Christian Chaffee

Hi BaZZa, I found it stated that Munekazu was a member of the Matsuura family, as well as a sword smith. I am not sure if being a member of the family is a blood relation, or an accepted member in a clan. Thanks for the link. I don't know of the connection between DOI SHINRYO school and Munekazu. I'll read the information on the link... Thanks!

I am just learning about the sword myself.It's a 28 1/2 inch beauty... a real cutter. I thought it was a cut test. The maker is basically unknown, and research needs to be done on the family who had the inscriptions put on the tang. I don't have the background to do the research to find out more.

Thank you very much for your time and sharing your knowledge. Christian

Thanks! I am waiting...

Hi Guys, It has been a long time since I have been here on NMB. I need help translation what I think may be a cut test inscription. I also need to know the maker, and any other information that can be obtained from the inscriptions. I have posted 6 images. I will be checking back regularly, Thanks, Christian Chaffee

Hi Darcy,Chris,and Markus, Thanks for the translations of the sayagaki. The comment that it is a very rare reference piece, shows that Tanobe did recognize it as out of the ordinary, which is consistent with it being chosen to be included in the 1935 book. It goes to show... even the blind chicken finds the grain. To Darcy: You mentioned: "there are two signed Juyo that have gone to him. One is a signed and dated tanto.". How can I get images of the signed and dated tanto that went juyo, and do you know what year this was awarded? Thanks for your time, and sharing knowledge. Let me know if I can ever help you out when it comes to California and American art. Christian

Hi Jussi, Here are images if the shirasaya. Please let me know what the sayagaki says, as I never had it translated. Thanks, Christian

The well known polisher in Hawaii.... Bob B And to Stephen, I found this blade over a year ago, and figured it might be educational to let guys take a guess based on what I saw in the unpolished blade. It was only recently completed, and sent to Japan for the Jan. shinsa.

The polisher has shared his opinion, and he thinks it's a nambokucho Soshu blade. posting.php?mode=reply&f=9&t=20870# Yes the kissaki did have some light grinding marks. The sword has been polished, and the polisher has emailed me, and stated the blade came out flawless, and has a very strong and impressive temper line. I will have to wait for the results from the January shinsa before I know more.

Hi Jussi, The sword was awarded TH in 2007, and then got the Tanobe sayagaki. I should be able to dig it out of my safe, and post images of the sayagaki by next week.... Christian

Hi Hamfish, I never said it was a missing treasure. I just said I have a tanto, and an oshigata of it's tang was found in a book published on Japanese swords in 1935... which is all true. Until I have a complete translation, I don't know exactly what the book says. This will be known soon, and I'll post it here. If you do not see any similarity between the oshigata and the tang on my tanto....... look again, as no two sword tangs are alike. Christian

Hi Sanjuro, It never hurts to share an opinion, and I invite others to do so too. To make it a bit more interesting, this blade has been polished, and is now in Japan for the Jan. shinsa. I know what I think it is, but then, I am no expert, and a bit of a dreamer. Shimada was influenced by the school which I think made this blade. Christian

Hi Nagamaki, I sent it to be polished, and only have some images. Hopefully you can guess the proportions by the scale on the ruler. It's hard to evaluate blades based on just images. In this case what you can't see in my images is an unknown. Still many buy swords off eBay, and many times you only see a few images. This is a chance to take a stab at this, and make your best guess.... based only on what you can see in the images. Christian

Hi Stephen, Yes, I think it deserves a polish. Hi Chris, I think it's koto, with an early shinto period osuriage, so for the sake of answering this question, and moving forward with sharing your opinion, please assume it's koto. Thanks Guys, Christian

Hi Stephen, In this game of searching for the better swords, many will turn up out of polish. This is where being able to recognize a special blade, can result in a fun discovery. I am not saying this is a great blade... just saying that most of what I find, is in as-discovered condition, rusty, missing parts, and covered with many years of dirt, grime, and exposure. I know others have seen more, studied more, and know more, but I use what knowledge I have, and keep looking for that needle in a haystack because it makes my life more interesting. Please share your thoughts on this as-found blade! Christian

Yes, I agree... It's a rusty wakizashi. I paid $325, and the habaki needed to be replaced. I have posted more pics. Thanks, Christian

Please share your thoughts on this bare blade. It's a long waki.

sorry about two of the same image. Here is the other side of the blade.

And to Hamfish... Misery loves company..... and I am still waiting on the complete translation. I am sure you can imagine how I feel... and the only misery is waiting on the information. It makes me wonder.... how it went from being a published sword in Japan in 1935, to the picker who sold it to me with no saya. The blade some how survived a journey, which will always be a mystery. I am hoping it had high papers then, and has a known history. There may be the other side of the story out there... maybe it was confiscated, or turned in to one of police stations. I am sure to someone in Japan, it had to be considered missing after WWII, but then, that doesn't mean it's an officially missing important sword, like one of the known missing National Treasures. I'll update this post when I find out more. Until then, you have a few images of my tanto here on NMB.

Hello BigJohnShea, Okay, so your frustration has inspired your creativity.... very funny "parallel art" discovery story about the Picasso. Too many BS discovery stories out there, which lack proof, so I'll provide some proof. There are some people who don't come here as often as they would like (like me) so as I found time, I added a couple of clues, and sure enough, one of the sleuth's here on NMB used the clues, did research, and discovered the maker. I do agree, stories without images lack substance. I do have many images of my tanto, but don't want to let the cat entirely out of the bag, but then ...I seem to be doing it a little at a time. I am posting 4 images of it. One of each side to show the sugata, and close ups of the tip showing highly detailed forging and tempering characteristics at the tip. I hope these images look as good on here on NMB as they do my computer. By the way, my interest in Japanese swords is a very tiny percentage of what I do. I am an antique dealer, and have made some amazing discoveries in art. Last year, I found a painting at the Long Beach outdoor antique show for $80, and to make a long story short, it has been authenticated by the foremost expert on the artist, and professionally appraised at $600,000 to $700,000. In addition a color image of it will be shown in a new art reference book. This 3 volume set is being published now, and will be coming out next year. it's titled "Emerging From The Shadows" "Women Artists in California 1860-1960" by Maurine St Gaudens. My painting is going from discovery ....to being published in less than 2 years. It's a 16 X 12 oil by E. Charlton Fortune, and is of the Sardine Canneries in Monterey Harbor in CA. It was painted about 1914. Here is the real kicker... it's an unsigned painting. So, tell me more about your Picasso posting.php?mode=reply&f=1&t=20807#

Hi Alan, Here is a copy and past to the link where you can read the information I found, and used in that clue. http://books.google.com/books?id=46IYtI ... gu&f=false

Hi Martin, You are right. Yes, it is a Yamato Tegai Kanetsugu tanto, dated 1338-9.

Okay another clue. His father was the founder of the school, and at least one of his swords is a National Treasure.

Hi Chris Bowen, Yes, it is a mystery... until the translation is finished. Can you read the cover of the book? Thanks, Christian

Hey Peter, Funny Guy~! I am very glad to be able to tell you it's not the same sword you sold. This tanto received TH papers by the NBTHK around 2007, and has a sayagaki by Mr. Tanobe. Good to cross paths again!