atm

This should be required reading for anyone signing up for a NMB account (along with guidelines for taking and posting photos).

I could be wrong, but I think horsetail leaf is what Tanobe sensei uses to scrape the shirasaya, removing the wax, before writing the sayagaki. The leaf Brian mentioned was much broader.

I asked Brian Tschernega about this due to his expertise in making shirasaya. As @nulldevice said, ibota wax is traditionally used. I bought some from the UK, put it in a mesh jewelry bag, and tried “dusting” the shirasaya with it by lightly hitting the bag against the shirasaya. Brian T. said to use a specific Japanese leaf (the name of which I do not recall) or large wood shavings to rub the ibota wax dust on the surface of the shirasaya. Having neither the specific leaf nor large wood shavings, I have experimented with various other things. Nothing has yet given me the results I would like. It mostly looks like I have not accomplished anything.

A number of the dealers mentioned have swords in your price range. Buying from Japan isn’t that scary as long as you understand there is a wait (about a month) for the expert permit to be issued and as long as the package is fully insured. I have bought several swords from Aoi Art, shipped via EMS, without any issues. RVA seems to get some of their swords from Aoi, too, based on the auction results. You can search the Aoi site by specifying your budget. You can also email them and ask what Tsuruta san (the owner) would recommend based on your budget. Same for contacting Token Komachi. I would stick with a blade with modern NBTHK papers.

Satsuma (aka Sasshu) is a different province than Settsu (aka Sesshu), so I don’t think those are the rights smiths, @oli. And the character for hiro on the blade is different than what those smiths used. I don’t see a reference to this smith in Sesko.

It appears to be signed Sesshu-ju Masahiro. I don’t know its authenticity or anything about the smith, unfortunately. Is it papered?

This is the wrong way to wipe off a blade regardless of the material used. One should start safely above the rust on the nakago to wipe up toward the kissaki. The small area above the nakago not covered in the wipe up should be wiped down toward the nakago.

Are those the hammer prices or the realized prices?

Wonderful, @Hoshi. I enjoyed reading it, and I look forward to more!

Yes. When an Aoi Art auction ends without bids, the item becomes available for order at the same price as the starting bid.

The English version of the Yamato book just came out last November. They were available to purchase at the DTI last year. As for the other books, here’s what @Markus told me in November: “The publisher Me no Me has planned to have out the English version of the Yamashiro tradition (which I already translated) early next year, followed in spring by Bizen Part 1. The pace after that is TBD as Tanobe Sensei is currently still writing on some chapters.”

I just bought the Nihonto Taikan for a good price from Kanazawa Shoten. I have not been there in person, but their website lists many sword books. They’ve apparently moved from Jinbocho to Nakano.

A valuable lesson, for sure. I’m glad it worked out okay in the end.

Thanks for posting this @KungFooey. I think you got a beautiful blade for $460–quite a bargain regardless of gimei—and the ensuing discussion has been fascinating. I hope the blade is even better when you see it in person! When I first considered the initial question, I thought I would answer with an unequivocal “no.” But that blade at that price would make me reconsider my answer.

If you are not fond of bohi and this one already seems odd to you, it isn’t going to get better after you purchase it. I recommend that you pass on it and find something that is more pleasing to your eye.

Like others before me, I am looking for assistance with selecting a kabuto to display alongside my sword collection. I don’t know a lot about kabuto, and I don’t want to shift my focus of study away from nihonto to learn a lot about them. I’ll probably buy one kabuto and be done (famous last words). I’d buy yoroi but I don’t have room to display it. So, I’m looking for a solid example that will be for my enjoyment—not to please experts. Would this be a viable option: Iron 62 plate kabuto? I like its look, its condition, that it has a maedate, and it is papered. It is in my budget but I don’t want to overpay due to ignorance. Any guidance from the experts here is greatly appreciated.

It is a beautiful, old sword. @nulldevice has done a good job of showing it in photos, but it is even better in person, of course. I agree that Tanobe sensei is confirming the original Koson attribution, and he clearly wrote the sayagaki to Bizen Kuni Nobufusa. With two preeminent sword scholars in agreement on the attribution, it kind of makes the NBTHK paper an afterthought, in my opinion.

It was a great show. I spent all of my time in the sword section and never made it to the other rooms! And the Mrs. World pageant was happening in the same hotel, which made for some interesting juxtaposition with the cowboy collectors and antique gun crowd. A few of us got to try tameshigiri on tatami after the kenjutsu demonstration. That was super cool. Here’s @Mark about to teach that tatami a lesson.

Thanks for doing these @Jussi Ekholm. They are a lot of fun, and I learn as I research to formulate my bid.

You are of course correct @Jussi Ekholm, it is indeed the same tachi. And the same as @CSM101 shows in the Nihonto Bizen Den Taikan. I sometimes forget that 2008 is now 17 year ago! Ownership can certainly change in that time.

The show is next week! Who is going? I will be there Friday and Saturday. I’m planning to go to a great ramen restaurant off the strip (Ramen Boys) on Friday night. Anyone is welcome to join me, and I will have room in my car if you need a ride there.

@Jussi Ekholm I am always amazed by your database. To add another data point for you, the 2007-2008 Bizen Ichimonji Tradition book from the Sano Art Museum has a Jūyō Bunkazai tachi of 74.5 cm from a private collection. In my opinion, the mei on the tachi in this book is different than on mine. This book does not state a date for its tachi, other than Chikafusa (probably several) spanned Jōkyū to Kōan, as @Lewis B points out from Sesko. Also, according to the Index of Japanese Sword Literature on jssus.org, Chikafusa is in the Zuikan Tomei Soran by Iida and the Nihonto Bizen Den Taikan by Okazaki. I am obtaining both of these books to further my research.

Thanks @Gakusee. I was indeed lucky. You certainly would have beat me to it if you had seen it earlier.

Per request from the Dai Token Ichi thread, here are photos of the blade I bought last November at the DTI from Tsuruginoya. It is a Fukuoka Ichimonji Chikafusa that has reached NBTHK Juyo Token. I apologize for my poor photo abilities. Capturing the intricacies of this blade is very difficult. To partially make up for that, here’s what Tanobe sensei said on the sayagaki (credit to @SteveM for the translation): Designated Important Sword (Jūyō) at the 67th Jūyō Session Bizen-no-kuni Fukuoka Ichimonji Chikafusa Shortened a bit (machi-okuri), with a two-character name purposefully inscribed with a thick chisel into the tang which has been slightly cut off. The sword has a dignified shape, with a standard width, a deep koshi-zori, and the tip of the sword ending in inokubi style. The forging pattern is koitame, with a clear midare utsuri present, and a lustrous chōji midare with “fukuro chōji” showing as double-chōji in the hamon. There are ashi and yo in abundance, giving great beauty and a rich variety. This sword displays the elements of this school at its peak in the mid-Kamakura era. There are several swordsmiths with this name appearing in the indexes, which dates this sword circa Kenchō (1249-1256). This excellent sword is both a classic example of this school, as well as an outstanding item. Length 2 shaku, 3 sun, 2 bu (70.30cm) An auspicious day in November, 2024 Recorded by Tanzan (monogram) Interestingly, the NBTHK Juyo setsumei says, in part: “According to the swordsmith indexes, Chikafusa was a Fukuoka Ichimonji swordsmith, circa Jōkyū (1219-1222).” So there is a slight difference of opinion on which Chikafusa made this blade. In any event, I am quite happy with it. It was registered March 13, 1951.

I noticed that sword, too, @Pierre F. Here is a signed Juyo for comparison: Motomitsu. I saw it at DTI last year. It is an impressive blade. I think it is interesting that despite these two swords from the same smith being relatively similar in their current dimensions, one is signed and dated and the other is mumei. And there is a 6M yen difference in their prices. I think it is hard to pick out a first blade without seeing them in person. The way a blade feels when held says a lot, in my opinion, in addition to being able to better see its features. A sword show is a great way to do that.