matthewbrice

My name is Matthew Brice--I own St. Croix Blades. I am a U.S.-based dealer of Japanese Swords. I have been buying and selling Japanese swords for over 10 years. I am a table-holder at the Japanese Sword shows in the U.S.--so if you find yourself in Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, or Orlando during show time, look me up! My swords are available for sale online via my site: http://www.StCroixBlades.com. I also sell on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=stcroixblades&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2046732.m570.l1313&_nkw=Japanese+sword&_sacat=0. Note that I always have an inventory of swords on hand that have not yet been listed...so some of my customers know to inquire what's not yet out there for sale. You may want to as well. I specialize in military swords--gendaito, Yasukunito, early mounts, rare mounts--as well as showato, and arsenal blades. I buy and sell nihonto from all eras as well. And I have a special interest in finding Kamakura and Nanbokucho era daito that have so far gone unidentified. I enjoy selling Japanese swords, but...my special passion is BUYING Japanese swords. My favorite thing is to be contacted by a collector or family member, and coming home with 10 or 100 swords to be added to my inventory! If you have a collection of swords to sell; if you wish to sell just a few swords to fund other purchases; or if you are in need of appraisals, contact me at info@stcroixblades.com, or via phone/text at 715-557-1688. Kindly, --Matthew Brice

https://stcroixblade...hop/Japanese-swords/ Layaway is available on stcroixblades.com. Put down a deposit to lock in the sale price even if you don't have the full funds right now. Let me know if you have any questions. --Matthew Brice St. Croix Blades

Includes John's personal study notes. $1485 Here is the link to additional photos: https://stcroixblade...n-yumoto-collection/ --Matthew Brice St. Croix Blades

I have a nice Emura for sale. This gendaito has a pronounced hada produced by forging with tamahagane. Nice sword. $3500 See a few photos below. MANY more photos can be seen on the website. Here is the link: https://stcroixblade...hop/Japanese-swords/ Let me know if you have questions. --Matthew Brice www.StCroixBlades.com

I have another Silver plated Type 98. Here is the link to the photos: https://stcroixblade...que-old-samurai-mon/ --Matthew Brice

Take a look here: https://stcroixblade...hop/Japanese-swords/ St. Croix Blades also has ADDITIONAL Japanese swords listed in our eBay Store. You can see those swords here: https://www.ebay.com...icSeller=1&_saslop=1 You don't have to have an eBay account to look and purchase--just contact me direct, and I'll pull the listing for you and sell the item to you. Any questions, let me know! --Matt www.StCroixBlades.com

I can take a close-up photo of the emblem this week Bruce! —Matt

The sale ends tonight (Tuesday night). Thanks! --Matt https://stcroixblades.com/shop/Japanese-swords/

Here is the link to St. Croix Blades: https://stcroixblades.com/shop/Japanese-swords/ --Matt

1 exceedingly rare WW2 Japanese General's sword tassel. This rare tassel would make an exceptional addition to any collection. This tassel was attached to a katana carried during the War by a Japanese Army General. Note the memory at the top of the tassel where it was attached to a sarute. CONDITION: This original World War II Japanese Army General's sword tassel is in exceptional condition. Here is the link to the listing where you can view more photos of this desirable tassel. https://stcroixblades.com/shop/products/Japanese-general-sword-tassel-wwii-army-generals-knot-ww2-samurai-ija-knot/ $2850 If paying via Paypal or credit card add 4%. No fee if paying via wire transfer, check, cashier's check.

Thank you very much Piers. I really appreciate your help! --Matt

Hello gentleman and ladies. Wonder if I could get some help with the date on this tanto? Would appreciate any assistance. Thank you. --Matt

A heads up for collectors and dealers that Andy Quirt has added new listings to his site. Yes, I have a couple of swords consigned to him. --Sadatsuna Naginatanaoshi Katana. Nanbokucho period. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon. Tanobe sayagaki. Kenji Mishina polisher. http://nihonto.us/SADATSUNA MB.htm --Bizen no Kami Sukekuni Katana. NBTHK Kanteisho, 1965. O-suriage w/folded-over signature. Handsome patinated red copper tosogu w/high condition. http://nihonto.us/BIZEN SUKEKUNI MB.htm And of course, here is the link to Andy's main listings page where you can find his other impressive offerings. http://nihonto.us/ Enjoy! --Matthew Brice

Ken, you should be able to recover your initial investment on the sword when selling--plus a bit extra. --Matthew Brice St. Croix Blades

Here is the link to our new sword listings: https://stcroixblades.com/shop/Japanese-swords/ Thank you. --Matthew Brice www.StCroixBlades.com

Here’s another Army sword with Silver-plated fittings. This sword happens to have been made by Amahide as well (earlier in the thread I provided photos of another Amahide with Silver-played fittings—though this sword has a lacquered wood saya). A few photos below, but here is the link to see the rest of the photos: https://stcroixblades.com/shop/products/Japanese-wwii-army-sword-ww2-samurai-gendai-amahide-tamahagane-hot-stamp-th/ —Matthew Brice

The Yasukuni Shrine sword in this auction is, of course, genuine. Here are a few observations I have made when identifying some of the newly-made inauthentic swords coming out of Japan over the last few years. One common characteristic is that many of these swords are in shirasaya--with no Army mounts. Another key thing to look for is the complete lack of rust on the nakago on the bad swords coming from Japan in recent years. Note that the Yasukuni sword in this auction has naturally-formed rust on the nakago--the type of rust pattern that occurs over 80 years. The counterfeiters just can't duplicate the random, natural rust patterns found on nakagos that are 4 decades old. WW2 swords, including examples of Yasukuni Shrine swords, definitely exist with no rust on the nakago as most of us have seen these swords in a remarkable state of preservation--these swords perhaps never saw action with staff officers, and then were stored in favorable climates in the U.S. for decades. Also--note that the Yasukuni sword in this auction has the textbook tsuba with Soten (harp) arsenal mark. Perhaps others among nmb members would be interested in discussing this topic of sorting out modern-made swords from Japan with fake Yasukuni or Minatogawa signatures here on the nihonto message board. Also a note on both auction sites remember, to limit the listings to Japanese items type in 'Japanese' in the search box. This will eliminate other types of items that you don't have interest in, and will allow you more time to identify items of interest to you. --Matt

Oh, I should have mentioned--this auction is also on liveauctioneers.com. Here's the link: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/search/?keyword=sofe design&sort=-relevance&status=online Of course, a lot of last minute sniping goes on on both auction bidding sites. Thanks guys. --Matt

Wondering if I could please get some help translating this sayagaki by Tanobe sensei? I know the photos aren’t the best—I have already consigned the sword to an auction house, and I don’t seem to have taken any photos myself. So hopefully someone can make out the translation with screenshot photos of the auction house’s listing. Thank you so much if you can help! —Matt

Oou guys, I just found an email from Bob Benson that has reminded me of some background on the ‘Sadanao’. I have about 100 swords in my inventory at any one time, so I lose track. Ok—so the signature was decided to be Sadazane by two NBTHK-American branch board members, and by Marcus Sesko. Then it comes back from Japan—NBTHK decides on Sadanao, and early Muromachi. Now this is before Mr. Tanobe was shown the sword after the NBTHK judged it… Bob said that early Muromachi made zero sense to him. He also told me that it looked like someone had dug around with the second kanji making it look like it had been messed with. Anyway, I’ve had my doubts about the NBTHK opinion. But, if I have a photo of the sayagaki here somewhere I can get Mr. Tanobe’s sayagaki translated. —Matt

In fact, I just found the guy’s notes on parts of the sayagaki he thought he could read. See photo. But, as I said, I’ll get some more informed help from a Japanese speaker here on the forum. —Matt

Sorry about the Sadanao time period description. That shape—combined with a guy that reads a little Japanese (but obviously not well) told me the sayagaki said Nanbokucho. Here’s what I’ll do to clear up that description—I’ll post the sayagaki photo in the translation section here on the nmb. Then I’ll get the listing description changed once I get the full translation. Thanks guys! —Matt

Hi Luis. The Yasuyoshi is legit. Also, as you know Luis, most auction houses rarely have a Japanese expert on staff. They accept consignments, and auction off items for sale. We collectors and dealers do our research on items we bid on ourselves. This is the case with most auctions that deal in varied collectibles categories. —Matt

Hi Jeremy. Sofe Design Auctions features 20-50 Japanese swords probably two times a year. This is a bigger one of the biggest ones. Thanks Jeremy! --Matt

Hi Dan. I’ll be set up there yes with three tables. See you there! —Matt