Brian

There is no hada on these. They are made of mono construction steel and oil quenched. But collectible in their own right, as they are currently "in fashion"

Colin, afraid they have already done it with vast quantities of collectibles. They have banned many genuine wartime collectible bayonets and fighting knives. You can't deal or own WW1 trench knives with knuckles anymore, many serrated wartime bayonets are gone. No compensation, just banned. It can, and is being done.

I don't think you are going to fine many forgeries on shinsakuto, especially ones that are still alive. Too easy to contact and check with the actual smith. The few we see from sellers like Komonjo etc are easily identified by the work, and the source. When you have a dealer in Japan, I see far less chance and not much point. The differences can easily be explained by factors like John explained, as well as things like changing the chisels over time and maybe having a deshi assist. Wouldn't be too concerned as long as the work is similar and appropriate.

This....unfortunately.

Bargain. Damn...how would I get it to SA? Hmmmm

Sad to think that oneday, lkely in our lifetime, we'll have to write the UK off as a Nihonto and edged weapon collector location. And having extensively gone into the other pending legislation on what I have to go through as a forum where people from the UK might just be able to get in touch with each other and buy edged weapons...I can tell you that a ban on the UK IP network is going to be the solution for many online forums. I've gone through their entire risk analysis questionnaire and requirements, and they can bite me. What a load of (to use the UK colloquialism) codswallop!

This is a great offer. Those within traveling distance should definitely take up the offer, even as a nice social meetup. Hope you get some interest Jean, wish I were closer.

I don't really see anything here that suggests it was shortened. To me, it looks like it was made as a wakizashi originally and hasn't been altered. Nice wakizashi.

These courier companies aren't banning this stuff because they fear being injured...they are doing it because of the threats from the UK govt and backlash if someone underage happens to get hold of (gosh...the horror!) of something sharp or pointy. The kids have to be protected at any cost to freedom. The way to fight this isn't through trying to reason with the courier companies. They will rather err on the side of caution rather than be sued. The right way is to write to your politicians, and simply tell them that if they don't get logical and stop trying to legislate everything out of existence, you will be voting for another party. That's the only way you will get anywhere. The couriers don't care about your appeals. The govt cares about votes though. Poll all the political parties, see who is in favour of relaxing the rules...then actively support them.

It's Polish Zloty. $2750. I'd say it's market value, no steal there, just average. But you could buy individual ones for $392 each, and do a lot better.

You mean those tsuba that don't exist?

Ridiculous. I would be sending extremely angry emails as high up as I can go...as per that last case. There is ZERO reason to reject this. Tsuba are collected in their own right, and not as essential part of a sword at all. The sword functions fine without it. It is no more a part of a weapon as a silk sword bag is. You should really kick up a stink. And of course next time, antique decorative Japanese metalwork disc....

It's a fairly standard arsenal oil quenched Gunto, with an incorrect scabbard.

They were likely regarded as honorific...maybe it was good luck or spiritually beneficial to have the name of an important smith on the kogatana. In other words, ritualistic rather than considering them an actual weapon, which they weren't.

I am not aware of any oil quenched kogatana. I think that all were traditionally water quenched. But some (better quality ones) were clay hardened with a hamon, and many more mass produced ones were through-hardened without a hamon. But I am not aware of oil quenching being a common thing in any antique ones.

Like to know what brought this on. But yes...can confirm everything you said.

Sorted

Found this one posted on FB, and not sure if we have ever posted about this story here before, but it's a nice story of a successful return, featuring many of the people we know on the forum and in the community. A nice read. https://www.outsideo...r-ii-japanese-sword/ Well done @Mark and @Keichodo

Am I wrong that the start stamp is usually top left, not right? Also, the seller likely doesn't know as much as he thinks he does. Not a lie...just not aware of the difference maybe.

I think it looks great. Since the wood doesn't touch the tsuba anywhere, there shouldn't be an issue with any reaction. Maybe not traditional but certainly striking and attractive. Well done.

That is excellent news! Congrats. I am sorry you had to go through this, but shows that sometime you have to stop being polite and do what you have to do. So glad it worked. Lesson...never give up. Lost is not always lost. You made it inconvenient for them until they had to put some effort in. No doubt without that, it would have been eventually considered abandoned and would have disappeared. Enjoy!

WW2 soldier's knife. Usually the blades are utilitarian, but that horimono (carving) isn't terrible like many are. I'd say it's an above average example of a utilitarian Japanese tanto taken to war. Likely not 100% traditionally made, but it's a decent example and the militaria guys would like it a lot. Some will question whether it's the front end of a longer wakizashi that broke, but given the placement of the horimono and bonji on the other side, I suspect it was made this way. Get some oil on the blade, don't use anything abrasive. It's a nice enough wartime militaria piece.

You know that to find a Gendaito in those mounts is extremely rare? So much so, you can just about assume it's a Showato. That is, until proven otherwise, but I'd be surprised.