Gakusee

Thank you for posting it, Gary. It is always enjoyable to see high-quality swords from time to time here. Oftentimes, the majority of the posts have the low-end starter blades which newcomers enquire about, unless people post about militaria shows etc. That is normal and understood but blades like yours are a rare treat. Not much activity, hamon etc can be seen here apart from the Nanbokucho kissaki in this stout blade. Interesting, unusual horimono too. Could you please clarify: is this kinzogan or kinpun mei? Unfortunately I cannot see the detail on my mobile and the eyes are not what they used to be. Thanks again.

I will play. Nabeshima Toshiro Meibutsu

The issue perhaps, Jussi, is that you like oversized swords, which at that size might not necessarily be the most refined? I have seen very few large swords that have the fine jigane and complex high quality hamon I like….Usually the longer and larger, the less interesting to me, unless they are ubu zaimei top Heian or Kamakura blade by one of the better smiths - usually top (ko) Bizen. The best sword in my view is the OKanehira. Huge, but with the finest craftsmanship from top to bottom. So, I attach a few snaps of it. There is not forging flaw over 80cm+, very wide and meaty blade - sprinkled with konie in the “wettest” possibly way

For sure….with Juyo. But ToHo and HoTo you need to call them

Uwe I think this is priced so cheaply because of the hakobore… Also Kuniyoshi has a rather different style to Hisakuni. Different tastes and activities and so on.

if in doubt, you can call the NBTHK and check. It will take a bit of time as the people speaking English might not be on shift, and the English speaking people (junior) will need to consult the more senior people (speaking mainly Japanese), but if you have a few days/a week, it should work.

That (first Juyo) Norishige is not available any more and that was not the price….Regardless, amazing sword.

You don’t sound ready to own an Awataguchi sword … Study more and when ready then buy such a sword. When you have attained that knowledge, you will know whether to buy it or not. In any case, per the NBTHK this is “only” Awataguchi, but the Honami sayagaki (as homework, identify which Honami this is, his sayagaki are here on this forum) gives it to Hisakuni (the Awataguchi with most refined jiba). The setsumei, notwithstanding, specifically mentions that “the deki of the jiba are excellent”

There are so many things wrong here…. Main one being that the sword does not look like Osafune Nagamitsu in workmanship. Also, compare a genuine Kojo origami herein. I have had a few Kanzan sayagaki…. Let us just say that this one above looks very intense in the ink colour and execution….

Swift convalescence and take it easy, Brian - stress also unlocks all sorts of health issues through the over-release of hormones. Wishing you all the best.

Let us thank Jacques for the kantei and congratulate Jussi and Thomas. It has to be that and no other bickering please.

I agree on all of the above. This to me seems enhanced with an etchant. What do we think?

From a friend (and also disclosed in Japanese for those of us who actually bother to go to the Japanese source - I advise more people to try and do it rather than rely on 1-2 forum posters for that): Pass vs Submitted Swords 52/649 (8%) Tosogu 33/199 (16.5%) Koshirae 6/32 (18.8%) Very low pass rate, similar to last year. Probably a composite outcome of shinsa panel line-up, (lack of) degree of confidence (hence some items need “further study” and another attempt), good quality blades drying up etc etc

Well, the oshigata does look more Osafune Bizen than the sword actually is - hence the need to know nie vs nioi, utsuri or not, indeed the finesse of the jigane or the slightly more outstanding typical Bizen hada (even though some have very fine hada)….

It is interesting and encouraging that newer members and younger collectors have started delving into which Juyo sessions to consider. Twenty-thirty years ago merely having a Juyo was enough as they were “scarcer” literally due to there being fewer in general and fewer in the West. There are indeed various considerations about “early” sessions (usually pre-15), the 1970s, the most recent ones. There is a lot to be said and analysed. Let us just say that some of the most recent shinsa sessions are head-scratchers in different ways to the prolific 1970s. Just some caveats: the 1970s also had great swords in them. Don’t disregard a sword just because it is from a session between 20-27 or thereabouts. Don’t look only at length. Sometimes the longer specimens of a smith’s production are frankly the more boring ones. I have seen it with many “greats” from Kamakura where the most flamboyant or stereotypical examples are suriage or mumei. Of course, here I am talking about old Koto and not Muromachi and later, where you will want zaimei ubu, ceteris paribus. Not all smiths and schools even within the same sessions are equal. There are always better and more renowned smiths and schools which pass alongside more average or mundane smiths and schools. However, there are certain statistical distributions and brackets the NBTHK broadly conforms to. Also, you could have a ToHo blade which is superior to many Juyo. Perhaps it is on its journey to greatness and simply has not passed that hurdle yet… Numerous factors play in there. You will need knowledge and understanding as to why a big name sits at ToHo still…. Anyway, this is an advanced area of knowledge and collecting and do not rush to conclusions.