Ian B3HR2UH

Jim Kurrasch in his article on important missing nihonto wrote of his frustration at being unable to find photographs or oshigata of the missing national treasure swords . I came across this photograph of two of the missing swords and thought members might be interested in seeing them. It shows the Botan Zukuri tanto and the Nagamitsu tachi that were owned by the Aso shrine .These were turned over to the local police who handed them to the American occupation forces on the 21st December 1945. They have been missing since then. The tanto was made Kokuho on the 14th of April 1906 .Its mounts are described as being of a gold peony design . Christies New York in 2002 sold a silver and gilt copy of this sword that had been made in 1922 by Katsura Mitsuharu . This was inscribed "A copy of a designated national treasure peony design sword " The Ito maki no tachi mounted blade by Nagamitsu was designated Kokuho on the 22nd of September 1909. A third national treasure designated sword is also missing from the Aso Shrine . This is the 45 inch long Kunitoshi blade named Hotomaru that was designated on 14th December 1931. This appears in some lists of the missing swords and not others. Ian Brooks

John is right , stay away from whoever is offering you this crap

I wanted to give a thank you to the Japan Sword Company in Tokyo. Some years ago I visited Aoi Art ( without an appointment ). I was warmly welcomed and then left standing like a shag on a rock even though I was the only person in the shop . After a while I decided that I was wasting my time and left. What a contrast was my recent visit ( again without an appointment ) to the Japan Sword Company . I was again warmly welcomed . A young man who spoke good English talked to me about the swords on display and answered my questions. He then invited me to see the items in their second floor gallery. What a great place that was .The star of the show was probably a Rai Kunitoshi with gold Hon'ami attribution that had been a pre war Juyo Bijutsuhin . This came with a Juyo ito maki no tachi mounting . There were many other fine swords on display including a Juyo nagamitsu and a number of Juyo tachi mountings. As a non buyer I didn't ask to handle anything but you could get right next to any of the swords and see the details pretty clearly. My host was very happy to talk swords and didn't seem to be wanting to push me out the door. I bought a few small items and went on my way. It was a visit that was far more satisfying than my subsequent visit to the National Museum where everything is under glass and impossible to see any details . I would recommend anyone visiting Tokyo have a visit to the Tokyo Sword Company on their to do list. Ian Brooks

No Tassel that I can recall John . If you get down to Victoria we can arrange an inspection. Ian

In Answer to your original query John I have only handled one sword that came in military mounts and subsequently went Juyo . I believe that this is possibly the only sword found in Australia that has attained a Juyo rating . The blade came in a shingunto mount of good quality ( no mon though ) . What was unusual was that the blade was still in its old lacquered saya with a leather cover over it ie. it didn't have a metal saya. Ian Brooks

Field Marshal Festings collection was sold in 1993 and it was reviewed at the time by the late Han Bin Siong . He expressed no doubts as to the authenticity of the Kotetsu although he wasn't backward in pronouncing a lot of the other big name pieces to be wrong .. I think Mr Han was just about the leading western sword scholar of his era so if he thought it was right then I am pretty sure it would have been. Ian Brooks

Dave , John is right and everyone else is dreaming in my opinion . This is a showa crapper in poor condition . It is not worth restoring or putting a window in . Keep looking and something decent will turn up . Ian Brooks

The dealer obviously knew nothing as it is clearly an iron tsuba, ie he is not very knowledgeable Ian brooks

And some more Ian Brooks

Hi Neil, the only oshigata of this smith that I have come across are in Marcus Sesko's excellent book Shinto Meikan ..Have a look at those or I can send you a copy .. It is of concern that the mei is Katana mei on a Hizen sword, unless the blade is a wakizashi .When are you visiting Victoria ? Ian Brooks

Hi Jim , there is a nakago in Shinto Benji Oshigata by this smith which shows the same unusual way of writing nori . Ian Brooks

The UK ebay seller old-Japanese-swords-uk has lots of natty little silver "mon" for sale including an anchor one . If you put one of these on an NCO metal hilter , knock it about a little and let it oxidise , then you will have something unique and very saleable . He even sells menuki type fittings with a swastika on them . Put these on a sword and it would be really worth having !! Ian brooks

it looks to me like the same UK " improver " has been to work on both of these pieces . Ian Brooks

This has always looked suspicious to me. On all of the Japanese " mon " that I have seen the background surface has an ishime effect wheras this one appears to be a smooth surface .There are not too many of these late pattern pieces in Australia but I have never seen one with a mon on it Ian Brooks.

Thanks Jussi I will send you a PM . Ian

Thanks John , the blade is an old one , suriage and with a groove that goes all the way through the nakago .It has a pretty distinctive hamon in gunome chogi midare ( also called Kanefusa midare ) so I think it might be by Kanefusa or Ujifusa . Ian

I thought that I would try a post with a picture attached so here goes. Has anyone seen a tassel like that on the lower Kyu gunto . Unwrapped it must be about two or three feet long! Ian Brooks

Does anyone have a list of Juyo Bunkazai rated swords ? There is a book, Juyo Bunkazai 27 Kogeihin IV , that was published in 1977 . Does anyone have a copy of this who would be able to look up a couple of pieces for me ? Ian Brooks

Jason , forget about websites and buy a couple of books .With John Yumoto' s book you could read this easily. Ian Brooks

Good on you for telling it like it is Grant . Most remounts that I have seen, where amateurs are involved , look like s**t as Grant says and do absolutely nothing to enhance the sword . If you want to get someone good to do it the cost will make it uneconomical as Grey said. Ian Brooks

Well spotted Hamish . Ian Brooks

He has a few more treasures for sale on ebay . Anyone who buys any of these yasukuni pieces , those with gold attributions or those purportedly by big name smiths is in my opinion a fool who is just asking to do their money. Ian Brooks

Thank you all for your comments . I particularly appreciate you providing the page out of the Kinko Meikan Bob. Ian

Hi Bob , I wound up with that one so it will be travelling down under ( To Australia ) . The mei is Katsura Eiju , or Nagatoshi , and it matches up well with one I found in Tsuba Kodogu Kantei Nyumon by Wakayama . Ian Brooks

Chris , I should have added that you are only up for GST where the item is valued at more than $1000. Ian