Ray Singer

1. You are correct, this first purports to be by the famous Gassan smith Sadakazu 2. The second is gimei (fake inscription) of Etchu Norishige

All of your photos are upside down but this appears to be at Takayama-to blade by Masanao. https://www.google.c...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

This is an beautiful gendaito by Hizen Yoshitada which really shows the tradition of the Hizen Tadayoshi school in modern times. The Tadayoshi school was one of the preeminent groups of swordsmiths working during the Edo period, and maintained the high standards of quality during that time. This sword is by the gendai smith Kinoshita Yoshitada, who was a rikugun jumei tosho smith during the Showa period who won 1st seat in the 1941 shinsakuto competition. The hada is a fine ko-itame absolutely covered in ji-nie which reminds of the konuka-hada the Tadayoshi school was renowned for. The hamon is a beautifully executed suguha with deep ashi and yo (again, in the Tadayoshi style). The sword is in shirasaya with koppa-maki and has a gold foil habaki. The nakago is well signed and has been maintained in excellent condition. The Yoshitada also has an accompanying shin-gunto koshirae with smooth green saya. Mei: Hizen (no) kuni junin Yoshitada kore o tsukuru Nengo: Showa ju shichi nen ni gatsu Nagasa: 60.8cm Moto-haba: 3.2cm Sori: 1.4cm Kasane: 0.78cm $3,600 + shipping & PayPal

Noshu Seki ju Kojima Katsumasa saku https://www.google.c...1034&bih=790&dpr=2.5

I believe this is: 備州長定 - Bishu Nagasada

A Mantetsu-to. Please see below for information and examples. https://www.google.c...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I believe it is Kikuhide, dated 1945

Noshu Seki ju ni ju sandai Fujiwara Kanefusa kore o saku. The nagasa (length) is below. Just unclear in the photo.

https://www.google.c...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Ishihara Yoshisada. If you search here in the group you will find a number of posts on Yoshisada.

Fujiwara Kinju

Seki Kanemune

Ishihara Yoshisada saku Showato arsenal blade (not traditionally made)

Nobumitsu, dated 1944

Still available. $3,400 + shipping & PayPal. Please email raymondsinger@gmail.com for any inquiries..

Please see below regarding mantetsu-to. https://www.japaneseswordindex.com/koa.htm

Mizuta Sukenori

The appearance of the nakago patina is very unusual, which you can see both where patina runs into the nakago mune and at the habaki-moto (compare with a normal and natural sabigiwa). My impression is that the piece has been repatinated. I'm not trying to put down something that you said was intended to be an inexpensive display piece, just sharing my thoughts as you posted here for feedback.

A suriage blade, shortened after Bishu Fujiwara. Appears to be suriage shinto Owari.

Comment removed, I overlooked that you had the translation.

Hi Jeff, your tanto is signed Yamato (no) kuni Norinaga. This js the mei if the famous founder of the Yamato Shikkake school, and there were several other individuals that work later using the same mei of Norinaga. My impression is that the mei is later than when the Norinaga lineage worked ( meaning this may not be an authentic inscription) but this otherwise can be a very nice and legitimate koto tanto. Best regards, Ray

I believe it is Noshu Seki ju Goto Kanehiro saku

The mei is Minamoto Kiyomaro. Almost all Kiyomaro mei we see are gimei (fake inscriptions).

Signed Tadayuki and dated Showa 27 (1942). Showato blade.