Grey Doffin

Hi guys, Harry Watson, in his translation of Nihonto Koza, says that Nidai Tadatsuna signed with "a soemei of Asai Uji on the ura". What does Asai Uji mean in English? Thanks, Grey

Hi Grev, There was the Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho paper (see below) that was a higher paper than Tokubetsu Kicho. Also, the 1st Juyo papers date to 1958, well before Kicho and higher were replaced by Hozon and higher. Grey

If I understand the question: Tokubetsu Kicho are not on the same level as Juyo. I came to Nihonto about the time that the NBTHK made the change from Kicho and above to Hozon and above. At that time I was told that they were also upping their expectations to qualify for a paper: Hozon would roughly equal the old Tokubetsu Kicho and Tokubetsu Hozon would roughly equal the old Koshu Tokubetsu Kicho. Not all of the old papers are suspect. An old green paper to Muramasa or Masamune on a sword or Nobuiye or Kaneiye on a tsuba, say, are to be eyed suspiciously but, for less important artists, not so much. Grey

Hi Dan, I don't plan to attend that one; sorry. Grey

Hi guys, I haven't posted here for a while; thought I should stir the pot. I just listed a lovely signed and papered katana with itomaki no dachi koshirae: all of it in excellent condition. https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/q642-signed-papered-katana-itomaki-no-dachi-koshirae I know there have been newer collectors here on NMB asking about possible purchases. They could do a whole lot worse than this one. And as long as I'm tooting my horn, I don't understand why I still own this Hojoji Kunimasa katana: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/q404-long-katana-hojoji-kunimasa Give it a look. Cheers, Grey

With the understanding that I haven't seen the sword in hand (it may be wonderful) and also, since I do sell swords, I have a dog in this fight, I think you can do better for the money. 4,500 GBP is about US$6,150; I would expect something more exciting than unsigned Jumyo in shirasaya with a paper for that amount. Grey

I think it is shiny because the habaki protected it from corrosion. Grey

Hi Khalid, Pretty sure this is a broken sword and you're looking at the lower half. This is close to being worthless in an informed market. Grey

Hi Khalid, The mei is Tango no Kami Fujiwara Kanemichi and on the reverse Kiku Ichi. It is a real Japanese sword but that doesn't mean the signature isn't a forgery; may or may not be. Tango no Kami means Lord of Tango, which is an honorary title. Fujiwara is a clan name and Kanemichi is the smith's name. The kiku is the imperial crest and ichi means the # 1. Not sure if any old smith could use the kiku or if permission had to be granted. Pictures of the rest of the long tanto would tell us more. Tanto don't usually have shinogi (the ridge line). If the sugata is shinogi zukuri (with ridge and yokote markig the kissaki), this may be the end of a broken sword with a forged signature. Grey

Hi Chris, Without having cracked a book I vote fake signature. This looks like it was cut with a Dremel (rotary) tool, not with a chisel. Even without the telltale rotary marks, the mei is clumsy, nothing like those of a group who had quite fluid signatures. You will have no trouble finding true signatures online and you will easily see the difference. Grey

Hi Jeff, The saya should match quite closely the fuchi and seppa should be slightly larger. Grey

Hi guys, I have gotten involved with the cartel that is selling the Plimpton collection of Japanese civil & diplomatic swords; I just listed my 1st from the collection to my site. https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/s142-type-19-civil-%26-diplomatic-official-dress-sword-plimpton-collection# Check it out if you're interested; this one is in exceptionally fine condition. Thanks, Grey

I agree and will add that it wasn't very well done; the nakago is weak. I think this was put together out of existing parts. Grey

Hi John, A paper from the NBTHK usually carries more weight than one from other organizations, both here in the west and in Japan. If you are buying the sword from a dealer in Japan, you have to figure that he knows this as well as anyone does, and that he may have submitted the blade to the NBTHK (why wouldn't he; he's there) and received an answer he liked less than the one he got from the NTHK-NPO. I can't say for sure that this is what happened, maybe he was satisfied with the NPO paper or maybe it is a consigned sword and the owner didn't want a new paper or who knows why, but it is a possibility. You might ask the dealer if it has been submitted to the NBTHK and if not would he be willing to do that to clinch the sale. Might be interesting to see his answer. Grey

Or it is possible that this is a low grade fake; the file marks stop too low on the nakago. Pictures of the rest of the blade might help. Grey

Maybe Unshu Ju Fujiwara Fuyuhiro. This isn't Gunto; it is a significantly earlier sword. Grey

Tadashige Saku (Akasaka) tsuba made from horse tack Cheers, Grey

Hi John, Every sword you care about needs a bag for storage. The bag prevents UV fading and deterioration of handle wrap and sageo, and protects the sword from dust and curious fingers of people who don't understand how to handle the sword. Padded bags protect lacquered sayas. Also, if a sword is picked up up-side down, it won't fall out of the saya to the floor if it is in a bag. Of course, if a sword is on display you don't want it in a bag but, for reasons stated above, maybe you don't want all of your swords on permanent display. Grey

$250. Grey

Hi again Matt, Here is the care and handling brochure I mentioned: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ Grey

Hi Matt, The symbols are called Mon, a Japanese family crest. Your sword is a traditional samurai sword, not a WWII military sword, and the fact that the same mon appears on both the scabbard and the handle piece (fuchi) tells us that care was taken in mounting the sword and it might be something worth attention. Resist all urges to fix anything you think is wrong with the sword; well meaning amateurs often do unwitting damage. Please leave repairs to the pros. Normally here I would post a link to a care and handling website but I have a new computer and have lost my bookmarks. Maybe someone else will post it for us. If you have other questions and would like to talk with someone, feel free to call sometime. I'd be glad to help. Best, Grey 218-726-0395 central time

Hi Mike, If you drill out the rivet be careful not to drill deeper than just the peened head of the rivet; you don't want to mess with the handle or, as mentioned, with the tang (nakago) of the blade. You could try also a small cold chisel on top of the washer followed by a punch to push the rivet out. However you go at it, it would help if the sword were held steady. This could be someone to hold all in place while you use the drill or chisel, or you could clamp the tsuba in a wooden jaw vise on a workbench (as long as the tsuba is plain iron without soft metal inlay). Plenty of padding between the sword parts and bench & vise are called for. Don't be in a hurry to have your sword polished. Polish isn't necessary to preserve the sword, a light coat of oil will do that, and the more time you take to learn about the swords and polishing the happier you will be with the results. Grey

From what I can see, I bet the blade is either the working end of a broken katana that has been partially reshaped to erase the yokote (division line at the point) or something made quickly at the same time as the mounts were made. I agree that it is probably glued into the handle and there is nothing to be gained by trying to remove it (and the handle may get broken if you try). Grey

In case any of you are interested, this is the sword: https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/swords/q551-katana-papered-monju-patriotic-saying Grey

Hi Alden, You will find Care and Cleaning here: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ which will tell you a lot about handling your sword. I wouldn't use Never Dull; it alters the surface appearance and you want to keep everything original at this point. Alcohol should remove the cosmoline and is the easiest to find. Any light machine oil will do fine for your blade; sewing machine oil for instance. Stephen's towel on a counter top method for removing the handle should work fine. Have an inch or 2 of the towel hanging over the edge so you don't damage the counter and lay the side of the sword without the spring clip on the towel. Draw the sword back and slide it forward, increasing force as needed until the blade starts to walk out of the handle. Other than removing the cosmoline, don't try to fix anything; well meaning amateurs often do unwitting damage. If your bamboo peg is damaged or brittle, replace it with a whittled chopstick. This pin is important as it locks the blade in the handle and prevents it from falling loose. Welcome to the club. Grey