mywei

平安城 Heianjo Can't really make out what comes after on your current photos, maybe 國 Kuni as the fourth

Looks like a Yamato Monju school smith signed with this Might be Terukuni https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/TER83 See ref https://www.nipponto...swords8/WK329721.htm

I think there's lots of examples of this i.e Daimei. E.g Shinkai signing for his father Kunisada, or Hizen branchline smiths signing for one of the mainline smiths etc Markus' article on Kajihei mentions this also specifically regarding Kajihei and the Naokatsu forge https://markussesko.com/2019/12/31/kajihei-鍛冶平/

Gimei is gimei regardless of when it was done. However it was not uncommon practice for contemporary colleagues in the same school to cut the mei on each others blades during the Shinto period onwards in my understanding, during times of high workloads (this is not gimei). Most gimei would probably have been done posthumously for various reasons, like a Daimyo family needing to possess a Masamune for prestige, or a struggling smith in the 19th century trying to make ends meet (eg Kajihei/Naomitsu or even Gassan Sadakazu) Hope that answers your question

This reference may be useful to you https://www.aoijapan...tsuyama-ju-kanesaki/

Kiyomaro (and disciples) come to mind when thinking of Shinshinto soshu den Naotane also made soshu den works

I would guess for the menuki 安随 (Anzui - not sure of if the first two is in the correct order) 安親 Yasuchika Interestingly the backs of yours look like this set from Aoi depicting Buddha - if your one shows the same? https://www.aoijapan.net/menuki-yasuchika/

The last paper Motif Botan+dragon, phoenix, dog Mumei Kyo Kenjo Nadekaku gata Jitetsu Kinko nunome zogan Kebori Dote-mimi 土手耳　（Karakusa-mon nunome zogan) Ryohitsu-ana 両櫃孔 Hope that helps @Brian

The first certificate looks like an old white NBTHK nintensho that got phased out in the 50s I believe Demon motif tsuba Signed Suifu ju Yasutsugu saku Jitetsu mokko gata Sukidashibori 鋤出彫 Nunome zogan

丁亥 __(3rd character some sort of bird I think) __ 杏花

Might be signed 利典 but I'm not 100% on the second character What Ray meant by his signature comment is that it is a forged signature by another smith (this is called gimei). This is very common for this particular smith (Kotetsu) whose works have been notoriously subject to forgery as his real work is extremely valuable

Looks like a great resource! Thanks for sharing

Kaga Shinto smith 2 generations, active around Jokyo-Joo era See refs https://www.toukenko...i&katanaA050623.html https://sword-auction.com/en/product/9105/as21495-刀：加賀住藤原長次初代/

There's no need to take this 'personally' imo, it's not an attack on your person or character after all. When you ask for opinions from others there will always be those that you disagree with, unless you just want everyone else to validate your pre-formed opinion on the matter. Unfortunately with really big names like Mutsu Tadayoshi in good recent polish, you have to wonder why it doesn't have papers? You would expect any previous owners to have attempted a shinsa especially if they went to the trouble of polishing it. This does looks like a good blade with konuka appearing hada and an active gunome hamon but questions will always remain in its current state. The signature is not a 100% match to papered Mutsu and the nakagojiri seems different to other ubu examples? Without seeing it in person no one can really say for sure. I would suggest the only to put it to bed would be to send it for shinsa. My two cents

江州彦根住 藻柄子入道宗典製　 Goshu Hikone ju Mogarashi Nyudo Soten sei Box also says Motif Unryu with raging waves (荒波雲龍) Late Edo period

Jon have a look at these ubu examples and compare the shape of nakago to yours Also have a look at the file markings on your nakago and see where they end to get an idea of how much has been shortened https://www.seiyudo.com/ka-060922.htm https://www.samurais....jp/sword/12114.html

The black dots circled appear to be ji-nie Good pickup for $200 IMO!

It's not ubu though!

By the way if this goes to any of the big hitters on NMB my only request is to share close up pictures of it when in hand Thanks in advance

Might not be what you're looking for but https://nihontou.jp/...gu/nagae/053/00.html Elegant naginata signed Heishiro Yoshimasa (not sure 1st or 2nd gen.), lacks papers but looks like a active work in his style in good condition

For those interested, a Hosho daito just got listed on Aoi One of those once-in-a-blue-moon type of blade that don't come for public sale that often I wouldn't think (and priced accordingly 😔) But a good reference piece with that niiicee masame hada https://www.aoijapan...nd-nbthk-juyo-token/

Hi Jon, It would also help to clarify what you are wanting out of these blades. I think if it is for a financial investment you may be hard pressed to recoup your investment on resale let along make a profit imho. But if for learning purposes etc then to each their own! It may be worth waiting however, and going for a better sword later! Not having photos of the blades but just going at face value: Blade 1. Late Omiya school, may be an interesting blade but Tokuno papers are a liability in the market. Also not ubu Blade 2. shinto from a mid ranking smith - but less desirable in the market generally as there will be a lot of shortened/not ubu Shinto blades around Blade 3. Mumei wakizashi attributed to Takada school - I suspect may be overpriced if asking similar prices as the other blades. The fact that it is, unsigned, not ubu, a wakizashi and Bungo Takada will all make it hard to resell.

Hi Steve I did wonder about the discrepancy in the Ki 記 on this tsuba, but perhaps wrongly assumed it was just a variation given the same pronunciation! Interestingly I found another tsuba of this design and inscription but just signed 紀宗政 without the Myochin. This was a probably a popular design that had a few copies made at the time? Which would make them at risk of having gimei also ... https://ginza.choshu..._3200/3165/k3165.htm

See this for reference - Myochin Munemasa, looks like your one https://www.shoubudo...il.php?product_id=54 Hachiman Taro - also known as Minamoto no Yoshiie, a military figure from the Heian period, whose Mon was that of a dove "鳩" Hope that helps

三 -- 住武則 Maybe 三戸(Mito)?