waljamada

Really enjoyed the show! Lots of vendors, lots of wonderful things to see and met some great people. Had a shinsa buddy that I met going up to the room and then went to get our results together. (He had 4 passes and I had 1 out of my 2 blades pass) Made a friend of mine go with me to show him the nihonto ropes and saw familiar vendor faces. Always fun to see which guys bring what and getting a sense of their "eye" for blades. Didn't end up buying anything this year but loved just being there.

RESULTS ARE IN: 1) The Kanekuni failed shinsa and was ruled as gimei with a wider possible attribution to Mino Den. It was kantei'd to be from the Oei Era. 2) The Kunitsugu passed shinsa with 73 points to Etchu Uda Kunitsugu also from the Oei Era. Ōei (応永) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, "year name") after Meitoku and before Shōchō. This period spanned the years from July 1394 through April 1428. Reigning emperors were Go-Komatsu-tennō (後小松天皇,) and Shōkō-tennō (称光天皇). So we had a 50% success rate on the Meis but I'm still glad that the Gimei Kanekuni at least has a "confirmed" age.

Well not quite as pro level as Mr. Paul Martin. But It'll do.....it'll do...

Welp, time to paper saya up and prepare for my Sunday trip to the Chicago Sword Show. I decided to go with the Kunitsugu and the Kanekado. My logic goes as following....1) With so many generations etc..it takes someone with knowledge and/or resources to narrow things down. 2) I personally have the most curiosity about those 2 blades 3) The traveling shinsa team may have more resources on hand that may cover these two smiths unlike... 4)The Michimisasa being such an "unknown" smith I think would be difficult for a traveling shinsa team without full resources at hand. 5) I want to take the tsuba to shinsa one day and I wish IWell, just purchased three slots...but I'd personally rather have the blades papered (if things go well) than the tsuba. So next time! Thank you to all those who weighed in to help me navigate this! I greatly appreciate it. Will post an update after the judgements.

I've emotionally prepared myself to be dissapointed but still optiministically hopeful at the same time. I view all my submission options being able to go either way.

John, The tsuba is definetly tempting because of the name attached. I don't have any papered tsubas but do have a nbthk white papered koshirae which I do enjoy. That tsuba came on the Ashu Ju Michimasa blade and I actually love the koshirae of that blade so having the tsuba authenticated would be a nice treat. The tsuba never did inspire much feedback on relevant forums/groups which maybe says something though. I do want to try and get the items that would best benefit from a shinsa done and I dont know enough to decide if the tsuba would shine a bit brighter being papered. As to the tsuba itself I did receive some help with some of the translation. "I think the inscription on the back is 寒山行旅 kanzan kōryo, meaning “going on a trip to cold mountains”. Engraved are 秋江 (shūkō) and 帆彩？ (hosai?), which I think allude to a Chinese painting, or a common theme in Chinese painting. I think it says 秋江帆影 shūkō han'ei, which is an actual theme for Chinese and Japanese classic pictures." Then I did find one verified signature of this maker on a kozuka I'll post below next to the mei on the tsuba and they have differences.

Neil, love the grouping and variety of a smiths work!

Hey Steve , From the seller and I believe from the seller before him whom I believe was a dealer. So it's a pass down of unknown origin. Google searches are zilch for the smith but I do perhaps remember someone looking him up in a book for me and found those two active periods for a smith going by Ashu Ju Michimasa. It's been quite a while. Also I noticed you were the one who shared/translated who the maker of my tsuba with me many moons ago. Thank you for that. Adam

Mark and Chris, Thanks for the advice! Just to share some of my internal debate; I was also thinking the first two blades. The main reason i still feel tempted by the Kanekado is because that blade and the Kunitsugu, with so many generations and potentials, increases the difficulty for me personally to "verify" or narrow down facts around them. The ashu ju michimasa in sheer numbers is much less therefore easier for "amateur verification" within a higher degree of certainty. I am also unsure if the current state of polish of the blade is good enough for shinsa as I have no experience submitting and don't know required parameters. Also, I am in the que with Woody Hall for the Michimasa to be polished. So right now I am still leaning towards the first two blades, Kunitsugu and the Michimasa. I believe the tsuba is pertaining to be made by a well known maker but I don't know enough to feel strongly about it. I know none of these are "heavy treasures" but I look forward to adding a bit more shinsa light to my little Nihonto corner to where there was none before. Playing my part in helping some of these items in my care.

Mark, thank you very much! Don't think there could of been a more perfect resource video! Adam

Greetings all, I have four items: three signed unpapered blades and one signed unpapered tsuba and only two shinsa tickets to the NTHK in the upcoming Chicago Sword Show. Which two items would you submit? All three blades have different strengths and weaknesses/flaws and even gimei potentials so I submit them to the highly esteemed NMB members for their opinions to help me choose wisely on my first shinsa opportunity. I will list some general information about the blades and tsuba in order that they appear in the video. Disclaimer: All information is "to the best of my knowledge". 1) Mei: Kunitsugu Era: possible Bunmei Period or between late 1400s and early 1500s. Nagasa: 25.5" 2) Mei: Ashu Ju Michimasa Era: Either 1716 or 1804 Generation Nagasa: 26 1/3" 3) Mei: Kanekado Era: Possibly Tenmon (1532-1555) Nagasa: 27.5" 4 Tsuba Mei: Hashimoto Isshi (Yushusha) Era: possibly between 1820-1896?) I know very little about this tsuba... ALSO it's requested that one submit the blades in a "paper saya". Does anyone have a photo example or perhaps instructions/suggestions how best to make one? Video of above items in the Shinsa running: Below some additional photos:

The feel from some of the choji aspects in the hamon lead me to believe the smith also enjoyed gardening.

I was there random years between 2010 and 2017. I worked with Nihonmachi Little Friends. Ah, if you were in a hotel I would have missed it. I was always street side during the festival.

That's cool, I used to work in Japantown for around 7 years and went to that festival many times. Dont remember ever seeing any nihonto there so if that's a new thing that is awesome. If it's been around a long time than shame on me!

I'll be at the show either Friday and then Sunday...or just Sunday...and have two shinsa tickets. Going to post a "which to submit?" on the nihonto forum in the next few days to help me make a decision. Only have three unpapered signed blades in my collection to decide between and then one signed tsuba that might be worth submission.

No general's tassel but this Yasunori/Yasukunito is on Aoi now and a more affordable price than stateside prices typically: https://www.aoijapan.com/katanashowa-11-nen-10-gatsu-kichijitsu-yasunori/

Popping my head out again as a buyer. Have an interesting antique katana you'd be willing to sell? Perhaps one with an interesting horimono, a poem, a naginata-hi, an odd hi design in general...something interesting in the hamon...an experimental blade of sorts...a blade with a "strange" name, a strange provable provenance, o-kissaki with a cool bohi/sohi combo...a bald with so e kind of artistic flair...calling any odd ducks....in a good way! Also as a refresh: My definition of "odd" in this case: different from what is usual or expected in a traditionally made tamagahane blade in koshirae or shirasaya. Greetings all, have something that doesn't quite fit in your collection but has some odd class? An odd bohi design? An interesting unique aspect? A non traditional horimono theme? (Horimono and bonji etc..can be ato-bori) Some interesting lacquer work? A lesser used bonji? Something with the hamon? An outlier of a school or maker? Looking for something with an odd aspect (in a good way) and much prefer katana length.

I have absolutely no right to feel this way....but if they actually fought that way I feel like I would have a chance against those guys.

Not a print....but a printers block of a Japanese woman. Thought it was cool.

I purchased a modern woodblock print by a Japanese artist named Yamaguchi Ryoshi. Just found it a cool image and the use of metalics in the ink was something I haven't seen much of. Here was the description when I bought it: Lady Rokujo in Demonic Form by Yamaguchi Ryoshu, a 1950s modern woodblock print made after the noh drama Aoi no Ue. In the story, Lady Aoi, Prince Genji's formal wife, is haunted by the demonic spirit of Lady Rokujo, one of Genji's many lovers, who suffers from extreme jealousy that drives her mad. The artist has made heavy use of metallic pigments for this work. The demon's costume shimmers with silver triangles, as do elements of the kimono she holds overhead. In the manner of 1790s ukiyo-e (the best of Utamaro and Sharaku) the entire background of the print has been treated with metals--in this case a gold that darkens at the edges, giving the print creepy tones of shadow within its sparkling brightness, as suited to the supernatural subject.

A bit off topic but anyone here read "I Am A Cat"? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_a_Cat

Love a good story time...congrats my friend!

Good stuff! Just emailed you for an order through your website.

How often do you guys wash your micro fiber towels and is there any special way to clean? Best to just rinse in sink and not put in dryer? Drew that same micro fiber towel that Micheal linked to was also suggested to me by another user and that's a great price for them. I literally just bought four of them because of the price.

Really enjoying these videos Ray. Thanks for another one and a very interesting topic.