BenoitD

I think it is genuine. Benoit D

From the Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Collection Benoit D

Many thanks. Benoit D

Hello, Can anyone help me with those two kanjis at the lower right of the certificate. Many Thanks Benoit D

This is a really bad sword. Not only a fake but one of the worst I have seen. Go to Ohmura site and study, study, study ... Good luck. http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_002.htm Benoit D

Without seeing more detailed pictures of this sword, I think it is a reproduction. Everything is in the details when appraising those late WW2 swords. They are easily copied. Be careful if you want to buy it. Benoit D

Sorry Raymond, a reproduction sword. Benoit D

Hello friends, Any idea why we see so much swords tassels on e-bay (they also look almost new) coming out of Japan these past few months ? ex: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0737993800 Benoit D

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing. Benoit D

This is what I first taught it was ... Benoit D

Could this be feathers ? Benoit D

This NCO sword looks genuine to me. Aluminum tsuka (hilt) Kashira (pommel) looks fine but has been cleaned or polished. On the blade, Nagoya (NA) stamp after the blade number = 名 Correct fuchigane (hilt collar) stamps (3 of them) Brass tsuba looks fine (I would have liked a better picture) Habaki looks fine Blade number = 136392 (correct for nagoya and brass tsuba - from 132666 to 137269) Saya with screw on front side Saya shoe with pronounced curvature It all looks fine. Personally, I do not like when the color of the tsuka is so aluminum. It always looks like it has been cleaned of the brown colour coat of paint that was supposed to imitate the usual brown tissue wrapping (tsuka-ito) of the shin-gunto. I have seen black sayas in the past but this one could well have been repainted. Difficult to say. It all depends on what you want. It does not have that typical look and feel of this usual kind of NCO sword. Will you enjoy the differences ? Will you always have a doubt it could be a fake ? I know I would pass on it but this is me. Benoit D

A Nihonto is also an investment. Consider you will probably have to sell it some day. You do not want to sell it for half the price you bought it because of quality ... By the way, I have bought many swords and one armour from Kazushige San at Aoi-art. The items were of excellent quality and the service admirable. A good first choice. Benoit D

A chinese reproduction it seems. Benoit D

Hello, Do you think both fuchi are original ? Benoit D