Geraint

Dear Jon, This is a true Japanese sword, made in the traditional way and at first glance quite old. Did you measure from the tip to the notch on the back where the habaki starts? If this is 24" plus then you have a katana, not a wakizashi. The mounts appear to need menuki and a wrap to bring them up to speed. Go slowly and carefully and don't attempt anything yourself at this stage. The signature or mei reads Bishu Osa, this might matter as shu is an abbreviated form for the province and if your blade is Muromachi period, as it might well be, then usually better swords for this group would be signed Bizen. You are looking at the Bizen group of smiths and there are very many! Try to get some better shots of the blade, overall, tip (kissaki) and the point where the habaki comes off. We might get some more information for you. Also a shot of the tsuba, guard. Welcome to the forum and to the exciting world of Nihonto! All the best.

Dear Jose. This might be as simple as using scrap paper to line the fabric. In an age where everything is hand made even used paper is worth re using. I would be surprised if it is anything more than that. Am I alone in wanting to see the whole jingasa? All the best.

Hi Dave(?) I'll leave the stamp question for others but a couple of things that might help. First have a look here, http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm In the right hand side of the page you will find extensive indexes which might help. It's easy to start seeing things in a hamon like this but comparing it to traditional blades is usually revealing. Have a look at the oshigata and photographs of this one,http://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2015/15946-2.jpg If you look inside the hadori and compare with the oshigata you should start seeing nie, they are visible to the naked eye as discrete particles. On a sword in polish if you have to start struggling to see them then chances are they are not there. Your sword is a nice example of what it is but Brian immediately identified the hamon and it is pretty typical for Showato. Hope this helps. All the best

Hi Darius, If you have not already found this it might be of interest. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/naginata.html Cracking sword, enjoy! All the best.

Hi Tony. Looks like you did very well for a first sword, you will be able to see a great deal in a sword in polish like yours. "Rather cheaply", is of course cryptic but a nice blade to start with. Enjoy! All the best.

Hi Dale, Yes I was looking at the antler tsuba. I think I would start from the assumption that any tsuba worth collecting had been made by a craftsman, and I load that word with great respect and admiration. The idea that such a person would make a tsuba off centre without noticing, or that they would then just carry on is difficult to grasp. Do you think the seppa dai is off centre? I can't say that it looks that way to me and as the tsuba shows no sign of having been remounted then these inaccuracies would bother me a lot. Hard to say much from your image or even the ones on your Pinterest board but if this is brass then all sorts of alarm bells would be ringing for me. Hope I am wrong. All the best. Bye the bye, you might like the one on this page scroll down to the last one. http://nihonto.uk/Items%20for%20Sale/tetsu%20tsuba.html

Hi Dale, What are your thoughts about the placement of the nakago ana in relation to the seppa dai? All the best.

Dear Chris. Not sure how this works in Germany but in the UK major museums are quite open to looking at things and giving opinions on them, they certainly won't give a value in the UK but they would tell you as much as they can about the piece. Perhaps worth asking around to see if they will do that for you? All the best.

Wow! Than you for sharing these and the process. All the best

Josh, check your pms. All the best.

There's always this one, http://www.aoijapan.com/kozuka-mumeiunsigned-omune-design ?

Thanks for that Grev, at least one version is Kunishige then. All the best.

Dear Grev. This is one of those repeat designs that crop up now and then, see this one, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_-_Kozuka_with_Dragon_and_Tiger_-_Walters_51768.jpg The suggestion that these are anything to do with Hirado Kunishige is one that I have not been able to substantiate, perhaps someone can help with that? The example in the Caldwell sale had hakkogake by Kanzan Sato attributing it to Umetada school. If yours is that one then the price comparison exercise might have some use but if yours is one just like it then valuation would one presumes be different. By the by the suggestion that the design is a bosun's whistle is fanciful, the roofscape idea makes more sense to me. Enjoy. All the best.

Dear MArrius, I am sure you know this but I suspect that Uwe is pointing out that this is a modern reproduction 'pocket filler', not a genuine kogatana. Interesting way the mei is made. All the best.

Dear Daniel, I think the search will help but it's a pretty standard form, Echizen ju Kinai saku. All the best

Hi Andreas, Your wakizashi is a bit of a feast of sunagashi and nie, isn't it? I love it! Your photos of the katana are not as good but I suggest you live with it for some time. You might come to think of it rather like having a Mexican dish next to a rather more subtle Italian one, they are different but who knows which one you might come to prefer? (And before anyone starts I am sure that Mexican cuisine is subtle too, I was just making a point!) All the best.

Hi Ben. Looks like you are right about the nakago shape, more specifically for a parade sabre. For a good example go here, http://www.japanesesword.com/ then to sold items then down about 19 entrys or so for a Murata to with the same treatment. What a shame about the rest of the blade. Any hope for this one? All the best.

Hi G. The kanji on the blade suggest Kaifu, have a look at this one for example. http://www.aoijapan.com/wakizashi-ozaki-mo-kaifu All the best

Hi Joe. For me the question would be, "Do I really like this sword?" If it matters to you that you have the third generation because you want the complete series then you probably know what the market value for that smith is and you wouldn't expect to catch a bargain from a dealer who knows what they are doing. Finding a sword in a non specialist dealers might be different. Personally I find the whole idea of a dealer guarantee rather strange, I suppose that it is some consolation when you are spending significant amounts of money but even that is a bit of a gamble as the market changes over time in rather unpredictable ways. If the sword is being sold at the market price for the smith then you might feel that the risk is too great, on the other hand you propose that it is quite a good price in which case what have you got to lose? Have fun.

Hi Josh. The place to start might be this one, http://www.hizento.net/history.htm The author is a real mine of information on the Hizen school. Another thing would be to get a copy of Art and the Sword, vol1 I think, focuses on the same school. You are aware that there are some serious problems with the flaws in the boshi? Enjoy the journey.

Hi ZBurkett. Please sign your posts with a first name so we know who we are speaking to. If you go to the FAQ tab at the top of the page you will find some guidance on how to care for your sword but the first rule is, "If in doubt, don't". I would leave the chrome polish where it is. If you can get some photographs of the blade lots of people here will be glad to comment on your sword and advise you on next steps for research and caring for it. An overall shot of the blade and detailed shots of the nakago, (tang) plus some measurements would be useful. Welcome to the mad world of Nihonto! All the best.

Hi Josh. So much information out there about this school and many knowledgeable people here who can tell you if it looks good or not, reason being they are very many gimei. This mei is a great place to start learning how to read kanji and once you have got this one the others will start to fall into place a little. Check it out with some kanji tables and once you have it you will start to recognize the common ones on other mei. Pictures of the whole blade would help even if it is not in first class polish. Enjoy!

Dear Hamish. Collecting is the dissonance between taste and income! All the best

Dear RJ. Have a look at this one here, http://www.aoijapan.com/tachikoshirae-saya-nashiji-aventurine-lacquered You will see that the hangers for the scabbard and the phoenix head are upside down as well as one or two other misplaced parts. All the best

Apparently the NBTHK do not share your feelings and, as I understand it discussion of items for sale is not part of the deal unless you wish to express admiration. All the best.