Geraint

Lovely sword, Jean. Is that a vote for Denis to resubmit his blade?

The sword that Lee refers to is an interesting case, wouldn't it be great to be able to go back and ask the shinsa panel what their thinking was? The bigger picture has been well put by Paul but it leaves an interesting point for Dennis. Nakahara has some interesting things to say about the relationship between papers and the market for swords, admittedly blindingly obvious if you have given any thought to the mechanisms of the art market. As is so often stated the sword should be the first point to consider when dealing with any attribution. Given that the sword is mumei I can't imagine it making a great deal of difference what paper it has and of course there is always the possibility that another shinsa team may assign the work to a smith of lower ranking. My suggestion; enjoy the sword, use it as vehicle to research the smith and the school, save the cost of re submission for your next purchase. Most of all, enjoy the sword.

Hi Dow. Looks alright to me. What would make you think it a Chinese copy and why are you buying saya?

Hi Matt., Welcome and if you ever get down to the far south west let me know. Cheers

Hi Lee, really interested to hear about your sword. The suspicion that papers were issued for reasons other than scholarship around that time would hardly seem to apply to a sword by 6th generation Shigetaka. Also can't work out why someone would bother to produce a gimei of that smith when others would be far more valuable. You clearly have really good reasons for calling it gimei, would you mind sharing those? Always interested in that line and the bigger question about the papers makes it an interesting topic. Cheers

Hi Denis. I am sure that you will have seen this article, http://www.nihontocraft.com/japanese_sword_papers.htm which, while not exactly answering your question goes some way to explaining the issues. Your call but it seems like quite a lot of effort and expense to go through as the sword already has papers. I can't imagine that the difference would make that much of an impact on the value or the likelihood of a sale. All the best

Ah, Justin. Must be rather nice to have a sword with kinzogan mei, named like that. (British understatement for, "Wow! Look at that!) Any chance of some more images and a write up? Cheers

Thank you all, that explains so much about Kaga habaki that I had never realised.

Sigh! Thanks for posting these, what a feast! Interesting that one of the tachi (Possibly worth 80,000,000?) had a mumei Kozori blade like the one under discussion elsewhere. Also interesting to see another Gassan blade with part of the mei on the nakago mune. Also interesting to see the proportions of the nakago on the Hizen blade. Some really magnificent works, thank you again.

Hi Tobias. If you really want to get to grips with what can happen to a sword over a lengthy life can I suggest Nakahara, "Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords". It has some very interesting observations about what happens to swords through repeated polishing and repairs. Have fun.

Hi Piers, That does sound like wonderful evening! One little question, you teased us with the mention of a story associated with the grooves in the habaki of the Kashu sword and didn't make good. What's the story? Cheers

Looks interesting Dennis, more images please. Especially of the blade. Cheers

Hi Steve, Do you mean a stamp? I have never come across that but of course several Shinto smiths cut the symbol in the same way as they cut the mei?

Curtis, Certainly not a Chinese fake. The koshirae is of a type encountered reasonably often. pressed brass components assembled to cover the whole of the sword. Usually assumed to have been done at the end of the 19th century to produce mounted swords for sale to the West.

Hi Curran. It certainly is an unusual feature though not unique; I have a memory of a tanto or ko wakizashi on Aoi Art with an extended nakago and there is one in the Boston Museum collection, number 51 in the catalogue. I believe the Aoi Art one had a steel sleeve fitted around the edge of the nakago but the sword has gone and is no longer on the website so I may be imagining it. In the later case a copper extension is used and seems from the oshigata to be riveted through an existing mekugi ana. Ogawa san comments; "The tang of this wakizashi was originally short, but now has a long copper plate 'nailed' (sic) to it. A long handle attached to a short tang would be very vulnerable and easily broken, so the copper plate was added to strengthen it." This was on a long Soshu wakizashi and one can imagine it mounted as katana; with the short Soshu tang breaking the tsuka would be a very real possibility. If I had bought the sword I think I would regard it as very much a part of the blades history and certainly wouldn't attempt to remove it, always provided that it had the probability of being a Japanese repair.

On the other hand , Christophe, check out the daisho tsuba on the "For Sale" section......

Welcome Ian. Buying from e bay is now almost impossible in the UK but there are very good sources for swords around the world. You have one great advantage, you live in the area of the Northern Token society! (Though having two members called Ian B might be confusing!) http://www.northerntokensociety.org.uk/ ... ut_Us.html It is so worth joining these guys, not only will you have access to a friendly and enthusiastic bunch of collectors but also when you do find a sword you wish to buy from overseas you will hit the problem of justifying its importation through customs. Membership of the society is one way of proving that you have a good reason for bringing the sword into the country. I would also advise joining the To_ken Society of Great Britain, http://www.to-ken.com/ which will be of benefit as you start to explore this fascinating world! Spare a thought for those of us who live in the outer fringes of the UK for whom any sort of contact with fellow collectors is a bit of a mission. All the best.

Which is a promising start so can we see some images of the rest, please?

Have a look at this thread, may help you out. viewtopic.php?f=50&t=13926

Glad you like it guys. Not me who cleaned the shibuichi, a previous owner. When I acquired it it was described as silver due to some overzealous polishing. So far the kojiri has settled in the best but time will enhance the rest. Thanks for your positive comments, just a shame it doesn't have Gotot Ichijo mei.

What, you mean it's not tachi mei?

I agree with Chris, a nice package. You would think that someone with the skill to remove a mei would also have the wit to ensure that yasurime matched, wouldn't you? Perhaps it is a deliberate indicator of the removal? Well spotted Patrick!

I have to confess that I really like a nice a sword in koshirae, don't tell me I know, I know! This one came to me with a Takada Sadayuki blade and mounts that were assumed to be silver. Time has confirmed that they are shibuichi with katakiri bori, honzogan silver and gold butterflies and blossoms. Fuchi, kashiara and kojiri all match and as the shibuichi tones down to a lovely grey they are getting better. Hirumaki tsuka with silver tombo menuki, gold foiled seppa, a true niju habaki but with a single piece silver foil jacket and an iron Higo style tsuba with some gold zohan and a silver fukurin. The kurikata is carved black horn. Sorry, I am no photographer so any advice above point and click will be wasted I'm afraid. Just thought some of you might enjoy this. All the best.

ask a Cornishman if the glass is half full or half empty and he will invariably answer that it is not big enough....

Hi Aron and welcome. I appreciate your interest in the sword but as you know it is in pretty bad shape. We have seen some examples of blades that looked as if there was no hope returned to life by skilful Japanese polishers but this one does look to be too far gone, others may have more optimistic opinions for you. If you do decide to attempt restoration then a reputable polisher will soon tell you if they think they can do anything for it, however it will cost a lot of money and the sword will never repay that. Why not keep it oiled as a souvenir of your Grandfather and lurk here for a while, stacks of really good information and, who knows, you might find something that will deepen your interest in this fascinating field. All the best.