trygve

Hello ! I am trying to id this mei. I Think the mei reads Yoshimitsu. The fellow I got it from said it read Yoshimoto. But The last kaji looks to me more like "mitsu" than "moto". I have gone through my books. And cant find any that it could be. It is in bad polish with a few places were the hamon and hada shows. Hawlay list a bunch of yoshimitsu from koto. I wonder if someone with Nihon To Koza , koto could check this mei against one of the later generations of the Tosa Yoshimitsu smiths. I have heard that the Bizen Book have many exampels of the Tosa School. Because of the nakago, nijimei. Sori =3 cm, nagasa = 74 cm and narrow suguha/notare hamon, irragular boshi, patina and rusty nakago and at least the many polishes it has seen I think it is a koto pice. I think it may be a early Muromachi period. Any thoughts??? More better photos of the sword and mei click at this link: http://home.online.no/~kjoklepp/yoshimitsu.cfm Thanks trygve

it looks like a ebay fake- The colour of the rust. The chisel strokes. The characters is wrong. The fittings also looks cheap. regrds trygve

Is this an order from a person or something else? Since the use of "the" before "Oyabu Motonari's order". Thank you for the translatian. Sincerely trygve

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thats right. The first row of kanji I have translated. It is the second row (the smaller kanji) I have problems with. trygve

I need some help with this. The mei on this sword is "Chikugo Kurume Ju Kiyotsuna Saku". I have translated the date but the second row with kanji I have problems with. I think the first kanji is Ozu.... something. need professional help Sincerely trygve

Darcy Brockbanks wrote a very good article on how to take photos of nihonto. If you have seen his photos at http://www.nihonto.ca, you will understand that this article tells it all. This article is more like a book but is a must read for all that wants to take good photos. Its a pitty DB is not around this forum anymore - he had some very good articles. The article used to be found at The nihonto knowledge Base. Maby some of the senior members has it on file in their harddrive. sincerely trygve

Some time ago I bought a similar piece from one respected US dealer. It was sold as a late shinto - early shin-shinto wak This was in the same condition. looked like real nihonto with nice nakago with good patina and filemark, sugata, kissaki also good, . It came back from the polisher with with the message that it was missing hamon. The polisher also thought it to be a real nihonto, but after opening a window on the blade there where none of the trademark of a traditionally med sword. Well ! it a risky thing to buy these out of condition blades. But it is worth it when one comes over a nice blade and thay arrive with new polish from the togishi

the blade in question certenly has all the known elements of a real nihonto. The nakago, kissaki, sugata all looks right. the blade is rusty and many scratches wich make it very hard to judge if there is a hamon and jihada. But some places in the ha there is little rust. I should be able to se some outlines or difference in the metal. I have seen many sword in bad condition and most of them you will find some indication on hamon if its not to badly rusted. I am starting to think it may be fire damage and lost its hamon. I have bought a few sword fram Japan before and they usually comes with shinsa papers from differents appraiser. This is the first time I got the registration card with the sword I think I maybe will post some photos!' trygve

If a sword do have a authentic registration card, I can asume it is real? I understand the comitee that do the examination are all qualified sword experts. Is it common to fake these registrations card in order to sell as antique sword. trygve

Hello! I know that all Japanese sword need to have a registration card. Is this just for antigue sword and shinsakuto made by smiths working in the traditionally way. Or do all Iaido + sharp "wall hengers" need one to! Whar information do the registration card contain? Sincerely trygve

Rich S! Thanks for the info! On sho.shin.com, in the smith list, Kiyohide is listed as the son of Kiyohiro. The mei in questioning is Kiyotsuna - maybe he is the brother of Kiyohide since Hawley list Kiyotsuna as the son if Kiyohiro. 10 points -not much to brag about - But did not Halwey list many shin -shinto and Gendai smiths with 10 point without judging their real quality. Or so they say ? trygve

Hallo! I looking for information on a smith from Chikugo province that worked about 嘉永 Kaei 1848. The smith name is Kiyotsuna/tsune. I have only found referance to Kiyohide that worked about Tenpo 1830. Could it be one of his students. If someone with access to Fujishiro og Halweys could you be so kind to look it up for me. Thanks in advance trygve

cashew lacquer is the next best thing. This is used in stead of urushi. Urushi is a very strong and poisening natural laquer and is forbidden in many countries. The cashew laquer is synthetic. Yoy can buy it on Fred Lohmans site, Shadowofleaves or http://www.namikawa-ltd.co.jp/english/index.html. good luck trygve

hello agin. My humble collections consist of two katanas and three waks for the time being. my resources are small after I got me a little boy and his mother is watching me closely. Since most of my money tends to go to dipers, I need to sell before I can buy. This limits my expansion. But it looks like a purchase is coming my way soon.(maybe) It must be very interesting to train under Eri Kusano Sensei. I heard she is 6 th dan. I would have liked to trained Tenshin shoden but we only have kendo and Iaido here. Must be fun to master naginata, yari, katana, wak, stick and defense all in one. Gjerne ta kontakt med meg på e-post trygve.klepp@myhome.no Siden vi er så får bør vi utveksle informasjon o.l Vennlig hilsen Trygve

Nice to see someone from my own country is into nihonto. Nihonto is rare here in norway. You may be lycky in some auctions. I bought a katana in an auction some years ago in Bergen where I live. I belive there is no community here in norway. You have som Martial art people. (Like myself (kendo)) that takes the intrest a little bit further and start to collect nihonto. I been collecting a few years and been lurking on this board ever since Rich T help me with a Mino Mumei Katana I inherit from my father. Regards Trygve Bergen Norge

Can I ask who is/was the polisher and which school he belongs to ? Hi Carlo! I have not translated the polishers mei yet. Its been a while since I studied this blade and dont remeber if I did translate it back then. The polish is very nice. I have a photo of it on this link. http://home.online.no/~kjoklepp

Hello! I have seen a few with the polishers mei under the habaki. Its not common, but some polishers do it if they are pleased with the result. I have a Mizuta Bichu "kunishige" katana with polisher inscription and burnishing lines under the habaki. trygve