Roland

Yeah, that's indeed an interesting question. When I first saw the sword my spontaneous idea was: "Oh, that looks much like a Kunitoki I!" On the other hand a lot of even higher level Enju swords up to Juyo Token are classified as Den Enju...

Oh happy day… After quite some time of research, visiting a lot of dealers and talking with a few more experienced nihonto addicts I succeeded in buying a really nice papered Den Enju katana. I have to shoot a couple of photos during the next few days but for now here are the first quick impressions (no hagire to be seen on the photos, just a few tiny hairs from our cats Enjoy!

Hi Chris, that's really great news! Please don't hesitate to ask for help here in the forum. May be the one or the other will be able to provide you with university contacts if necessary.

Hi Darcy and all… Well, do I see an extremely tight Ko-Itame with ji-nie, a true Nashiji Hada? An almost wet and "oily" look? Suguha Hamon with really thick Ko-Nie? It seems so in my unexperienced eyes. Yes, this indeed could be an Awataguchi blade.

Darcy, Darcy, that's not nice to tell such mouthwatering news here Alone this Ko-Bizen… phew… Photos? Please don't put us on the rack

That's what the Kashima sisters are showing on their suriage subpage here: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/suriage.html (just scroll down!)...

If I understand it right, there still seems to be a faint hint of the original signature after someone centuries ago tried to eliminate it – may be by order of Togugawa Ieyasu, who lost several close friend, father and grandfather by Muramasa swords. Anyway it's exiting to see such a masterpiece with its perfectly mirrored hamon.

Dear friends and Nihonto addicts, That's the first time I have seen a true Muramasa for sale from a serious online shop. Even the price seems quite fair: 2,800,000¥ – what a pity that that's a bit beyond my actual budget, lol… http://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katanaA040713.html

Dear friends, What would you prefer as a first time kantei paper if you want to send an unpapered Nihonto to shins for authentication – NTHK or NBTHK? It seems that during the last few years we have seen a growing number of NBTHK papering. Is the NTHK "out of the game" nowadays? What's about the relationship between both organizations? To what extent do they compete? Just wondering…

I prefer koto swords: Ko-Mihara or Aoe, Enju or Rai – both because of their calm, more conservative style, and beautiful hada and hamon; also the fascinating evolution of style from Yamato Shizu, Naoe Shizu to Den Mino and from there on to Michina school in Shinto times;

Thanks a lot, dear friends, that helps me a lot :-)

Dear friends, it would be nice and helpful if someone with a much better understanding than me could translate the meaning of this sayagaki. As it seems it's talking about a Kanesada sword…? Thanks a lot for your kind advice!

Hm, I think you hit the point, Chris!

It's no hijacking, not at all! Just in contrary. It's helpful (not only for myself I hope) to recapitulate what I'm really interested in, and what's my intention in collecting and studying Nihonto. It's not for the plain value of an object of art. When I observe my feelings there are a few works which always seem to talk to me: from the Koto period Ko-Mihara, Enju, Gassan, from Shinto times Hizen Tadayoshi and Kanemichi (Michina). It's not easy to answer why these talk to me and others don't. And though on one hand I could imagine to build up a small Koto collection with just one exemplary work from each of the five main streams of the Gokaden, on the other hand that feels a bit to academic – in the way that a strict concept like this would outrule lots and lots of involving works waiting for discovery. But isn't exactly that the quintessence of each passion – curiosity? just my five cents

Thanks a lot, dear friends, these were some really useful posts. I think I'll take a somewhat bigger amount of money and invest in a papered, well maintained and higher quality piece :-)