DTM72

I cannot make it to this one. I will be set-up at the Show of Shows, by the same group OVMS, in February.

I was 24. A single father of 2 boys that was lucky to have 2 pennies to rub together on good days. (their mom left us and dissappeared for years...party girl) I saw a gunto saya on a shelf at an antique mall. I grabbed it and out fell a broken piece of a Showato katana. Signed Noshu Seki Jyu Fujiwara Kanefusa. The seller wanted $75 for both, but would sell me the broken katana for $30. I didn't have enough money for both, so I got the broken katana. To me, at that time, I felt like I hit the lottery! Over a period of 6 months, the same guy sold me a decent Showa period civilian tsuka for $25. It only needed minor filing on the inside to fit. I later found a matching civilian tsuba that matched the fittings on the tsuka for $35. Working as an apprentice machinist, I was able to carefully grind a new kissaki onto the broken blade. End product looked decent. I took the newly re-fitted katana, now a wakizashi, to the Show of Shows in Lousiville, Kentucky in February of 1995 and quicky found a cheap $25 saya for it. Altogether I had $115 into it. A guy offered me $400 for it and I thought I hit the lottery again! Good times!

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@Lewis B I have been on both sides of the table. As a seller, my teenage, technical smart teenage daughters set me up with ways of taking electronic payments. I personally accept Paypal, Venmo, Cashapp, and Apple pay. With Paypal nad Venmo, I have sold items as low as $20 and as high as $5500. If the seller has either of these applications, their credit card information is already loaded with Paypal, Venmo, etc. and can be charged instantly. We agree on a price and the buyer scans my QR code at the table. They type in the amount to pay, and send. About 1-2 minutes I get an email showing $$$ has been received into your account. As for shipping, I have never accepted money at the show, then shipped afterwards. It is not that I would not do this for someone, but it has not happened for me in this way. I would have no problem returning home, and carefully packaging the item(s) and shipping to the new owner. <-- If I was a buyer, I would make sure to get a business card and full name of the seller. If something should go wrong, you could always turn to the person who runs the show to provide additional information on the person who you are dealing with. Wishing you all the best in your collecting journey! Dan

Similar, but different.

@Ontario_Archaeology Matt, I don't have my reference books near me at the moment, but I believe this to be Imperial household. The kiku shape on the push mekugi, and on the end of the handle, as well as the fully decorated backstrap and the 3-5-3 little bush. <-- sorry, I forget what they are called. I'll look all the details up later. Very nice find!

Eric has 1 or 2 Yasukuni for sale. VERY nice examples too! @owazamono

Need to see better pictures of the overall sugata (shape) and picures of the kissaki (tip). These pics will help us to help you know more of the time period from whence this came. Right now, with limited information, I would guess it to be from the 1500's.

The Brown/Red color of the tassel is indicative of a field officer grade (Major or Colonel). Generals had brown and gold tassels. See attached picture. Company grade officers had a Brown/Blue tassel (Lieutenant, Captain) Problem with tassels is that anyone can buy a tassel, and stick it to any sword. Without any provenance, it's just a tassel...hard to prove it was original to the sword.

Careful when you say "deleted the mei". This eludes to removing the mei by grinding or file. Although it has some rust spots, it may be in decent enough condition to send to shinsa. With NTHK or NTHK-NPO they would call it "Gimei", but...give you an attribution. The color and shape of the nakago should be preserved. This would help the shinsa team to asscertain the time period, school, and possible maker. If the mei was removed, on both sides, valuable information is now lost. Hope this helps.

There is now! lol

I translated one side of this one on Facebook. I also mentioned that the mei is VERY clear and does not match the age of the nakago. Sadamune of Sagami was a student of Masamune, and supposedly his adopted son.

I agree! The young fella in the second picture was facinated by the armor, and the light saber. Just before packing up everything on the table, I put the armor on for him. I offered to put it on him, but he was worried about the weight of it. Still had a good time, and lots of pics were taken.

Did anyone see this crazy Samurai-Jedi walking around the show with converse shoes? I couldn't see him because I was wearing a mempo. lol Thanks to Mark C. @Japan2112 for the pics!

I am guessing that is some kind of a Chinese parade saber being sold with the NCO blade as a lot?

Have you contacted Roger directly? His info is below. @omidaijo

Sorry Jaykob. I didn't mean to lowball you. I have PTSD and a survivor of a scary marry-go-round incident when I was in the American revolution in France with the freedom fighters of Madagascar.

I am looking for a Type 97 kaigunto with sharkskin saya. Not wanting the painted, textured, or rayskin versions. Prefer older family katana, but would consider wakizashi as well. Excellent condition Showato or good condition gendaito acceptable too. Do not want the stainless blade. See photo for example of the saya covering. Thanks in advance! Dan

Anyone notice the rare extended drag on the saya? BTW, I'm still on the hunt for a nice kai-gunto with fine sharkskin saya, not bigger rayskin. Thanks!

Yes, Matt is around the Richmond, VA. area. I will tag him so he can see this post. @mdiddy

I see my short ken tanto in the middle of the table, flanked by 2 of my katana. 597, 598, 599. Ken Tanto was actually sold, just before taking to shinsa so new owner took possession as it left shinsa.

Not working for me as well. Wonder what happened?

As already mentioned, the NON-alternating tsuka ito is the first thing I noticed. The shinogi looks to almost be halfway down the blade, nearly centered. The button on the fuchi is plain, not normal. The fuchi edge looks to be rolled upwards, as in poor quality stamping or a thin casting. Lastly, the habaki looks to be off at the top, as-in the cut out for the mune' is too small. A shot of the nakago would help alot. So far, I'm leaning towards reproduction.

I guess I'll be the bad guy and point out some issues that I see. The blade number, being in the 60,000 range would put it in the initial type of NCO sword, following the copper handled versions. This group rannged up into the low 100,000's when the middle type came out. The initial type had the thick brass tsuba and copper fuchi with the various markings. The middle type has the thinner plain iron tsuba and black fuchi. This example is a mix of both versions. It could be that this was damaged in the field, and a field repair was made, keeping the original blade and tsuka, but adding the iron tsuba, iron fuchi, thick iron seppa, and possibly the non-serialized saya. <-- all just guesses. All still legitimate NCO parts, just a mash-up.

Mark Ceskavich, and family, did an excellent job with the show. Nicest group of people to work with as well. I look forward to next year!