Geraint

Dear Don. If you feel that then start having a look at horimono to compare with this one. Enjoy the journey. All the best.

Ah, I begin to see I think. Descriptions of hamon are not as precise as most sources of information would suggest. For a diagram one might illustrate a consistent hamon shape and some smiths do this very well. Generally speaking hamon are not quite so cooperative and once you move away from identified smiths with distinctive hamon patterns then everything becomes a little more subjective. Have a read of this thread for examples and comments. There is also some interesting stuff here, http://www.ksky.ne.j...sumie99/yakiire.html You might have to follow the links around a bit for this one. A lot of hamon descriptions are 'something or other with....' For example Mino den suguha is often described as suguha with fushi. As to toranba think high waves, the example we are looking at is more swells, so the description is suguha in places with swells, lots of ashi and yo which describes what is going on inside the hamon. Any use? All the best.

Dear Mark. You may have more success if you post this in the Wanted section, as opposed to the For Sale section. All the best.

Dear Gerry. Why would you want to disagree with the stated description, suguha with notare? All the best.

Dear Howard. As to the theme see here, https://art.thewalte...cross-the-uji-river/ All the best.

Dear Steve. Think along the lines of Umetada Mitsushige. All the best.

Dear Piers. Well, that just says everything you need to know about me! All the best.

Dear Sam. I don't think anything is wrong with this tsuba other than some wear and a rather poor attempt on someone's part to make it fit a nakago, hence the rather bizarre marks around the nakago ana. These suggest to me that the tsuba was probably added to your sword some time after it left Japan so probably no problem with changing it for a better fit. If you want to do some research start looking around Kaneiye, I suspect this is one of the many works copying his style. All the best.

Dear Jussi. If you view the individual links there are some prices in terms of what one might offer the seller........... or do these not show for you?. All the best.

Dear Charles. By contrast I wish I was within reach, a papered daisho in koshirae for that money? Not to mention the Daido blade and koshirae. Oh well. I'll just have to keep looking. Welcome and all the best.

Ah! My mistake but it's still a nice thing. All the best.

Dear Christian. A nice find! Just to follow up on Ray's translation. This is an earlier blade that has been mounted for use by a Naval officer in WWII. The fittings are nice and include, I think, a fishskin lacquered scabbard with an unusual extended drag as we call it in English. In other words the fitting at the end of the scabbard has a sort of fin to take some of the wear, not a standard feature. You can do your own research on the Inshu Kanesaki school, (Inshu is the abbreviated form of Inaba), but just for a start they worked throughout the Shinto and Shinshinto periods, from about 1600 to about 1860. It is not possible to tell what rank the officer who carried the sword held and without some sort of documentation that part of the story will have to remain unproven but this is a very nice sword, please take care of it. Some guidance under FAQ at the top of the page. Welcome to NMB and all the best.

Dear Mike. Well you have a very nice, papered naginata in koshirae. That's a nice first blade and an unusual choice as most people want to go for the archetypal katana. Enjoy the journey! All the best.

Dear Stan. Look at the regularity of the cast seam marks around the inside of the nakago ana and hitsu ana. A sure sign of a modern casting and as such I should give up any hopes of it being shibuichi as no one would be using an expensive material for this. Probably have to chalk this one up as payment for your learning unless a dealer sold it to you as antique...........? All the best.

And also to add, there is no kogai, rather a kozuka and blade. The signature is still irrelevant to the sword. All the best.

Dear Howard. Personally I would not categorise this as Japanese. Quite a number of Asian archery systems use tanged arrow heads, as opposed to socketed, and I would start looking at the Indian subcontinent. All the best.

Steve and Tim, thank you for these posts, really educational and what NMB does best. All the best.

Dear Justyn. I don't think this was ever intended to be shirasaya but rather an interesting and subtle koshirae. Before you remove the filler, which I agree is horrid, you need to do some research to find out what it would have looked like so that you can replace it accurately, I realise that this post is part of that process. ( I have a feeling that I have a reference to one like this somewhere, it will take me awhile but I will have a dig) As always, if in doubt, don't. Find someone who can do it justice. Look forward to seeing the result. All the best,

Ahhh. I hope to be wrong on this one but a number of alarm bells are ringing for me. Seeing these photographs I would be assuming that it is a recent reproduction. It's pretending to be Bushu ju Masatsune. Is the colour silvery like that? Are the marks around the mimi nunome zogan in gold or do they look like etched designs? Do the designs continue over the edge of the mimi? What can you see inside the kogai/kozuka hitsu? Here is one for you to compare it with. https://sword-auction.com/en/product/14811/af22548-鍔：武州住正常（保存刀装具）/ Others will chime in I'msure. All the best.

Not even sure that this the right way up but... All the best.

Dear Ste. You are asking for advice about a sword sold by a reputable dealer on a public forum. You are also asking questions that suggest you are new to the field, I think many of us would not want to start advising you like this. Your money your choice. Franco has hinted that collectors really want to see signed and dated Shinshinto swords that are ubu, you do not have to follow this way of collecting, I certainly have swords from this period that do not conform to the rule, but it might impact market value. Not a problem if you intend to keep the sword for a long time. The description is accurate and it is your call whether you are happy to buy the sword as it is, there is a suggestion of a polisher's paper which is not illustrated. If you are in any doubt then hold off for a little and look at many other swords, if this one keeps coming back to you then go for it. You might find this link of interest, https://markussesko....ieda-taro-teruyoshi/ If you are within easy reach of Firenze, (small touch of envy in my voice here) then spend some time with the dealer and establish a relationship. Ask questions and see things. All the best.

Dear David. Not Japanese as I think you suspected. Not something I have seen but others may help with that. All the best.

Dear Matt. That's quite the koshirae! More information here, https://shibuiswords.com/papers1.htm All the best.

Dear Khalid. I think we're going to need more photographs. All the best.

Good morning James. The short and specific answer is no. There are a number of Japanese organisations and they sometimes run shinsa in the US. However if you were to join the Token Society and get to one of their gatherings then you could get the best opinions that you are likely to find on your sword and I am sure that some of us will be having a look for you. All this will confirm your own study of the sword, (or not) and will probably be adequate as we are not talking a big name here. Not having a shinsa paper will narrow your market somewhat when you come to sell but I don't think that will be a problem in any case and, who knows, you might be in this for the long haul. If you are in the South West then be in touch. (Edit to add, you might find better material if you research Echizen ju Hyuga no Kami Sadatsugu.) All the best.