Deiro

finally found something that perfectly suits my tastes

Well if there shall be a NMB meeting point I guess I would have no choice but to drop by again... I assume saturday would be the best day to attend.

yeah but this time it is another ebay listing

kyoto treasure hunt is a known relister, first time I see a relisting from the site itself but honestly I only noticed it due being recommended while I was browsing so I can't be sure. https://www.ebay.com/itm/365442819346 https://www.ebay.com/itm/356508771940 this breaks the ebay's ToS right, or will nothing ever happen? on another note, this is the ugliest koshirae I have ever seen

A pair of blades forged from the same steel by the same smith may have similar flaws. Don't get your hopes up. I know I shouldn't be replying but I can't help it...

its a now wakizashi, inscribed on the tang is kunihira maruasa "國平丸淺" the chiseling is rather poor, I and the dealers treat it like a mumei, it was most likely applied by the shortener though I can't be certain. I bought from the Kashima sisters back when the yen was really low for a price one can't say no to. I was expecting worse flaws, it has only a single noticable ware on the shinogi below the boshi on the reverse side and its polish is quite decent (as far as my experience as Utrecht has told me at least) for the price I got it at it has been no mistake at all. My own photos did not surpass its previous dealer. Though it is a shame that the apparentness of the nie can't be captured well by both.

great, If I will get better I'll surely visit again.

a despair not to be there. beautiful, if only my eyes could see.

I think having knowledgeable people as staff is important. I know how to moderate forums and wikis but I wouldn't want to moderate this place due my only basic knowledge. though yeah if you really don't want to see yourself at the helm then don't do it.

I might also add that it has quite a good habaki. Take good care of it!

Considering Jacques has not said it is gimei (falsily signed), this is most likely the case. due the lighting I can't really judge the patina. A full picture of the blade would suffice, even if it is lower resolution. another suggestion is to look up and compare it with other works of the smith(s) and see whether it is an oddity or typical (though tbh doing this without having seen them in person is not the best approach)

regardless of it being sold or not. I like the shape, but could someone explain what makes this a good piece. Tsuba are a completely unknown world to me. I do know of tekkotsu etc.

I guess I need to send a relative to Japan...

that indeed looks nice from the pictures, I could hardly imagine how it looks in person. its obviously better of in a shirasaya. A gimei without a shirasaya but papered koshirae is called a deluxe tsunagi

if it is in good condition and comes with a nice koshirae as a bundle deal I guess it can be overlooked... I've read on kajihei when he was brought up before, I wouldn't mind having one of his works instead of the real deal.

kinda hard seeing the boshi in the pictures, I do see that one was included. Honestly for that price and the fact it comes in a shirasaya it doesn't seem too bad also I don't see any clear rust. even if it is not the best, you obviously will take good care of it. It does have a ton of ware but I would only cave in if there would be a hagire (crack in the hamon) even at this price range.

I am well aware of the later period copies of such and the fact that they too can fetch quite a price. the high end edo stuff really does seem at the top of the craft. https://nihonto.com/fw-050-2/ this seems like "endgame" when it comes to collectable items because I think good heian mountings would be kokuho so not ownable even with the money. I've seen some on a Japanese museum site. If there good preserved pieces abroad please prove me wrong, but perhaps I am better off asking that in the tosogu section.

If I actually was convinced to buy something I wouldn't come here. I already knew part of the judgement was flawed. I kinda wanted to say that the good stuff would be far above the price range. but now I actually looked at the site I have to rectract the statement. these types of mountings do sell for this cheap? though the first one in my eyes doesn't really look pretty due the slight missalignments, but the photos obviously don't do it justice. https://www.bonhams....68-18th19th-century/ https://www.bonhams....t/15/a-kazari-tachi/ for both of these. What a shame to not have been old enough when the prices seemed fair. aside from my bias, I do think these are nice, not over the top but not plain either. https://www.bonhams....no-mid-16th-century/ https://www.bonhams....-blade-17th-century/ this resource is quite helpful. besides I also draw swords using software, I might get some inspiration. thank you.

Yeah thanks, I was questioning it I got to see less koshirae up close than I have seen swords so I am quite inexperienced. I know ebay is practically devoid of life aside from the sellers who also are on here. Unsure what to think of matsu-kaze, the listings seem to be highly detailed. I tend to check the on sale section on this site practically daily. Unfortunately the best koshirae tend to be paired with a blade already. My favorite site to look is still japanszwaard, had a good talk with the owner of it. if only I had 30K for that kenuki gata I held in utrecht, I honestly liked it more than the juyo I got to inspect. I wouldn't ever need anything else a complimentary wakizashi to make a daisho maybe?

Since I went to utrecht I became a sucker for raden and aogai-nuri. I have found a piece from a known armor seller on a site I really shouldn't even bother looking at. I simply bid a fifty for it and ended up winning. Now I found he has a full mount too with that stuff and honestly it quite piques me I didn't see it before, it looks like a parody of an efu tachi, I thought such wrapped hilts were only really common for tantos. https://www.ebay.com...kw=handachi+koshirae the kashira is just a little rusty, the tsuba too has seem better days but from what I see posted to the NMB it seems "acceptable" I can't turn back the clock on antiques. I can afford it but I have no clue what I should be paying for such stuff, I am still a student who doesn't have deep pockets, I really need to save up more.

that kodachi is just incredible. I can only say zetsubo about my current finances.

somewhat related to the topic, though it was a few days ago but they're doing just that. http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/ns12.html I have not held a naohiro blade, but I think if you really want it, the prices seem quite fair. Though the smith is getting old...

holy cr*p that's the one. I remember visiting the site before but it was not listed.

it was not, sorry for the super late response, it was the one at the center bottom row at Nick's booth, It had a beautiful koshira covered in a golden pattern with 4 mon handle I still remember quite clearly, the dogbone part was hollow, could see through it. the illustration is shoddy, I just have little time but I hope if anyone recognizes it, I'll be glad.

yeah got the same question when I saw it. Not sure if there's value in even having one, yeah sure the sword is authentic but the heart is gone. Not meaning to insult Kokaiji, he is definitely a good smith though. I am not looking for another wak anyways.