BIG

Full of wonders..

I do not know about a coincidence, but both blades dated mid autumn 1817.. we saw the Naotane/Kajihei and now here is a real Naotane Kagemitsu/Kanemitsu utsushi https://www.touken-m...duct/shousai/KA-0663

Tom, here are the results.. https://www.christie...x?saleid=19342&lid=1 Best Peter

A personal “early” tsuba for me.. https://sword-auction.com/en/product/3692/af20513-鍔：無銘/

Bob, do you have a 2024 DTI translation.. and will share it.. Best Peter

I think the ware is inpriced. But is a nice blade, indeed. Without that “no eye candy” see this blade and koshirae at 30 000 bucks. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/flaws.html BTW did anyone saw that ware on more Naotane blades..

updated .. https://www.samuraim...u-hozon-certificate/

rabbit.. https://www.aoijapan...zen-ju-kinai-saku-2/

Congrats Jim, really a nice sword !!

Religious theme and political/social theme combination.. https://de.linkedin....153322958704640-C6XS

Tsuba design reminds me this school.. http://www.ricecrack.../827_tsuba_kiku.html

Do not find the missons art gifts for prussia, .. but we have these gifts in France. I will try to find out more about this poor wakizashi. https://www.japanpol...082920221811409.html

https://www.livescie...unearthed-in-germany

https://artplatform....tions?artistID=A3718 Get your kick..

I have the German book „Japanische Schmiedekunst“ and strongly recommend it. Dr. Rudolf Dick visited traditional blacksmith families and did a great job in documenting in word and pics the art of Japanese smithing. In 2015 he meet Gassan Sadatoshi and wrote a nice and informative Nihonto Chapter. I see the same pictures in the German book and in the new English book, so may be( almost ) identical..

Brian for me is the historical background, the detective work collecting not only items but wisdom and infos, and of course the „Vorfreude“ some kind of a collection philosophie. A „some“ pieces collection gives me many books, articles and pdf`s.. So I think collecting is „a fleet in being“ and makes you stronger every day.. Other words if you are tired of moving foreward, you NEED a hobby..

https://www.supeinni...ta-iron-horse-tsuba/

https://www.the-sale...3e0af503e58a926c722c

Nice, not sure if it depicts a swordsmith.. https://www.the-sale...bd81eadfcf8b4eb9fc32

And Ikeda Suematsu was the director of SWORD FITTINGS MUSEUM https://www.christie...word-fittings-20000/

The NBTHK`s 1973 Tokubetsu Kicho paperd the sword as „Naotane“. Touken Matsumoto said the sword has recently given mei to Kajihei. I think the NBTHK`s research ( see the KAJIHEI OSHIGATA book by IKEDA SUEMATSU ) do not cry out their mistake and shout GIMEI, but saw Kajihei mei „mainly with his KAO work..“ I think Kajihei did a good Naotane mei and kao job, as he did during his masters lifetime. And it`s a fine sword he forged and it was quickly sold. Really a real history sword for every Naotane den collection..

Nice sword and nice Naotane mei. Isn`t it.. https://www.touken-m...duct/shousai/KA-0599

https://www.asisonli...eting-small-museums/

Insider job?? https://www.bbc.com/...rticles/c3gqq7xy5xdo