Kronos

If you do a search there's other topics on the forum where people have had swords held because of Samegawa. Usually they get sorted out as I don't recall anything ever being returned due to it. Here's a couple: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/13758-has-anyone-heard-of-this-before/ http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/9421-our-goverment-not-allowing-Japanese-swords/

I just came across this: http://www.chenessinc.com/export.htm It seems you need to declare it and pay an "inspection fee". So perfectly legal with the correct paperwork but it's the bureaucracy interfering. I'd look up the cost and if it is too much just resend anyway and it'll probably get through. From my reading of US import/export laws when I needed to send a sword there you can be pulled for not having the correct paperwork and following their process for a number of things, however most people ignore this as it's ridiculous and rather poorly enforced.

I'd agree on Sue-Koto, It has a late muromachi century shape to it.

No problem Gwyn, I hope you like the Tsuba very much when it arrives.

Tsuba 5 Sold.

Tsuba #1 now sold, 9 more to go.

The habaki looks quite nice, it's just an unusual style but I've seen it a few times before.

Quick question, when's the next US shinsa after Chicago in April? (if one is scheduled yet).

Sarute and kai gunto Tassel listed to ebay. Will pull listtings for NMB members for £65/£100 respectively + postage/pp fees. http://www.ebay.com/sch/nihon-to/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

Martin, It's now the default avatar, I should really set one.

Tsuba #1 is on Hold.

It's hard to tell anything from those pictures but if Shoshin it'd be a rare work as the hamon is somewhat different to the usual and horimono is not often seen on the sandai's work unlike the first two generations who had many horimono done by the Kinai family.

This is 3rd gen Edo you are correct, the mei looks good and reasonably well cut and although minor discrepancies (it may just be the photo's/angle) yet still easily within the body of papered mei. All the other aspects of the Nakago are correct such as size, shape, nakago-jiri etc (can't see yasurime). I would like some pictures of the blade if possible as it can have the best signature in the world but if the workmanship doesn't match it's meaningless. Overall from the pictures supplied there's nothing to suggest it's not by Sandai Yasutsugu.

Fortunately Yasutsugu seems to be my speciality, particularly the 3rd gen edo Give me 10 mins and I'll let you know, just need to double check some minor aspects but it looks good so far.

I stumbled across a thread by Darcy yesterday that was from 2008 with a kantei quiz in. I now know a lot more about Samonji as a result so it goes to show how valuable even old threads can be in a hobby as timeless as this

I guess what it means by "cut-mei" is as long as the entire mei is present then there's still a chance, but it'd need to be a Hankei or Tadayoshi even then.

http://www.arizonaskiesmeteorites.com/Antique_Samurai_Swords_Katanas_Wakizashi/Tadayoshi_Katana/ http://www.nihontoantiques.com/fss539.htm http://www.e-sword.jp/sale/2015/1510_2010syousai.htm They all look to of been shortened by a cm or two. Unless Tadayoshi decided an Ichimonji jiri was a good idea randomly. The first TH paper looks strange though, it says Tokubetsu but looks like a hozon paper?

Nothing in the rules seems to state it can't receive TH and the workmanship is easily good enough for TH so it's up to the judges really. I recall seeing a 3rd gen Yasutsugu who's also Jo saku rated with TH. it was described as Ubu, Machi-Okuri but looked blatantly Suriage to me which the judges should of picked up on. i can't find any examples of Suriage shinto work with TH at present but I'm sure they exist.

Now that Christmas is firmly behind us and the new forums up and running I thought to relist these with slashed prices before evilbay calls and wants to take it's cut. GBP has also sunk which helps. Tsuba 1: Signed Bushu ju Masatoshi, Ginko leaf design. 6.4cm x 6.1cm, £175 ($265) Tsuba 2: I've been informed this may be a "Sado island" Tsuba of the type favoured by Martial artists for mounting. 7.5cm x6.7cm, £150 ($225) Tsuba 4: Chidori Birds in Iron with Shakudo Fukurin 7cm x 6.6cm, There was a sticker on this and I neglected to remove some of the grime under it before taking photo's so the "square mark" on one side is grime and not damage. £225 ($345) Tsuba 5: Hotstamped tenbo Tsuba 7.5cm x 6.7cm, £100 ($155) Tsuba 6: Horse saddle design 6.4cm x 5.4cm £100 ($155) Tsuba 7: Eggplant themed tsuba signed Efu ju Kanehisa perhaps? 6.4cm x 5.6cm, (was previously sold and returned as the buyer didn't check the size. £150 ($230) Tsuba 8: Bushu/Bushu Ito school Basketweave design with lovely shakudo inserts 8cm x 8cm, £215 ($325) (I expect this to go quickly at this price or I'm an idiot). Tsuba 9: Sukashi with birds 6.5cm x 6.5cm, £130 ($200) Tsuba 10: Shaomi tsuba 7.6cm x 7.6cm, £130 ($200) Tsuba 11: A very novel tsuba made of wood inserted into what appears to be stainless steel with a fantastic inlays of Gold, Silver and copper. Despite the two cracks in the wood a very interesting Tsuba 6.3cm x5.9cm, £200 ($300).

Is it just me that really dislikes the polish?

The best you can hope for like Lee says is getting it shipped to Hong Kong and the buyer making arrangements from there. Even then I'd make sure they paid via bank transfer or another way they cannot scam you.

Looking at the examples posted by Stephen it's not 1st generation as the bottom Horizontal stroke of Tsugu is too curved and there's other discrepancies. Maybe 2nd generation or gimei, don't really have time to look.

actually just noticed that appears to be a date on the reverse of the nakago so you may be able to identify which generation by the date. It's hard to make it from the current pictures.

近江守藤原繼廣 omi no kami fujiwara tsuguhiro There were 2 generations, you'd need to compare mei's to determine which this is.

No offense intended but UK standards are a complete joke as far as I'm concerned. It seems to be drastically overpriced for anything of remote quality on one hand and a lot of ignorance whereby a decent nihonto can be next to a generic showato and be equally priced on the other. But enough venting about my disdain for the UK sword market, visiting the Birmingham militaria fair is a good idea to see swords in hand. To the OP: the first question when considering price has to always be whether the price to polish, shinsa and original buying price is going to be equal to what it would be worth if it turns out to be the best sword it can be by that smith when signed as this is, while in full Japanese polish and papered. In this regard you're probably talking £2000 for restoration and shinsa inc shirasaya etc. By comparison there's a 10th generation Nobutaka on Aoi art for £3000 and maybe this will be better and with Koshirae might be worth £4000 maximum. so effectively you're gambling and going to all that effort if you wanted it polished for £400-£1400 which imho is not worth it even if it is a fair price. There are alternatives however such as getting it polished by a non-traditionally trained polisher here in the UK for considerably less but I don't feel qualified to comment further on this approach although it may make it a good prospect.