Baba Yaga

Hope the buyer can get money back unless they bought as a copy.

That's a very good question. Don't be confused on a subject that's confusing. Depends on the skill of the Togi. When inspecting a sword IMOP Boshi is the 1st to look at.

The U.S. has more grifter sword dealers than a hen house has hens. It's always been the Market and won't change. Learning about swords on ebay is like learning about cars in a used car lot.

The NBTHK didn't organize until 1948. A lot of confusion for cities which were on fire and leveled from war.

Suriage blades with a few Mekugi-ana holes ( used to be ) not that desirable unless attributed to a better than average smith. Again, looks like the bar may have changed. At $5k it's priced right.

What's a fake? Forgeries are meant to deceive experts who authenticate / certify art. They're not meant to deceive your average collector who has a bunch of books. The Chinses junk is meant to deceive Not collectors, but none educated treasure hunters. Please don't tell me how good the Chinese Junk is getting and how it fooled someone. I don't care, it's not my thing. Most of the Gimei I see on authentic Nihonto is so far out of sho-shin context, one does wonder what the purpose was. I have my own theories, but they are just that.

Ah, thank you very much! I've also prescribed to this theory moons ago, although the article starts with the famous disclaimer "However, there is some second and third hand information available from that time that was recorded by people who knew him." That means some truth "may" be in there somewhere. But we're not sure and can certainly fill in the blanks rationally "maybe". Much of this has always been logical to me anyway.

That's interesting. What's the source of that information?

Depends how handy you are. If you can feel the handle moving around in anyway that could be a good sign for easy removal. For all anyone knows it could be set in with some 80 year old epoxy an then wrapped, If the string isn't coated with lacquer, use a straight razor and start lightly working from the bottom up.

I've seen worse. A least someone used a file and not a high speed grinder.

That's hilarious My doctor would cut my prescription in half if I asked him to do that We have this thing called Xray techs here in the U.S.

You have choices to make. Behind door #1 Leave the sword like it is and accept it as sentimental value from your grandpa. Behind door #2 Be very very carful and cut the string so you can see what the tang looks like. You don't need an expert to do this. If you want to put everything back together the collectors way, it's going to cost $ thousands and a long time line. To be honest, the odds are it's going to cost more than it's worth. You may get lucky and the sword could be made by a top rated smith, but the odds aren't in your favor. Hey you never know. It's expensive and painful to lose a toe. Wear shoes and be careful.

You didn't offend me at all. It's more about in resent threads the goal post moving the wrong way. This one just got added up in the collateral damage.

It appears we have entered the Twilight Zone. The Mantra which governed this highly academic and once reverend collection of Art (Study the best and you will learn the best) has taken a turn. I wish I could say, I can't believe what I'm reading, but I can.

I assume that would be a fact. I'm not that well educated on war swords of that time as I am the culture. I'm sure what could happen did happen. I'm just not sure if it did happen with any regularity.

I can understand this could and did happen with a minority if instance. But, the Japanese culture at the time should of frowned upon such instance. Mutilating something of such sentimental and cultural value doesn't seem logical.

Everyone knows how to fit a sword, or should. Being in the Japanese Military with the average ht under 5.5'.

"For clarification my first thought was to see if there were corners of the internet where blades in the $100-$300 range existed that were complete, but perhaps covered in rust and patina (but not worth a polish). " If $100-$300 is your budget forget the books. This site has enough information and it's Free. http://www.japaneses...ndex.com/nihonto.htm

It depends on what the word inexpensively means and too who. I would consider A collecting hobby like Nihonto (Art) which hasn't moved monetarily in the last 35 years very inexpensive. My Gardner charges more than a Japanese trained Polisher and only a handful are in the U.S. Monetarily appreciation are in negative numbers.

The Morokage Bizen sword looks decent "for the price" with the limited photos. The exception of several inches missing. I can't believe collectors make assumptions based on photos not being supplied. There is always a given take

That's a very wise decision.

If people could only sell pie in the sky.

Well, if he bought 10 years ago the yen was 10 cents above the dollar. Now it's -39 cents less. What ever he paid 10 years ago, just cut the price in half. That would be list price, not sale price. Could be looking at 1/3 price fire sale. Good Luck

Interesting Mei https://www.sothebys...wara-ietada-fujiwara

Like everything we see exceptions BUT>>> Unless you're attending a collection in a world class museum most of what's presented is fair to bad. Our University had a Samurai Arms and Armor exhibit which I would rate at a 5 out of 10. The short katana under the glass case had a finger print on the blade. What would the "general public" know anyways.