Chris L

The exchange rate is good so I am lowering the price to $3500. I will change if the rate changes.

This is the area that is slightly out of polish. I am sorry if this is a late reply or a second reply, I am still trying to understand the board.

That is the rust spot on the blade.

Thank you very much. Are you interested?

This is the rust spot.

All I know is that it was ordered by his great grandmother to celebrate an achievement. Can you tell me more about Mizuaki?

Yoshihara Kuniie was born in 1894 in Ibaraki prefecture. He was the seventh son of a toolmaker. Grandfather and teacher of Mukansa swordsmith's Yoshihara Yoshido and Yoshihara Kuniie 2nd Shoji. He became a teacher at Kyushu University Kingakubu Nihonto Kenkyujo in 1937. In 1938, he opened his own forge at his home in Setagaya, Tokyo. He was a contract smith for the Japanese Imperial army. He became an instructor at the forge of Toyama Mitsuru's estate, Tokiwamatsu Tenren Kenkyu Jo in Tokyo after Shigetsugu moved to a different area. In 1941, Kuniie became the chief instructor of the Japanese Sword Institute (Nihonto Gakuin) in Sagamihara-cho, Zama Kangawa Prefecture. This sword was commissioned by his great-grandmother Kinko, to celebrate an achievement, not sure which one. It is dated Mid Autumn Day, Showa 17 (1942). The same year he was listed as top swordsmith of Eastern Japan. The sword is in shirasaya. The hamon is choji with a maru boshi, hada is a tight itame. Nakago is signed on the omote 吉原國家作　昭和十七年仲秋日 and on the ura 為水書功二　曽祖母きん子贈之. This sword has a NBTHK hozon certificate. There is a small area with superficial rust. This sword is currently in Japan. Nagasa is 62.8 cm Sori is 1.6 cm Motohaba is 33 mm Sakihaba is 23 mm Motokasane is 7 mm Price $6000