Paz

Hey @Schneeds. Most obvious is that it has two mekugi holes that far apart. And then you have the way the style nakago has been cut at the bottom. Apologies I Don't have the terms right now, but this requires books. You can then easily tell the difference between ubu nakago and suriage. I strongly recommend books, and then spending the 6k. As aforementioned 6k opens alot of doors for you to get something that you will enjoy for many many years. And you also develop a taste for what you like, which makes it even better. Regards

Answered my question aswell John 👍. As soon as I looked at it on the website, I was wondering why on earth it hadn't received Tokubetsu Hozon papers, if it was from the Nanbokucho period. Also yes, ko uda are seen as superior work to later uda. If it has been assigned to a name of a smith from the ko uda school obviously of Nanbokucho period, then you are looking at names such as kunifusa, ect and that will fetch a much higher price and papers. I have not yet seen it. Most nanbokucho uda swords are mumei Ko uda- and would receive depending on condition Tokubetsu rather than standard hozon. I do like the hamon though. Regards

In my experience @Ghoul414 it would be best to save up and in the mean time get some books. Getting papered works under the £1k in the UK is very very rare, maybe even in impossible. Your best bet might be attending arms fairs and shows in the UK which there are a few especially Birmingham. Here you can view stuff in hand. In regards to studying further Joining the Token society GB is also a good reccomend. Otherwise you will be gambling at auctions, and unfortunately I've seen stuff like you posted one to many of the last year or so. Some authentic stuff at auction is also highly priced aswell. Regards

No activity present. You can easily get a modern reproduction and just age the nakago and chisel a fake signature. This may be the case here. I beleive that you can see a black felt tip mark on the tang. If your new. Buy papered first, then when your learned and confident. Then try the auctions on unpapered blades. But even then you can be , and adept collectors have been duped. Hope that helps

Hi Mark If you want to approach this hobby in the best way possible. Then it is books. However 90 percent of beginners want to own their first nihonto to get into the swing of things as I did. But imagine going to buy your first nihonto with a wealth of knowledge and knowing what you like. The result will be something you absolutely appreciate. Regards

The last two characters are a dead giveaway

Thank you so much @DoTanuki yokaiand @Rivkin What I do notice know is aim the blade towards a light source and sort try level my eyes with the surface. This shows the hamon very well. This can't be done always on natural light? Depending on what time of day. Regarda

Thank you. I find it difficult to spot Ashi. On the description for this blade, ashi was mentioned.

Just doing some studying. The below image represents nie, nioi and kinsuji ? Am I correct ? I'm not 100 percent about kinsuji part though thanks. Any tips will be helpful.

Thanks Jean. I wonder if there would be one in either of the Japanese museums Regards

Hi all. I've just been reading Nakaharas book fundamentals of Japanese swords. Also a documentary on polishing which was quite short. They both mention that swords when they were first forged were in a certain polish, unlike they are today for collectors. So their original look was different or not in "art polish" Can someone please either show some photos or elaborate on this topic ? So does this mean that koto swords when originally forged didn't show much activity? As they were not polished significantly- as they were intended for battle. Thanks Regards.

Interesting. Where are you based if you don't mind me asking. Different climates, some places don't actually need oil. Due to low humidity. Regards

But if a sword is juyo. Ie important work. Then it has to be something? I mean anything above juyo can't even leave Japan. Unless it's papered outside of Japan and belongs in a museum, or somebody has won the lottery and spent something silly. @Gakusee that's very interesting to know. Could it be more people are submitting to shinsa and finding they had something special in the attic ? Regards

It's a difficult one to pin down. The criteria I think was to be followed for Tokubetsu Hozon Kamakura sword- polished, good condition Mumei or zaimei , soshinmei , would be given Tokubetsu hozon due to their age. The same for Nanbokucho period swords with the same criteria. Saying that. There are swords from this period with standard hozon. Muromachi swords would be looked at more carefully, where smith, school and condition would need to be higher level to get TH. Edo period. Abundance of swords with mei, and ubu . But these swords are getting Tokubetsu hozon, I've seen one example with my own eyes where the smith was Not anyone notable, nor could his sword be found as wazamono on the list. But it was sold as wazamono. The blade itself was great, but nothing special. Lacked any visual appeal on jigane or hada. It's difficult to pin down. May even depend on which individuals are on the board that day. Another factor to mention is value. Am I right in saying that a TH papered sword should fetch anything above 4k ?? Regards

I was about to start one Alex last week, as I wanted to know the actual value and criteria for TH. Will be great if you can start it. I've seen Tokubetsu hozon by smiths who don't get any mention or are not famous. From the edo period. While I've seen hozon on koto swords which do.

How did this sword get a Tokubetsu hozon ? (Condition?? Or wazamono) Shortend kanbun shinto..... If your budget is in the 10k plus and live in the US. Pleeease don't rush in a and buy this. You have the opportunity to actually go to shows and handle them, a big market too. Then shop around more on Japanese sites and find something you'd like. Regards

Thanks Paul. First time I heard that it's a competition, very interesting indeed. And yes I gather tachi or at least 67cm is what they would favour. Regards

OK, so is it worth submitting for Juyo , Tokubetsu hozon (2021) , mumei , katana 62cm o suriage , ko-senjuin yamato school ? Early Kamakura late heian. In polish, kirikomi but no flaws. Worth asking I thought. Take into consideration that the school was destroyed in 1567 ? Regards

@Alex A some great advice. I agree that many people have fallen foul of dealers. And this is why research and papers are helpful for especially people starting out, and even advanced levels. I'm pretty sure there are 1 or 2 experienced collectors who may have been deceived, or actually taken a punt at acquiring what they may have been a genuine work to make money on. But if I'm collecting via a certain school, smith, then yes. I absolutely want to know what I'm buying. Now, imagine if we are at a sword show ect or see a sword which is very attractive, well made, and you really want it, at a good price. Would we look over it because it has a gimei signature? In that case what are people willing to pay for gimei ? I for one beleive any gimei over 3k is pushing it. But then it depends on how well made the work is and if its a ubu, katana length, smith But im open to be wrong, just my 2 cents. But Japanese swords, of all works of art be it paintings ect. Has a well known and slightly approved history of gimei, fake signatures, deception ect. What I mean by "approved" is that some of these works were requested by their potential owners to be given famous signatures of long dead or alive smiths. Smiths purposely made gimei to make a living at the end of the shinshinto period. Its part of history. But the international market in my opinion, is what has made the NBTHK take a serious position in regards to papering gimei. With so much money and reputation at stake, I understand that the NBTHK don't want to paper a gimei, which a dodgy dealer can then twist to his or her favour. But at the end of the day. Aren't we collecting for whats on the blade ? The artistic merits ? . Regards

Thanks That's I'm trying to align to the top image of the kissaki the strip of white line. Regards

Hi all just need a bit more help. Is there sunagashi present on this oshigata / images?? . From my perspective it looks like it's on near towards the kissaki. My understanding its white running sand that flows through, with nioi and nie. Thanks

Thanks jussi that's helpful. But im very confused at this @b.hennick. From books and sources I've read, norishige is has been related to the ko uda school as either founder. Or his students had found the school. regards

This. We all know at the end of the shinshinto period, sword smiths were struggling to make ends meet. Which meant that gimei was added to swords, and this went on until the 1930s, and up to the modern period. Which means we have genuine quality shinshinto blades which have been given gimei for financial reasons, personal to the smith who needs to make ends meet. Unfortunate as it sounds. But these were desperate times for smiths.

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone has a list or can direct me to page that has a list of all smiths that worked in the Nanbokucho period or earlier for the ko uda of sagami etchu. I understand Ko uda has smiths such as norishige and kunimitsu, kunnimune I beleive aswell ? I know masamune was the pioneer of the soshu tradition. But im trying to pin down more smiths of this school before the muromachi period. Do ko uda sword usually fetch Tokubetsu and higher ? I'm gathering yes? I've read few books but can't seem to find a list of all smiths of the school. If known at all. Thanks. Regards

Some very good discussions here. I absolutely agree with the statements stating that if the NBTHK have given pink slip to a sword, they are calling it gimei there and there. On this same paper they can make an attribution or educated guess with their expertise of who it might be. This can at least the satisfy the owner that the sword is worthy of preservation On certain merits. Going back to the rolex example. If the watch in the dollar store is identical to a rolex in quality and look, materials, make, but was not made by rolex. But has a rolex logo on there. Would we discard the watch ? When we talk about preservation and appreciation. Are we appreciating the workmanship of a blade, or the workmanship of the attribution on a piece of paper. This goes to the story in the book by Nakahara, where the buyer tells the dealer to charge him the price of the sword and to keep the papers. But papers do influence the price of swords, and It is a peace of mind. But I doubt the NBTHK will ever change their stance on gimei. That then falls to hard study to the owner.