Grey Doffin

Hi Renato, From "Token Bijutsu" volume 56 English edition. Grey

Brian, The nice example you show us is a katana presently, and it used to be longer still. Grey

Rob, The fact that the blade has a paper from the NBTHK means that the signature is good and that the sword is worthy of preservation (has artistic merit). The paper also shows which Kanji are signed on the nakago. Looks very nice to me, and in excellent condition. I won't comment on the asking price; that's something you have to decide about. I think the seller is telling you that he's not interested in accepting returns from outside Japan. If you have questions, before you buy is the time to get them settled. Grey

Joakim, Ohara Ju Sadamori didn't make it into any of the references in my index, so I have no oshigata with which to compare the mei. He must be in some reference somewhere; otherwise Hawley wouldn't have known about him to include him in his list (if this is the same Sadamori that Hawley lists). While it is possible to have a gimei of a little known smith it isn't very common. The fakers were more interested in producing copies of big name blades; more money in it for them. Chances are your sword's mei is right. Grey

The book, Two Early Chinese Bronze Weapons etc. can be had for $7. plus postage from Parker-Fox LLC Books: parker-fox@msn.com Grey

And I may be the next Miss America. Grey

Andi, The only reason to buy the 2nd wakizashi would be if you want it and the price were right. There is no advantage in owning 2 of them, especially if one is valueless. Grey

Of course it has to affect the fit for the nakago; material had to have moved inward. Not the most beautiful job of expanding the metal of the seppa dai but I see no reason other than that for this. Grey

The blade is gunto (dated 1945); no idea why it is so straight. Looks like one of these gunto remounted in older parts (Nobuiye style tsuba, fuchi & kashira) that have been popping up recently. Some Western collectors have been doing this with WWII blades (no idea why). I don't see this as a bargain; looks more like a tough sale to me. The militaria collectors would rather have the blade mounted in military koshirae and the Samurai sword collectors would rather have a traditional blade in the mounts or the parts by themselves. Grey

It has to do with the corrosion. Looks like a rust spot to me. Grey

In case any of you were thinking about my 2 volume Hizen no Katana To Tsuba or a clean copy of The Craft of the Japanese Sword, I have placed them on ebay. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgreyguy0 Grey

Sorry, I have no idea which Sadayuki this is. Can't help with a date. Grey

My 2 bits are on Taira Sadayuki. Grey

It's not too uncommon for the date to be given like this, just the day and not the year. I've seen it before. The mei looks to be all by the same hand but better pictures will be necessary before my old eyes can make it out and read it. Grey

Saiha is a very serious defect. The only way a sword can retain much, if any, value if it is retempered, is if it is signed with an important and unusual signature, or if it was retempered by an important smith because it was made originally by an equally or more important smith. At the National Sword Museum in Tokyo, years ago, I was shown a sword that was retempered, that had the only dated signature of an important and early smith, and that had a Juyo paper. This is very rare. An unsigned sword that might be koto and might be Mihara school and is retempered isn't worth much: nothing anyone wants to collect. Grey

No Iyetoki made his way into my index; sorry. Grey

Having seen the nakago I'm sticking with my earlier call: WWII or slightly later, with an artificially aged nakago. Grey

It reminds me of the small tantos from WWII, that are usually mounted in shira-saya and sometimes called Kami-Kaze dirks. If we see a picture of the nakago, and it is undersized and crudely made, with the mekugi-ana near the bottom of the nakago, then I'll be sure this is WWII vintage. Maybe just after the war and made to sell to someone in the occupation forces. Grey

The blade has been shortened and the last Kanji is missing. It reads, "Omi Daijo Fujiwara Yuki" and the missing Kanji is mitsu (Omi Daijo Fujiwara Yukimitsu). Oshigata of his signature can be found in Shinto Taikan, volume 1, page 828, Nihonto Zuikan, Shinto-hen, page 742, Zukian Tomei Soran, page 436, Fujishiro's Shinto-hen, page 410, and Shinto Shu, page 153. The signature looks like a match to me. We'll need to know more about the blade (pictures and description please) before we can answer the whether to polish question. Grey

This could be a real Masamune, and I could be the next Pope. It's going to be an expensive dose of humility for some poor sap. Grey

Brian, Etiquette is covered, nicely I think, by the page or 3 I put together for the NBTHK/AB. Why not a link to that site as an answer for etiquette? Grey

Joakim, If the sword is shipped in a saya, without a tsuka and the mekugi through the tsuka and nakago, the saya won't protect the blade; it stands a good chance of seriously damaging the blade. If the package were dropped the blade could crash down inside the saya and shatter its kissaki (point) in the botom of the saya. If it's not to late to stop the shipment, here is how to properly pack the blade and saya. Wrap the scabbard in a few layers of newspaper and tape. Tightly wrap the blade all over in quite a few layers of newspaper, making sure that the paper is folded over both ends, and tape shut. Now, securely tape the blade bundle to the scabbard bundle, with the point of the blade above the bottom of the scabbard, and it's ready to pack and ship. To answer your question, you need to have a shira-saya made for the blade, and a habaki also if there is none. The chances of finding one to fit the blade are astronomically small. I could suggest someone in the States; maybe someone in Europe could suggest someone there (closer to Stockholm). I know you've spent your budget but now you have a responsibility. It is your duty to see that the blade isn't damaged; it needs a properly made shira-saya and habaki. Grey

If the seller is legit and wants to sell the sword, he'll give you lots more information than one lousy picture by which to judge the sword. Grey

If the work of the blade is right for an important early tachi, the shinsa team most likely will paper it to the early smith or school. If the work isn't important or the blade is in bad shape (very tired maybe), then it is unlikely to get a paper to any smith, school, or time period. Grey

Brian, I think some time this fall I will have exciting news to post on the board. Grey