Kaigunto230

Thank you for digging that up. The fit and finish on that one look worlds different/better than this one. I’m pretty convinced this was a bad fake, but it’s very interesting to see they faked something relatively uncommon.

Feeling it in hand, I tend to agree with you. If nothing else, it was shockingly worse quality than typical type 19s, which as you all know aren’t exactly the pinnacle of Japanese craftsmanship 😂 It was certainly interesting to see, but I need to actually add a Type 19 first, so I don’t think I’ll be buying this one. I was just surprised to find it and have it be so different from the Type 19 expected at first glance.

I went to an antique mall hoping to find some Nihonto/Gunto and sure enough ran into this. However, I’m not sure what I found. It was one of those establishments that hovers over you while you look and gives a stink eye at photos so I apologize for the poor image quality. I knew I wouldn’t be buying today and didn’t want to overstay my welcome. The construction was crude and felt like a toy. The blade felt misshapen, sori and kissaki especially, as compared to normal Type 19s. The grips looked like snake skin. I noted especially the double hanger and the crossed flags on the hilt, which look like Taiwan or Republic of China. When I got home, I didn’t find anything useful in Dawson. What’re your thoughts - fake, toy, a different colonial sword?

Here’s a quick reference from Koran Nagayama’s excellent “The Connoisseur’s Book of Japanese Swords” on the Bungo region. Hope it helps!

Took me a minute to find my old post I did after I bought mine. Hope you enjoy seeing another sword from a school that gets overlooked too often: https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/36574-my-first-kantei-post-12-fujiwara-yukinaga-katana/#comment-379473

Wow, thank you for sharing!! My most recent purchase was at the San Francisco show in August 2021. Two babies since then has limited the buying But that sword was also a Bungoto made by the Takada line. Ha ha, you’ve literally bought the sword I’m hoping to buy next - another Takada Bungoto in Gunto furniture. I’m jealous! Thanks again for sharing.

Thanks, Conway! From the few snippits I've seen, it's a really pretty book without as much meat as Dawson's and the other previous go-tos. A friend bought a Type 32 a few days ago and needed to ask me for photos from Dawson and Fuller/Gregory. He has the new Plimpton's book, and it didn't cover what he needed beyond "hey, you bought a Type 32."

For those of you who purchased Headstamp Publishing’s “Swords of the Emperor” by John Plimpton, how does it compare to Dawson’s “Cyclopedia”? Plimpton’s book looks beautiful, but I’m worried that it won’t add much information for the collector. I already own Dawson, Fuller/Gregory etc. At $130 plus shipping, I don’t want to buy something duplicative when I could put the money to something else. Anyone have opinions on if the book is worth it if you’ve already got a decent library?

Looks like a wonderful show. I wasn’t able to make it this year, but maybe next! I also introduced someone next door in Ohio to the forum and the show and hope he’ll get more excited throughout the year and attend next time. For the moment, I just love vicariously enjoying everyone’s new purchases.

Is it possible to please get some more/clearer photos of the registration kanji? There’s likely a year date there too, using the two-symbol Jikkan Junisbi system. Thank you!

I wish I was back in Kyushu and could attend. I’m very jealous! My first Nihonto is a Bungo-to Fujiwara Yukinaga. A school that mixes art with purpose and takes the best from all others. If they allow it, could we trouble you to please take some photos and post them here?

If youre saying goodbye to this beauty, then please post the photos of whatever piece you purchase! Absolutely amazing sword here. I LOVE the naginata naoshi style and wish I was anywhere close to being able to purchase this. Best wishes on the sale. Someone’s going to be a lucky new owner!!

@PNSSHOGUN Regarding the Kiri-Mon, I had looked up the picture of the mon previously and saw it was tied to the Toyotomi clan. However, with your naming it, then I found it’s a symbol of either the Japanese government or with this 3-5-3 Paulownia (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_Seal_of_Japan ), a symbol of the Japanese Imperial Guard. So, this wouldn’t represent the carrier's family but instead that he was a solider in the Imperial Guard?

@PNSSHOGUN thanks! It was the nicest mounts I’ve seen on a kyu in person, and I did love the feel of the longer tzuka. Part of it is fate, in that the shop isn’t in my area but I’ll be there this spring, so if it’s still available, I’ll see if the owner will entertain offers.

Thanks @Bruce Pennington! I didn’t have funds saved up and didn’t want to bother the shop owner knowing I wouldn’t purchase anything, so I erred on my full check up (and photos) of the sword. When I go, checking the nakago will be critical. Thanks for extra context on pricing. From dealers’ swords, I thought it was a little under even. $3k Mumei shinshinto - https://www.artswords.com/a_nice_katana_mounted_in_Imperial_Japanese_kyu_Gunto_Mounts_042508.htm $2900 - another Mumei shinshinto - https://japanesesword.com/for-sale-pages/2017/9/25/shinto-katana-in-d-guard-mounts

I’ve got a baby on the way, so I’m saving my pennies little by little for a hopeful late spring 2022 purchase. I’ve always loved Kyu Gunto given Meiji history and the East meets West quality. I ran into this one at a military antiques store for $1950. I didn’t notice until later that my photos of the sword itself are bad (can’t see hada or hamon), but it’s a Shinshinto mumei (allegedly, I didn’t ask to disassemble). Thoughts on the price of the package? Saya looks good and the d-guard appears frosty to me, plus there’s a mon. Sword is probably nothing amazing but was Nihonto. At $2k though, it’s where I want to be able to resell and not lose money if necessary in order to fund a bigger purchase down the line. Edit -I apologize for the photos being the wrong way; I’ve never had that problem and can’t seem to fix it. Third from the bottom. Also, look at the MASSIVE type 19. I’m 6’2” and it was so awkward to hold; I wondered if it was only a display piece.

I spent a long time looking at oshigatas and noticed numerous kanji that were way off. I am absolutely no expert, but I thought it was gimei and steered clear. The $17k is just bonkers to me. You’re approaching Juyo prices at that high!!! I wonder if it’s two people with sentimentality attached to it. Maybe two people who each thought they would inherit it from the gentleman whose estate it was in and they didn’t inherit, so they bid against each other. Unless we’re all bamboozled, it’s got to be something like that.

Holy cow! Thanks for saving me some time on the cormorant’s neck price. I had bid $550 beforehand but was going back on forth on going a little higher. Nice to know I was always going to lose (at $3k you could get something much nicer - papered, fittings etc). That sugata seems difficult to find; hardly any hits on the forum here. I think they’re beautiful though!

@gun addictOh wow, what a beautiful set!! I think I’m saving my pennies for a kyu next. I love the East-meets-West aspect of them. Would you mind please sharing what price you paid? You could PM me too if you don’t want to publicly. I ask because I haven’t many for sale in person, so I’m left chasing online bidding and wondering what the general fair market is right now. Regardless, congratulations on a gorgeous addition.

@Bruce Pennington I did! You were actually kind enough to help me with connecting the dots on the signature and identifying it as late war:

Love Kai Guntos! Here’s my late war one with a plain wood saya covered by a leather combat cover.

Noticed that too. But depending on how the bidding goes, not a bad deal for a late-war saya and star stamped gendaito and the buyer could recoup some of the money by selling the tassel. Got overly excited by 300, but then I studied a bunch of oshigata side by side with the mei, and I think it’s gimei. Regarding the auction house’s goofs, they do have over 600 lots and just 30ish swords in not wonderful shape, so priorities probably went elsewhere.

@Jussi Ekholm Others had the same read: its currently at $600: https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/111347277_vintage-Japanese-katana-sword It’ll be interesting to see where it goes.

I also saw 286 and thought the same thing! Glad my eyes are catching sugata others too thought were worth catching. I tossed some modest bids on a couple hoping the smaller auction house would fly under the radar (I’m from IA and was hoping I could sneak a win). I did lots of research and narrowed down my selection and placed my bids….But then I also learned they’d partnered with both LiveAuctioneer and Invaluable…. And I’d already been outbid before I’d even placed my own bids directly on the site 🤦‍♂️🙄 Did anyone else have a suspicious eyebrow raise on this one? Something about the tsuba, mei and kanji spacing, and horimono have me nervous for a potential buyer: https://jacksonsauction.com/catalogs/2021/SEP/detail/default.aspx?ID=286

Looks sharp! Did your wakizashi fit the koshirae, or will it just be for display? Always seems like a tricky proposition, marching a blade with a non-custom-made mounting.