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I wish it was Kiyomaro, unfortunately it is only Masayuki :-). But at least it is not only probably, but confirmed! I'm not much worried on the ROI. I've roughly had € 1000 in this blade, mainly because the "time capsule" setup attracted me. I've attached a few more shots of the tang. Tough to show but notice that around the large hole the tang becomes significantely much thinner on the cutting side (I've tried to highlight this with red lines). I really wonder if this was where the blade originally started and parts of the tang were chopped off? Also some more detail shots of the file markings. Some are rather wild.

Did you refer to the mounting only, or also on the blade? I'm mainly asking since the other blade shown in this thread houses a very different blade. Maybe they made these as tourist pieces, but simply used any older blade of smaller value (at least at that time of smaller value) they could find? Brian, I unfortunately do not know any polishers. And maybe this is also because I'm not too deep into this topic, but can a blade be polished despite it was engraved/will the polishing harm the engraving? It would be appreciated if someone could tell me what a fair offer on it, pictured as is, is, because as mentioned it belongs to a friend of mine who is looking to sell it. Thanks!

Last update for today, I promise: a few mobile phone shots that I've did of the blade. Hope they shows what was asked for.

Thanks for the replies! I've tried various picture styles. The first attached picture was done with the scanner *edit* sending the message throws them out of order. The pic showing the tip from both sides was taken with the scanner *edit* whereas the others were done with the camera. When I lay the blade on its back the (roughly measured, as far as I could do) highest open point under it was 18mm until blade started again. I think this is what was meant with Sori? Jigane is very tough to picture, easier visible with the Scanner. But what the Scanner shows isn't really visible in reality, so not sure this would be helpful?

Well, long time no posts from my side, then two threads within two days. Was at a retired gunsmith friend of mine today when he handed me over a Tanto which he was given for sale. Took it home with me for closer inspection and of course took better pictures to get feedback because I've never seen anything like this before. The mounting is so massive, you simply can't believe it when you have it in hands. Especially since it is heavy as well (total weight of all parts is 1418g). Due to not being able to find something comparable I however have no idea whether this is original, or just a modern day reproduction that was fitted with an older blade. One side of the jaw of the dragon is broken off, tried to show this in pictures - that damage seems to be older however. Overall length of mounting is 47cm, the blade itself only has 37,5cm length of which 26cm are cutting length. The blade seems to be older, but not in very good condition. It however has a nicely engraving on it. Please find attached some pictures that I took, if there is any more to show, let me know! Plus a big thanks in advance for any help that you can give me on it!

I had missed to take a picture showing both sides of the blade in full length, hence I took one just very quick'n'dirty this morning. Please find it attached. If someone wants to view this picture in a much higher resolution (at 5000px height) please CLICK HERE.

Hey guys, well, it was not a big surprise to myself that after the first blade I had to get myself another one if I would see one that appears to be of interest to me. This was one of the cases - especially since it came directly from the vet (or his wife - she turned 97 and moved to a nursed home; he already had died). She didn't care much on his souvenir since it still was in the wooden box in which he had sent it back home. I've attached a few pictures of this box. Someone was researching on behalf of the widow on the blade, mainly because she wanted some money, I made an offer that was accepted. Then it was shipped at beginning of May - and disappeared in tracking at the end of May. Turned up again mid of August, and today finally received it! I was amazed by the fact that inside the wooden box that I said I definitely would want with the blade was a clothing bag in which the blade was stored within a Shirasaya. I've been told this is a Tachi, based on the shape, and that it must had been shortened (based on the amount of holes). Total length is 96cm, blade length is 75,5cm. Yes, there are some small rust pittings on it, unfortunately, but at least the hamon is still visible and otherwise not bad. I wiped it down with oil to make sure the rusting will stop. Looking forward to be educated on what I've purchased and please forgive me my incorrect wording and especially since I'm sure I'll need to look up words that will be used in the replies. So please make them as simple as possible for me to understand ;-). Any ideas on where and when it was made, any features that I should know? And to have made this very clear, I bought this for myself because the ensemble itself was attractive to me and I somewhat got caught with Nihonto as well - hence I'm not selling this! To however find out if I overpaid or underpaid this Tachi it would be appreciated if I would be given feedback where you would place the value of this ensemble. More pics to follow, once I know what you need to see. Most pictures were taken with the DSLR, but also tried with the HighRes scanner, these are the last two pictures. I hope you can see the details that are important. If not, let me know what else I should picture and I'll do my best!

First of all: I'm learning and this by reading as much as I can, to understand as much as possible. So please forgive me if I'm wrong - it would be of great interest to be correctened and understand why this is wrong. My intention was not to form a simple rule, it was more intended to understand the view of others on the value and maybe take with me a very broad and highly general guidance rule. Of course every item should be looked at itself only, but where do you start when you put a value on a specific item. There is nothing such as "pricing modules" which would work (I guess?), so when trying to determine a value I assume it is either based on prices the particular item may have been bought or sold for in the past, or it will be compared with other items and based on variables put into a certain relation to something else. Coming across several times the argument that a later produced blade is of higher quality, I therefore had wondered if this might been a very general guidance. I however do need to admit that my conclusion was mainly based on the assumption that the more experience a smith has, the higher the quality in theory should be. And the higher the quality, the higher the value would usually be.

Trying to learn on Nihonto and when speaking and researching specific topics I also tried to understand a bit more on the pricing. While I fully understood and can only concur that each item has to be looked at individually and specific details can result in a particular item not following this rule, I had however wondered that if it can be seen as general rule that the later a particular smith made a particular item and therefore with greater experience the higher the value is when comparing it with early works. Yes, the value is the sum of (additionally) a huge amount of small potential influences such as previous owner, cutting test, if the smith had a bad day, etc., but if ignoring those and as a maybe very superficial and overall guidance rule I wanted to understand whether the Nihonto collecting world would see the later item from the same smith at higher quality level and therefore also estimate a later item at higher value. Sorry if this might be very controversial and/or sound very amateurish - I'd not deny I'm a beginner, but I'm here to learn and the question above was something I couldn't find an answer upon. So thanks for any input in advance!

Your pictures would be much better if you did not use artificial light but natural light. Best is a cloudy day for outside pictures. This way you don't have any glares and the same amount of light on every part. Camera might also be a problem, but the best camera will give worse results with poor light than most cameras with good light.

If you had been last year‘s European NBTHK gathering in Munich, that was where a personal and local friend of who is also into Nihonto handed it over.. you may had been able to take a look at it there. Well, now I am highly looking forward to get it back!

It was approx one year until I got confirmation of it being original, that includes export to Japan. From what I learnt quite fast. No idea how long polishing takes, not much worried on this at all. Can‘t go much wrong from now on, quality is more important than speed. And since I‘ve been asked, everything is handled by japanische-schwert-galerie of Germany.

I did not have the feeling nor the impression that people in here tried to make me believe my blade was gimei. Some thought this way, some said there are chances. At least that was opposite to the Wehrmacht-Awards Forum where I originally asked. Funnily some members there who in public told me my blade is a Gimei on the other hand sent private messages asking if I would sell it. This did not happen in here and I really enjoyed the discussion since I also learnt some new terms. During all of this process it was very interesting for me to see that most were highly reluctant. Especially if someone like Darcy tells you he does not dare to give an opinion and it should be looked at in Japan, I heard exactly the same from the contacts in Germany from the European NBTHK. The final conclusion of those was that it has differences from known samples, yet all of them said it needs to be looked at at very high level plus told me to go through the risk and hassle to get it to Japan. I've also been told in private by some that most out of Japan and/or without having it in hand would not dare to either call it original or gimei because if Japan said this or that, well then they would in public be the ones that said exactly opposite to Japan. Anyway, all of this encouraged me to get the blade to Japan through a contact in German. I followed all of the recommendations this person gave me, and so far everything was more than 100% correct and I'm highly satisfied with my decisions and really curious to see the result of the polish.

Short update since I have been asked several times by members anyway and recently made aware of good news: the blade was sent to Japan and after a very long time it took it to go through customs it was shown to Tanobe san who said the signature is authentic. Then it was submitted (unpolished as is) to NBTHK Shinsa. I have been informed today that NBTHK as well classified the signature as authentic, but for papering they‘ll need to see it polished. So it will now be polished as well as a Habaki and Shirasaya being made.

Thanks! And funny detail, both are in Austria!

Can someone please help me in translating what is written on this tsuba? Thank you!

First of all, sorry for having posted it in the wrong section! I was not aware of the meaning of Tosogu, hence the wrong selection. Thanks to whoever moved it to the right section (took me some time to find my own thread..). I fully agree on the elephant being partially hidden. Took me some time to see him myself. Odd when looking at how perfectly well made and correctly done all other shown items are, whereas the elephant is misproportioned and incorrectly looking. Re the translation: can I really post the pictures in the translation section again?

Visited a friend who is a retired gunsmith today and was surprised to see he has had two Tsubas of which he said he has had them for a very long time. He borrowed them to me for taking pictures and trying to find out a bit more on them. Can you tell me which period they are from and maybe what the inscription on them reads? I also had wondered what that one guy is pulling on the second Tsuba, if anyone can recognize it? Thanks in advance!

I knew most would not appreciate it and I would not had done this, had I not known what I am doing. I mentioned it is something non-acid which I'm touching with my hands as well, and my fingers didn't fall off by now nor am I'm bleeding to death. And I've cleaned everything off and then oiled it and wiped it clear. So nothing left on the blade. My intention was only to prevent it from further rusting, I didn't do any polishing nor did I use anything that could get into the base material. While polishing it material will be removed - I didn't remove anything except for the rust. It is now conserved and will not be rusting any further, so from now on I am anyway unable to do anything further. And the visible hamon was just a side result of what I've been doing - and since many here said the hamon needs to be visible to authenticate it, I thought I would show it to all in here. I'm happy that there is one and it also looks that it is cloudy. Additionally, I was able to check it for any rust holes, cracks or material damages - there are none there. So a good sign that it can be polished. I do know I know nothing on polishing such a blade, but by the "easy polish" I was referring to these facts that there are no no-go such as the just mentioned rust holes or cracks visible. Will try today to do a better picture of the hamon, but will need to play with light. Have learnt yesterday evening that LED light makes the hamon much better visible, and will use this for hopefully better pictures. And if some in here might wonder why I'm still having it when all anyway told me that it needs to go to Japan - yes, I've learnt this and understood this and will anyway need to get it to Japan for polishing and papering it. But I had agreed with a friend of mine that the blade will be brought ot a European NBTHK meeting taking place on 18th May this year in Munich for others to take a look at it in person. So prior to this I anyway can't export it anywhere and there are some days left to get opinions from in here.

I'm almost sure many will now want to kill me (post the heart attack they have had), but well ... see the attachment (yes, just a crappy mobile phone picture). I'm using a cleaner for guns which is non-acid to remove rust without hurting the metal at all. And I thought to myself it anyway needs polishing, so I will just see if it works on the blade. It did, since I think I unveiled the hamon and aside of the notches which were already previously visible no damages nor rust pittings or cracks were visible. So it should be a very easy polish as well. Opinions are appreciated, but hope these will refer to the hamon and rather not what I did .

Just a short update, got information from court. The blade was seized in a private apartment in the same town where this court is located from a person who for reasons I've not been told was given a weapon ban. A very interesting detail I was told was the fact that the blade previously must had been in the cellar of his mothers house which is very close to my home (only 20 minutes drive away). So it came back to the area where it originally was.

Robert/Surfson, many thanks for the very helpful reply. I highly appreciate your ideas and I think I will anyway end up doing it this way. Except that I guess I will have it fully polished anyway. Since when a window is openend and considered gimei, I would not want it back with just the window but fully polished as wall hanger. While the mei then might not be original, it would still look great if fully polished. And considering the numbers I was given (3000-5000 Euro for polishing and 500 Euro for export and import papers) I can afford this, even if the end result would be a nice wall hanger. How do I choose the right polisher? And it might sound funny, how can I trust this person that he won't do wrong, swap it for another one, etc.? I'm still worried on how I could trust someone who I've never met with something possibly this valuable. Michael/Gakusee, would you mind sharing these blades which look similar? Would highly appreciate this!

I‘m sorry, I had thought I had attached the pictures showing the dimensions...

I have mentioned it at the very beginning, and this will not change: I will not part with this sword unless I have written proof saying it is original and there is a great collection where it is appreciated more than with a gun collector. If it is a fake (or gimei, as Nihonto collectors would call it), it has little value and I will keep it. It is as simple as that. No chance that I will be selling it as it is now. Is there anything which I should be afraid of when sending it to Japan via an Agent? What if it is lost while being shipped, would any shipping company insure a very high sum? Did anyone have ever lost something? And how long will this take, polishing and papering it?

I understood the terms since I did look them up. I however still did not understand what he meant. How can a Habaki be original to the Nakago, but not the blade? Second, which clue can give three lines above the machi?