Rob, I can chime in. How should I understand this blade within late Muromachi / Sue-Bizen production? It is a blade of the late Osafune school, in its fourth phase of activity, the so-called "Sue-Bizen" phase that last until the flood of the river Yoshii. Bizen was the largest production center of swords, and produced both domestic and foreign exports to the mainland. If you want to really take a deep dive into the school to contextualize the work within the broader school period, check here: https://nihontowatch.com/lineages/osafune (note that it is a very early project, and will contains errors). I understand that many Sue-Bizen blades were made during a period of heavy demand, but this example is signed, dated, Tokubetsu Hozon, and appears to have been considered worthy of a Hon’ami Nisshu oshigata. Does this place it above ordinary wartime production, or is that still too broad an assumption? Because it is a finely crafted blade, in a period where quality varied dramatically based on the client demands. Contrary to an old belief, even in blades without the full artisan name spelled out, there are some high-quality pieces intended as top of the line products. Note that Hon'ami Nisshu was not a exceedingly good at kantei, some of his sayagaki call for enhanced scrutiny (i.e. are inflated or simply off), and one should have ideally the kiwame (appraisal) confirmed by Tanobe sensei. Why does the sayagaki use the fuller attribution “Gorōzaemon no Jō Kiyomitsu”, while the mei itself reads “Bizen Kuni jū Osafune Kiyomitsu saku kore”? The traits indicative of master Gorōzaemon's hand are apparent in the blade to the eyes of Hon'ami Nisshu, allowing for the narrowing of the attribution. Alternatively, In certain cases, it is a statement on the quality rather than a narrowing of the attribution range, a way to praise the sword above those bearing this signature type. You can learn about “Gorōzaemon no Jō Kiyomitsu” here: https://nihontowatch.com/artists/kiyomitsu-KIY173 Am I correct in thinking that the sayagaki is identifying the specific Kiyomitsu generation/title, rather than contradicting the mei? It is narrowing down to the author, there is no contradiction. Kiyomitsu is a lineage within Sue-Bizen, and many smiths operated under this name. Similar with the Sukesada line. I am also commissioning a new koshirae in Japan using selected antique fittings. The planned fittings include an Aizu Shōami iron tsuba, shakudō fuchi-kashira, antique menuki, black samegawa, dark brown silk tsuka-ito, black lacquer saya, and a custom satin silver habaki. I will attach some pictures below. As a general sanity check, does this seem like a coherent project for this type of blade? I am aiming for something understated, historically respectful, and not overly decorative. I think this is the right approach and you don't need the usual warning of avoiding the "koshirae americana" style. In my experience, it is useful to study books on Koshirae with historical photos, check Markus's Sesko website - there is, as I recall, a lovely illustrated book on Koshirae that he has translated. Do keep in mind that you are unlikely to recoup your investment, it is a labor of love and a to leave behind a testament of care to the sword for the next owner. Also, be aware that Tosogu are not 'modular' in their ability to fit blades, there is no standard rail measurements. Fuchi, Kashira, Tsuba, all need to be appropriately sized to the blade's proportion, and reworked in some cases. Avoiding excessive rework on precious tosogu is important, as it may lead to the proportions being off on top of it. For instance, Fuchi and Tsuba Seppa Dai need to be close in measurements, and the overall pieces need to be appropriate for the motohaba and kasane of the blade. Finally, I would appreciate a market perspective on the total cost. The whole project, including the blade, koshirae work, fittings, habaki, import and transport to Europe, will likely be around 1.750.000/2.000.000JPY all-in. I am not asking because I intend to sell it; I see it as a long-term collection piece. I simply want to understand whether this total cost seems reasonable for a complete, papered, signed and dated Kiyomitsu project in the current market. I think you may be underestimating the total cost or going for lower-level labor. It's also possible to achieve decent results this way, but keep in mind It is not easy work to get right, and you should make sure you have the right person to handle it in Japan. Koshirae outcomes widely differ in results. The best way to handle it is full art patron style: elect a promising craftsman who wants to compete in the fittings competition of NBHTK, give them artistic freedom. If the Koshirae is made for submission at the contest, it is the best way to communicate your intention of historical accuracy and high-quality work. Perhaps, best for the next sword. I hope this helps, good luck with your project, and we are looking forward to seeing the results. Hoshi

I'm very confused by a couple of things. First is that I don't think there are any words about Hiromitsu or Akihiro making Kodachi in the entire 3 pages about them in Fujishiro Sensei's Nihon Tōkō Jiten, 1938 edition. Another point is that Kodachi (in this context) means Tachi that is around 60cm (say 50~65cm) in Hachou, so a 65~70cm one is just a full-size regular Tachi. This is just 101 for Nihonto learning. I also failed to find the Soshu Masters' Mei on the Sashiomote side part in The Connoisseur’s Book p. 202, or any talk about this topic in the whole book of its Japanese version 刀剣鑑定読本. (English version using https://openlibrary.org/works/OL12592939W/The_connoisseur's_book_of_Japanese_swords) On this issue, I don't think Soshu masters even are exceptions. Usually we say that in the Koto times, part of Aoe and Motoshige (who is considered under Aoe influence) are the exceptions, signing on the Sashiomote. Soshu works are mostly Mumei, but here are a few examples. (Juyo Bijutsuhin Hasebe from Nanbokuchou, Mei on Hakiomote) (Juyo Bunkazai Akihiro, specifically labeled as Kodachi at 63cm, Mei on its Hakiomote) (Many, many signed Soshu master Shizu Kaneuji's Tachi from Nanbokuchou, Juyo Bijutsuhin and Bunkazai, the go-to when praising a later-time Soshu style work, "Wow! this sword reminds people of Shizu!") Actually, I would love to see enough exceptions from the Soshu masters where their Mei on Sashiomote and being labeled as Tachi or Kodachi by the officials. So......May I ask where are you getting your information...? On an unrelated note, LLMs are extremely unreliable with Kantei Kanshou stuff, lack even the most basic resources, knowledge, and often hallucinate. Lastly, I'm going out on a limb here, asking, is there a little confusion about how the Suriage process works...? Because a sword like this could never reach 69cm in its original size. Suriage is a one-directional process, cutting a sword's Nakago and turning the bottom blade part to new Nakago part. (In this case, like this.) Many people would get this wrong, but one can not Suriage a Kissaki (unless an unlikely scenario of an Ichimai Boshi), they are shortened mostly due to damage. Because Boshi, like Hamon, are fixed, and a sword loses most of its value when the last of the hardened are on Kissaki is lost. (in extreme cases, a Boshi-less sword became what we call Satsuma-Age.) (And the Kissaki of your sword seems fine, I think. Perhaps 1 or at most 2cm lost?) So you can't "gain" extra original length from the Kissaki part, just the bottom, which is very limited because of the remaining Mei part, giving no more than 10cm of room in the most ideal circumstances, making your sword no longer than 60cm originally, like other has pointed out.

城州住国重 – Kunishige living in Joshu The first two kanji must be 城州 (Joshu). 城州 (Joshu) is another name of 山城國 (Yamashiro province). The first kanji on the tang may not look like 城, but it must be a variation of 城 character. Ref. 「城」（U+57CE） | 日本古典籍くずし字データセット

Aoi Art currently has this Chōgi (Osafune Nagayoshi) tantō up for auction: https://sword-auction.com/ja/product/31815/as26214-tanto：-bishu-osafune-ju-nagayosi-cho-gi-jowa-6-nen-shogatu-hi-new-year-1350nbthk-tokubetsu-hozon-paperkurashiki-sword-museum-estimation-paper/ Just from a glance, it's easy to see why Chōgi is considered the least Bizen-like Bizen smith; this tantō looks almost like a work by a later mainline Soshu smith such as Hiromitsu. It is signed 備州長船住長義 貞和六年正月日 (Bishū Osafune ju Nagayoshi, Jōwa roku-nen shōgatsu-hi). There's some important context behind this particular blade and mei which is somewhat glossed over in the English listing – I've provided a basic translation here as I think this may be a useful reference point for someone someday. "Until recently, the oldest known sword by Bizen Osafune Nagayoshi was a meitō called the 'Osaka Nagayoshi' and dated Shōhei 15 (1360). That tantō was believed to have been bestowed at Osaka Castle upon Maeda Toshiie, a daimyō who was a retainer and old confidant of [Toyotomi] Hideyoshi. It was then subsequently passed down through the Maeda clan as a family heirloom. However, the tantō [listed here] was recently surfaced, and the mei—dating it to January of Jōwa 6 (1350)—predates that of the Osaka Nagayoshi by 10 years. It had long been considered to be gimei and held in reserve, but after re-evaluating it in light of Tanobe-sensei's judgement, the Japanese Sword Museum [and by extension, the NBTHK] finally authenticated it. With the Osaka Nagayoshi previously established as his earliest dated work, having a blade dated earlier [than 1360] authenticated as a work of this smith was no small feat. Henceforth, the listed tantō may now officially be recognized as the oldest extant work of Nagayoshi. * Reference: TANOBE Michihiro, The Japanese Sword – A Journey Through the Five Traditions of Japanese Sword Making: The Bizen Tradition, p. 182 (The Golden Age of Osafune Swordsmiths)"

Last year at the Las Vegas Japanese Sword Show, Brian Tschernega did a presentation on tsukamaki and discussed tsuka. He brought several old tsuka from the Muromachi period onward, and talked about them. He emphasized that old tsuka were "teachers", and that they inform and inspire modern crafstmen to better emulate how tsuka were made in the past. Preserved old tsuka can help keep those tradition alive. Obviously not all tsuka are old, but just another scenario tsuka may be traded around. It's important to keep them in the hands of people who care about their preservation and appreciate that history and craftsmanship.

Same way people collect fuchi/kashira and menuki, keeping an entire tsuka allows you to collect all those parts already assembled. Many of us collectors have tsuka that we will never fit to a sword and collect them for the en-suite fittings.

Kyo is short for Kyoto. Kenjo (in this context) is sort of a general term for certain type of tsuba. Slightly more bling (with gold) for going into town type of dress up, but not a tsuba that cost an arm and leg to have. The tsuba equivalent of wearing cuff-links. Usually associated with Kyoto.

Whoever said that was completely different. 尾州住人真野光弘作之 (Bishu junin Mano Mitsuhiro saku kore) – A resident of Bishu (= Owari province), Mano Mitsuhiro made this.

Welcome to NMB Fred. I vote for Kyo-Kenjo [presentation] or possibly Higo style? Powerhouse museum - A5308-13 https://collection.powerhouse.com.au/object/182968 A Kyo-kenjo from Gary Murtha's book - notice the gold edging to the hitsu-ana and the seppa-dai

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okuri-inu Also known as okuri ōkami.

Great attitude Hengu, vital for true learners, but so hard for most people to handle.

Kannon tsuba by Kano Natsuo Halo figures, recent additions to older tsuba? A cross over from Kannon to the Christian Madonna - "Maria-Kannon" This syncretic icon was developed in the 17th century by the Kakure Kirishitan (Hidden Christians)

I am currently on train so I cannot write too long post. However as the sword seems to be 49 cm in current form and would seem to have long portion of the mei intact, I would guess it would have been under 60 cm blade originally.

I don't think this is Nobu (信). The two angled strokes at the top of the character inscribed on this nakago are sort of floating in isolation to the rest of the strokes. The left angled stroke needs to have a vertical stroke centered directly underneath it. The right angled stroke needs to be more or less centered above the other horizontal strokes. And there would be a very boxy-looking set of strokes at the bottom of the character. None of these are present, so even giving a lot of latitude for artistic flourish, this character could not be 信. I don't think its 兼 (Kane) either, for similar reasons. Unfortunately, I can't offer a plausible candidate for what it might be. It doesn't look like anything other than some random strokes. I mean it kind of looks similar to 金 or 全 or even 年, rather than 信 or 兼, but none of those options look right either. So I'm at a bit of a loss. Random strokes by someone? An abandoned attempt at forgery?

I expect 99% of this sort of damage is neglect and messing around, and done in modern times. Blade to blade contact is rare and unlikely from those pics. We tend to romanticize these things, but it's important to realize that it isn't a desired thing in most cases and unless can be proven 100%, it's best to not see them as a feature.

As Jean said I signed with the kanji 古伝 which reads as "Koden" that sounds like my surname and also have a meaning of "old tradition" which fits my style of Muromachi -Early Edo style. For NBTHK contest you're required to have either a signature or a kao to submit

I thought I'd post this here for the exposure, then it can be moved to the Fake Sword thread. Found at this Western Trading Post auction (Invaluable) At first, I thought it was legit, but with wrong saya. But red flags: 1. No dimples in the tsuka diamonds 2. Wrong curvature of latch 3. A zero in the front of the serial number "02353". 4. Wrong ending of the bohi Patina to the tsuka is shockingly good and stamps are pretty darn close, however the center "TO" is too big. I'll post their photos and what it should look like right next to them: FAKE REAL

ISP's are slowly putting measures in place to mitigate the various attempts at DDOS. It's a very complicated process, but it's going to get better, not worse. We'll be back to normal soon.

Hello everyone! I will use this thread for any new swords that will be for sale soon. If you want to be first to know about any new stock I will be uploading in the future, then please give this thread a follow! I will keep the list updated, so if anything sells, then I will indicate so here. The actual full sales listings for all these swords will be made once I have time to make my own photographs and thorough description, and will be uploaded separately in the for sale section. In the meantime, feel free to contact me regarding any of these swords. I will, in many cases, already have some photographs or videos of the sword made with my phone. It is also possible to view these swords in person on request. 1. Omiya Mumei Katana in Shirasaya Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Nanbokucho around Joji era (ca 1362AD) Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Horimono: Bonji Habaki: Silver Koshirae: spare Shirasaya Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 73.03 cm (2 shaku 4 sun 1 bu) Sori (Curvature): 1.52 cm (5 bu) Motohaba: 31.2 mm Sakihaba: 23.7 mm Kasane: 7.8 mm (Motokasane), 4.4 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): 839 g Shinogi-zukuri, Chū-kissaki Description: Attributed to the Omiya school by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2024. This sword is a high-end Omiya katana, with an absolutely stunning Gunome-Choji hamon, and stunning jihada, mainly consisting of beautiful mokume patterns. This Omiya katana has a typical Nanbokucho sugata, with a very powerful feeling. I believe this sword dates to around the Joji era (1362) of the Nanbokucho period. The mune has a homare-kizu (honor flaw) close to the kissaki. The homare-kizu does not detract from the overall quality or integrity of the sword's structure and is a testimony to this sword's history. The sword was polished in Japan by a very qualified polisher after shinsa, which leaves the sword in fresh and beautiful polish, ready to enjoy. There was also a new shirasaya made. The original shirasaya is also included. An old sayagaki on the saya records that at a sword appraisal meeting held at Yasukuni Shrine in 1909, the blade was attributed to Motomitsu of the Bizen Kanemitsu school. This attribution is likely not true. But still adds some provenance to this stunning sword. Price: 8000 EURO 2. Kaga Sanekage Naginatanaoshi in Shirasaya Type: Naginatanaoshi wakizashi Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Nanbokucho around Joji era Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Horimono: Bonji (very vague, almost polished away) Habaki: Silver layered Koshirae: X Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 47.7cm Sori (Curvature): approx 0.8cm Motohaba: 30.4mm Sakihaba: 29mm Kasane: 7.6 mm (Motokasane), 5.5 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): Uncertain Description: Attributed directly to Kaga Sanekage by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2025. Kaga Sanekage is thought to have been the student of the master swordsmith Norishige. This Naginatanaoshi has an absolutely stunning hamon, with a beautiful layered hataraki, and jihada, mainly comprising out itame with some masame patterns. This naginatanaoshi has a wide mihaba, which is typical for naginatanaoshi made in this period. I believe this sword dates to around the Joji era (1362) within the active period of Kaga Sanekage. The sword has some kitae-ware in the hamon, and shinogi-ji. The overall sword is a great study example, which shows clear influence taken from Norishige. Price: 3200 EURO 3. Uda Kunimune Katana Mumei in Shirasaya and Koshirae Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: NBTHK attributed to Ōei period (1394–1428AD) Papers: NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon & Honami Kisanji? documents attributing the sword to Naminohara Yasuyuki Horimono: Bohi Habaki: Copper Koshirae: Uchigatana-koshirae, with overall blue and buddhist theme, fuchi-kashira with swastika theme and a very nicely made tsuba. Overall koshirae dates from Bakumatsu-period. Blue tsuka-ito. Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 60.6CM (a little over 2 shaku) Sori (Curvature): approx 2.1cm Motohaba: 30mm Sakihaba: 20mm Kasane: 0.8 mm (Motokasane), 5 mm (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): 630g Shinogi-zukuri Description: Attributed to Uda Kunimune by NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers in 2025. Uda Kunimune is a descendant of the Uda school, from Etchu, starting in the late Kamakura period. This Katana has a slight notare-hamon with stunning nie activity with stunning crystallized structures. The Jihada consists mostly of Mokume and Masame patterns, which are nicely visible and very enjoyable. This katana has the overall typical early Muromachi sugata, clearly taking inspiration from earlier Nanbokucho work, with an overall wide mihaba. The NBTHK Kanteisho specifically attributes this work to the Ōei period (1394–1428AD). The sword has some light scratches, which are negligible. The sword includes an old wooden box with documents. I have not translated all of the documents, but there is one large examination paper, made by I believe Honami Kisanji, attributing the sword to a specific Naminohara smith. These may not be entirely accurate, but they are still a wonderful addition to the provenance of this sword. The registration number of the torokusho is also a 4 digit number, indicating very early registration. Price: 4900 EUR 4. Takada Muneyuki Katana in shirasaya Type: Katana Nakago: Mumei Period: Around early edo period Papers: NBTHK Hozon Horimono: Habaki: Gold foiled Koshirae: X Shinogi-zukuri Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 68,18cm (2 shaku 2 sun 5 bu) Sori (Curvature): approx 1.8 Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Description: Attributed to Takada Muneyuki. This Katana has a slight gunome-midare hamon with stunning overall quality. The Jihada consists mostly of ko-itame hada. This katana has the overall typical early edo period shape, but with 3 mekugi-ana, which gives the sword more of a late Muromachi Taira Takada feeling. The sword is in beautiful, enjoyable condition with nearly no kitae-ware, which are negligible. (NBTHK KANTEISHO IMAGE TO BE UPLOADED) Price: 2500 EURO 5. Uda Wakizashi fumei Shirasaya and Koshirae Type: Wakizashi Nakago: Mumei Period: Around the middle Muromachi period 1450-1500AD Papers: NBTHK Hozon and old Kanteisho of a Nihonto study group, attributing the wakizashi to Kozori. Horimono: Bohi Habaki: Silver foiled Koshirae: Yes, Tanto koshirae, late edo period. Hira-zukuri Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): 35,7cm (1 shaku 1 sun 7 bu) Sori (Curvature): None Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Description: Attributed to Uda by the NBTHK Hozon papers in 2025, sent to shinsa by me. This wakizashi has a suguha hamon with overall nice activity in the nioiguchi. The jhada consists mostly of ko-itame hada combined with some masame hada. The wakizashi has more of a tanto feeling, being quite slender. The sword has the remains of a signature visible, but the NBTHK judged the signature to be illegible. The sword is in enjoyable condition with only a few foraging flaws, but is in older polish. Overall a nice wakizashi in koshirae for any collection. Price: 1500 EURO 6. Taira Takada Katana Mumei Type: Katana Nakago: O-suriage Mumei Period: Late Muromachi period (16th century AD) Papers: NBTHK Hozon Horimono: x Habaki: Gold foiled Koshirae: Mounted in a late Edo period koshirae. The saya features a rare shuro-nuri finish, made by mixing fibers from the surface of the windmill palm (shuro) into transparent brown urushi lacquer and polishing it to a smooth finish. There are some previous repairs visible. Specifications: Nagasa (Cutting-edge length): Approx 69.5cm (2 Shaku 3 sun) Sori (Curvature): approx 1.5cm Motohaba: To be measured Sakihaba: To be measured Kasane: To be measured (Motokasane), To be measured (Sakikasane) Weight (bare): To be measured Shinogi-zukuri Description: Attributed to Taira Takada by NBTHK Hozon papers in 2002. Taira Takada is the last stage of the koto Takada school, originally starting in the late Kamakura period. This Katana has a slight notare-hamon. The Jihada Itame hada, which are nicely visible and very enjoyable. This katana has the overall typical late Muromachi sugata. The sword has some light scratches, which are negligible. Price: 2600 EUR

Imo “fake” is the wrong word especially regarding this koshirae. The quality is too good. A better phrase would be “school of Teruhide” ie to recognise that we cannot be totally sure how many artists were involved. Whoever they were they were collaborating on making this set. None of the Mei on this have been added later. There is no fakery involved. As for the hay day…..dubious signatures have been a feature of most aspects of Japanese Art throughout history going back many hundreds of years. That includes swords and the associated fittings. As soon as a “genius” appeared on the scene others (often with considerable talent) started to “copy”, often while the genius was still alive and working! Sometimes it is obvious that a piece cannot be “right” but other times it is not quite so straightforward. It is an aspect of Japanese Art that we have to live with. It frustrates many, doesn’t bother me.🙂 (quality is quality)

Stunning! Whether Omori Teruhide or one or more of his students, who-ever (singular or plural) did that work was seriously talented - not only the quality of the workmanship, but also the quality of the design. I suspect that as with similar products from western traditional workshops, asking who actually made it within a workshop led by a great master is probably meaningless. There were probably many hands - specialists in one or more areas of work - being directed by the master. We tend to think more in the post renaissance western art paradigm - the solitary great artist. But it's not necessarily the way that a master with a strong team would work. I do wonder if the character variations actually indicate the lead hand on each piece.

Perhaps Gustavo Hoefs could answer this? : He has done several works and adopted one set of Kanji [グー ] which is pronounced Gū. This is close to his pseudonym of Goo However he has had feedback from Japanese and others that leaving his pieces unsigned in anyway is ideal - a view I tend to disagree with. If you are proud of your work why hide it? Also an unsigned modern utsushi just muddies the waters and creates future problems of authenticity and provenance. No one would like their work to be lost or worse, thrown in as some sort of Chinese fake. My opinion is "You make it, you take ownership" JMHO

Thank you everyone for taking the time to share your expertise, references, and insights on this piece. I really appreciate the thorough analysis of the dimensions, signature styles, and the historical context. You've given me a great deal of genuine knowledge to consider. Thank you again for your time and for a very educational discussion!

Good eye, Bruce. I agree. We will have to keep a keen eye out for these. Thank you for sharing. To add, the habaki on copper hilt Type 95 swords should have a cutout on the mune (like the Nihonto habaki we are familiar with). The subsequent aluminum hilt variations did away with the habaki cutout. Also factory original copper hilt swords were made without a mekugi. Instead they are secured to the hilt only by the grommet screw at the kobutogane. Example of the habaki on a genuine sword:

I feel the 珎州 that Piers posted would seem most resembling the last picture, however I have never seen that before, so my guess might be on 筑州住国重 (Chikushū jū Kunishige). In my personal feeling there seems to be different feeling between the first 2 and lower 3 kanji. Your sword seems to have very unusual blade construction as one side seems to be flat (hira) and another side ridged (shinogi), at least that is what I am seeing from the pictures.

Hey Bugyotsuji, sure, and thanks for the question. I'm a newbie so it's been quite a challenge so far and always looking for feedback Here a few pics from the lab in Japan working on the habaki, koshirae and fittings. I'm adding a picture of the sayagaki, seems like signed by Hon’ami Nisshu I decided to ask for a new habaki in silver satin the blade is authenticated also with a Tokubetsu Hozon Token here below the measures: Blade Length: 69.2 cm (27.24 in) Curvature: 1.7 cm (0.67 in) Mekugi Hole: 1 Width at Base (Motohaba): 3.14 cm (1.24 in) Width at Tip (Sakihaba): 2.00 cm (0.79 in) Thickness of Rim (Kasane): 0.74 cm (0.29 in) Sword Weight: 780 g Signature: Bizen Kuni jn Osafune Kiyomitsu saku kore

I echo Piers here, if you want a cool piece of history in your mancave, this is a perfect old item. The condition is too poor for a collector, and a decent restoration will cost you an arm and a leg. Enjoy it as it is, it is genuine after all, and better than a replica.

I have 5 Yoshimichi on file with kikumon (chrysanthemum). Three dated between 1711 - 1755. One was estimated to be from the 1600s. This mon does not match the others in my files, however each of them vary from the next, so that doesn't tell us much. The kikumon was a sign the smith was approved to make swords under the shogunate, and has been seen from the 1600s to the mid-1800s. You might have noticed that your fittings are missing some parts. Some collectors like to keep their swords just as they got them (Life of the sword philosophy). Other would rather find period correct parts to refit the sword. If you care to do so, you can see how yours should look by reading this site: Scabbard, spring clip, etc - Ohmura and Gunto Metal Parts - Ohmura Care and cleaning - Japanese sword Care I don't know Yoshimitsu and his work. But in general, older blades in military fittings sell in the range of $1,900 to $2,400. Lower end for gunto with missing parts and rusted blades. However, if your smith is valued, it could go much higher. The nihonto experts would have to help you in that area.

但無銘也 - However, it is unsigned.

As it turns out, a tsuba with a similar motif was discussed on the forum previously:

In the Edo period, gimei was not always interpreted according to the modern Western distinction between authentic and fake, but was part of a cultural system where imitation, transmission of tradition, genealogical prestige, and commercial value were deeply intertwined. This perspective emerges particularly clearly from Kameda-Madar's studies on the practice of utsushi. It would likely be of interest to more than one member of the NMB. https://www.academia.edu/10385390/Copying_and_Theory_in_Edo_Period_Japan_1615_1868_

Hello! I think they are the work of different craftsmen. Of course, a proper assessment would require detailed photographs from multiple angles. However, when we are talking about the work of a master craftsman such as Teruhide, the standards the master set for his own work were considerably higher. This particular example is not flawless, either in terms of the katakiribori or in the execution of the waves themselves. The carving - specifically the thickness of the lines and the cutting angles - varies from one line to another. I agree that signatures are often of limited help when establishing authorship, but in the case of an Omori signature, I would always evaluate the workmanship itself before considering the signature. This is not to say that this koshirae is of poor quality - not at all (sometimes I feel as though I am unintentionally insulting other craftsmen when I make such comparisons). It is simply that everything is relative, and the works of artists of such renown are on yet another level. I have noticed that many people here do not recognize the difference between a truly great work and a merely very good one. For many, Joi is Joi - what difference does it make, the work is good anyway)) But that is not the correct way to look at it. All the works with complex compositions from master-master are almost flawless or flawless. And yes, there are not so many such masters, but you will see these works immediately, even without a signature.

I want to add that the overall signature style does not seem to coincide with known signatures of Hiromitsu, take this signed Juyo Wakizashi below: (It is signed Sagamikuni Jyunin Hiromitsu not Sagami Koku Junin, but you can clearly see the differing execution and position of Mei.) source: https://iidakoendo.com/4225/ My two cents are that this Wakizashi was never a Tachi or Katana. But simply a Wakizashi. In my opinion a Keicho period work, or around that period. Greetings, Lex

Thanks Sam! Just for the record, you can find legitimate coppers with a screw. It is believed they were factory repaired jobs. With the mismatched saya, this one could be pretending to be one, if all the other things were right…. But even the paint on the saya is clearly new.

Frank, I'm not a nihonto guy, but there are many blades with 1 fuller on one side and 2 on the other. It's a nice style, if you ask me. Also, the guys will no doubt want to know some measurements like:

In koryū we don’t use antique nihontō for regular training. A blade from the Sengoku or Edo period is a historical object, and even if it is still structurally sound, it carries fatigue, old polishing cycles, and sometimes hidden flaws that you simply cannot detect without risking the blade. For daily keiko we use modern steel blades (shinken or blunt steel), made specifically for training. They are consistent, predictable, and you can stress them without worrying about damaging something that survived 300–400 years. In Europe we are also fortunate to have access to good-quality 1060 / 1095 steel blades for practice. They are not nihontō, of course, but in terms of weight, balance and general geometry they can get surprisingly close to the feeling of a traditional sword, which makes them very practical for regular training. Antique blades are handled only for study: balance, geometry, sori, niku, and the feeling of how a real sword “lives” in the hand. That part is extremely valuable for understanding the old techniques. Personally, I would never use an antique blade for tameshigiri. Cutting puts real mechanical stress on the steel, and it’s not worth the risk. For kata, however, an antique blade can be used carefully, because the movements are controlled and non-impact. But even then, it’s more about understanding the feeling of the sword than about “training” with it. This is just my personal view as a beginner practitioner and someone who is deeply interested in the culture and history of nihontō. So yes , old blades are still “usable, ” in the sense that they can be drawn, felt, and studied, but not for repetitive cutting. Modern training swords for practice, antique nihontō for understanding. Thansk a lot and nice to meet you :-)

I am sorry for the bad news, but this is not authentic nor Japanese. https://www.jssus.org/nkp/fake_japanese_swords.html

I would see it as 来倫国 Rai Tomokuni

This one deserved a hakogaky by Satō Kanzan sensei: 鬼鍾馗透鐔 ＊ oni Shōki sukashi tsuba 丸形 山銅地 ＊ maru-gata yamagane-ji 鋳金 銘 房吉作 ＊ chūkin mei Fusayoshi saku 昭和辛亥冬 ＊ Shōwa kanoto-i fuyu [1971, winter 寒山誌 ＊ Kanzan shirusu (kaō)

Very nice blade @RobDam 👏👏 I ve collected many Kiyomitsu and this one was tempting but I passed on bidding since I try to avoid blades with bo hi ( just personal taste ) While I love Hon'Ami Nisshu s caligraphy, he is known to be wrong often and this one was a bit surprising since Eiroku 5 ( 1562 ) is quite outside of his normal range. He produced most of his work in the Tenbun era. This falls right into Magoemon ( son/apprentice ) s time line who followed in Gorozaemon style. Regradless, it s a great sue bizen Kiyomitsu blade. One of my favorite era and smiths to collect I have currently have a Kiyomitsu waiting export in Japan. It is signed similar to yours but the NBTHK attributed it to Magoemon. Waiting to hear if Tanobe sensei can do a sayagaki.

That's unfortunate, and just is everyone is clear, it isnt because @djcollection hasn't been online. He has visited almost daily since this transpired, which indicates a purposeful intent to ignore the buyer and his communication. As an additional testament to his lack of professionalism, he has just posted another item for sale. Anyone looking with interest should do so cautiously and with great scrutiny. Choose your purchases carefully friends, look for feedback and reviews, but dont rely on them solely. Ask for additional pictures if any angles are missing. Save all communications until such time as the deal is done and you are satisfied. Return policies are important always, but especially when shipping is far and costly. Gone are the days when you can trust people at their word. Business is business and conduct yourselves accordingly. No, shortcuts and no ambiguity.

To anyone who is still interested. I didn't get any reply, nothing. I guess ignoring people is a working strategy for @djcollection after the sale is done. Think twice before you start doing business with him.

Hi All! I'm from Ireland. Passionate about nihonto. I've been in Japan a few times and eventually I decided to take the big step and buy my first nihonto. It's a Kiyomitsu (Osafune) dated and signed I decided to go for a dedicated koshirae project, a new habaki and papered fittings. The whole project took a long time to select all the parts and now I'm waiting a few months for the koshirae. Looking forward to have it and study it. cheers

Excerpts from a Gen AI research response (not verified or validated): "The mountain 双子山 (Futagoyama / Sōzan) is a real, named twin-peak feature on the slopes of Mt. Fuji itself, in Suruga province, on the Gotenba route at about 1,800–1,929 m elevation. It consists of two peaks (上塚 Kamizuka / Upper Mound at 1,929 m, and 下塚 Shimozuka / Lower Mound). It is also called 二ツ塚 (Futatsuzuka). This is exactly what 駿高双山 ("Suruga's High Twin Mountain") refers to — the twin peaks high on Mt. Fuji's eastern flank in Suruga province. The signature is saying: "Residing at the foot of the High Futagoyama in Suruga" — meaning the artist lived in the Gotenba / Subashiri region at the eastern foot of Mt. Fuji. This is a wonderfully specific and poetic location claim. The Gotenba / Subashiri area was in Suruga province and was part of the Odawara domain's territory at various points, and the foot of Mt. Fuji had a culture of mountain ascetics, literati, and craftsmen drawn by the sacred geography. The signature 駿高双山麓寓 — "residing at the foot of the high Futagoyama in Suruga" — points to the Gotenba / Subashiri area at the eastern foot of Mt. Fuji, on the Suruga side. The character 寓 (gū, "temporary lodging") implies the artist considered himself a sojourner there rather than a hereditary native — perhaps a ronin, retired samurai, or literati-craftsman who relocated to this scenic, semi-rural area. Name: 岩佐正 + kaō. With the kaō immediately following, the given name is a single character 正. The most likely readings are Iwasa Tadashi or Iwasa Masa(shi). Single-character art names with kaō were a common late-Edo / Bakumatsu literati affectation, modeled on Chinese-style scholar-artist signatures. The honest reality: This artist does not appear in the major standard references (Haynes, Wakayama, Sesko's Genealogies). The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper attests that this is a genuine and important work, but the artist is what specialists call a "rare master" or unrecorded smith — a skilled independent craftsman whose oeuvre is too small or too localized to have entered the major published indexes. The high quality of the work (Tokubetsu Hozon for an unrecorded maker is uncommon) suggests he was a serious artist, possibly: A samurai-amateur from the Odawara, Numazu, or another local domain, working in metal as a refined avocation A late student of one of the Nara-school descendants (Hamano, Yokoya, Yanagawa lineages) who left Edo to retire to the Mt. Fuji foothills A Bakumatsu literati craftsman who consciously cultivated obscurity as part of a wabi/recluse aesthetic — the elaborate poetic residence inscription is consistent with this" I'm not sure if this helps, or how accurate it is, but it sounds plausible and may provide some direction for additional research. Damon

Do people have a way to fit these to swords? It would seem like you would need an Xray machine. You could break it down for the metal fittings, (which I imagine happens, but is that all?) If so, why sell it as a tsuka and not pull out the fittings? Yes, the interior of tsuka can be enlarged with basic woodworking tools, and also shimmed using thin strips of wood and glue. I have examples of both being done back in the day on old koshirae I have. Can you break them open and use the wood and same? Is this desirable? High grade same' is very expensive and is salvaged and reused Do people (More then a tiny number I mean) collect Tsukas? Very old/rare and very high grade tsuka are collected and preserved. But yes, there are very few specialist tsuka collectors. I think mostly these are people with an interest in koshirae and will buy parts of the types of koshirae that interest them. Finding a complete tsuka in good condition is way cheaper and more authentic that have a new one made with old parts.

Conway: I believe it's Kikuhide. Note the star shaped strokes in the middle of the first kanji. John C.

Hi Hoshi, Thank you very much for taking the time to write such a detailed and helpful reply. This is exactly the kind of context I was hoping to understand. Your explanation of Sue-Bizen and the Kiyomitsu lineage helps a lot. I also take your point regarding Nisshu and the need not to treat every sayagaki as final authority. In this case, I see the NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper as the main formal confirmation, and the oshigata/sayagaki as an additional historical/contextual element. I also appreciate your comments on the koshirae. My aim is definitely not to create anything flashy or “koshirae americana”, but rather something restrained and respectful to the blade. I understand that this will not be an NBTHK competition-level koshirae, the quote for the habaki+koshirae with AOI is 310k jpy. I see it more as a long-term labour of care around the sword. Regarding the cost, the blade itself was a significant investment, and the remaining amount is for the selected fittings, new koshirae work, custom habaki, import and transport. The work is being handled through AOI in Japan. I realise that a full art-patron approach with a top craftsman and competition-level ambition would be a different category altogether, perhaps something for a future project if I ever reach that level of collecting. Your point about tosogu not being modular is also very useful. In fact, one of the fuchi-kashira sets I originally selected was rejected by the workshop because it did not fit the project well, and they proposed another one from their own stock. That now makes much more sense to me. Thank you again. I will continue studying the Osafune/Sue-Bizen context and the Kiyomitsu lineage, and I look forward to sharing the completed koshirae when it is finished.

The inscription reads: 城州 住 國重 Which translates to: Joshu Ju Kunishige Which basically means: Kunishige made this in Joshu (or maybe in Chikuzen. Or perhaps in Chin-shu wherever that is). If my interpretation of the above is at all incorrect, I’m sure someone will correct me; and for Franks sake I encourage anyone to do so. You might think this would be enough for some detailed info, but unfortunately, nothing in Nihonto is that simple. There were many swordsmiths who signed “Kunishige” over the centuries, and unfortunately your blade does not appear to be dated (if it were dated, there would likely be an inscription on the other side of the tang). All hope is not lost though… Your sword looks interesting to me. We might be able to help narrow down a date range, but for that we’d need a lot of good photos. Primarily of the entire blade profile without fittings and the tip, both sides, and also both sides of the nakago up close. See my little photo guide below. All that said, even with perfect pictures, judging swords via photos is far from ideal. To get a really good idea of what you have, we always recommend getting it into the hands of a respected expert or togishi. -Sam