Grey Doffin

Hi Jake, Hard to tell from the photo with my old eyes if that is just the hand or something else but, would a properly trained artist have even only the hand covered when mounted? Doesn't make sense to me. Perhaps this is very late work, possibly made for western tourists to Japan, and no one worried about mounting. Grey

The item in the hand on tsuba 2 would be covered by the seppa when mounted, which is troubling. Grey

The tsuba in the original post is questionable at best. There is no reason why tsuba would be significantly wider than tall - I can't recall ever seeing one - so there is no need for the 2nd nakago ana. Also, if the 2 nakago ana are sized to fit any sword with a close to usual size nakago - hard to know because the seller doesn't give the dimensions - in either orientation the seppa would cover parts of the sukashi. This again wasn't done. Most this one can hope for is that it is a real tsuba that has been crudely altered; otherwise it is some sort of fantasy piece. Grey

Hi guys, As some of you know, Mark and I sold a few hundred tsuba from the Skip Holbrook collection a few years ago. I have just added 7 more tsuba from the collection to my site. You will find them on top of my Tsuba and Kodogu pages: https://japaneseswor...tegory/tsuba-kodogu/ These are nice; have a look. Thanks, Grey ps. If anything interests you, contact me through my site please, not with personal message here on NMB. I need your emails to keep track of business.

Or, by soldering 2 habaki together you can build a sword from random parts. Easier than making a new tsuka. Grey

Hi Scott, Here you will find care and handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ It is perfectly OK that the shirasaya doesn't close all the way; this is not a problem. Don't force the blade further in then it wants to go. Don't put the blade in the koshirae; it belongs in the shirasaya and may get scratched by the koshrae. Grey

Hi John, Bingo Masayuki will be one of two smiths who worked in the mid 19th century. Neither of them were particularly famous but even mediocre smiths have a good day. Hard to tell much from such limited information but, as long as there are no serious defects in the blade, this should be worth $1K or a bit better. This just a guess; in hand examination by someone knowledgeable and honest is needed. Grey

Hi guys, Someone bought a tsuba from me at the show and didn't get the Hozon paper that belongs with it (Mumei Kodai Higo). If this is you please send me an email with a picture of your tsuba and your address; I'll send the paper. Thanks, Grey Doffin gdoffin at gmail.com

Hi Sherif, Here you will find a brochure: Care and Cleaning, that will help you with proper handling: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Cheers, Grey

The handle is wrapped wrong. Too many red flags here. I think there is a reason the pig is in a poke; I'd stay away unless it is dirt cheap or you can see it in hand. Grey

Hi Mike, Here is a link to care and handling for Japanese swords; please pass it along. https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/ Grey

I think there is a good chance this and many other swords from WWII with bullet holes through the saya suffered the damage after the war when a couple of GIs thought it would be cool to have a bullet hit sword and did the deed. We'll never know for sure, of course, but this one with 3 hits seems a bit suspicious. Grey

The reason I called this Paul Chen is the signature of the Chen I saw once included Chu Koku (Middle Kingdom or China) Dairen (city in China). The signature on this sword looked close. Any case, it isn't Japanese; that's for sure. Grey

Hi Aaron, I believe this is a Chinese sword by Paul Chen, a modern reproduction of sorts. Grey

Never had one. Grey

Hi Andy, It looks like the sword has lost enough kissaki/boshi that, even if it is salvageable, the cost/effort would exceed the value of a compromised Emura when complete. Funds would be better spent on a different sword. And you need to reconsider your plan to practice polishing. It is something that can't be learned without a properly trained teacher, can't be learned from videos. Among the last things we need is another self taught sword shiner. Please don't do that. Grey

Hi Max, 1. Are there any books specifically about differentiating and appraising knives? Not really. There are dozens of books that will help you on the way but not one with all the answers. Seems like you're asking for a shortcut around study; there is none. Take your time with books, sword shows where you can see Nihonto in hand, and ask lots of questions. There will never be a time when good and better pieces aren't available and the more you know before you buy one the happier you'll be with it. Cheers, Grey

Izumi no Kami Rai Kinmichi. Grey

Hi Robert, I suspect this is shakudo that has been improperly cleaned and has lost its black surface. Pity. Grey

Hi Colin, You said, "My understanding of the term “fatal” is used where the ability of the sword to function as intended as a weapon is compromised." If we were talking about a weapon only, I understand where you're coming from (but I doubt a mild steel kissaki on a slicing weapon (tachi) would be much of a compromise). But Nihonto are not a weapon only; they are also art and history and have always been valued as such. I don't think the hi breaching the ko-shinogi hinders the function as a weapon; it does diminish the value as art. Grey

I'm not upset Colin; all is good. Related to my post about the painting as compared to the tachi is the term "fatal flaw" For me, fatal implies worthless, not to be collected., which isn't the case with a Kamakura era tachi with a cosmetic boshi. Maybe a different term is needed. Another facet of the topic is retempered boshi, which I'm sure has happened. Where would they fall on the fatal/non fatal scale? And getting back to the blade in the original post in this thread: I am more bothered by the hi broaching the ko-shinogi than I am by the possibility that the boshi is cosmetic; it strikes me as a more fatal flaw. Cheers, Grey

Sorry Colin but I think my post about old master paintings with cosmetic repair was precisely to the point: if the painting can still be appreciated for what it is why should 700 year old Nihonto be different? In my mind this is a continuation of the subject. Grey

If an old master oil painting is shown to have had a corner repainted after damage, is it any less a masterpiece? Grey

Since I was the one to bring this up, let me add. I have been told by people who know a whole lot more than I do that cosmetic boshi is allowable and paper worthy on early blades without other fatal flaws. Kissaki are easily broken in use and reshaping the kissaki is the practical solution to the problem. Mr. Nakahara, in his book translated as Facts and Fundamentals of Japanese Swords, goes so far as to say that the majority of early tachi with ko-kissaki have been broken and reshaped; it wasn't the original shape of the kissaki. What's more, a talented polisher can do a cosmetic boshi so well, I'm not sure anyone could know just by looking. If you can't tell if the boshi is cosmetic, how can you say the sword is fatally flawed? All this taken together means some great, highly esteemed blades, have lost their boshi and we all let it slide. Grey

Looks like at least a cm of the original kissaki is lost. Odds are good the boshi is gone also and you're seeing a cosmetic boshi, added by the polisher. Many tachi from Kamakura and earlier have this problem. It isn't fatal but isn't insignificant either. Grey