Mark

Dan still not sure. they plan to come and want to come but travel restrictions are an issue. I understand they will decide one way or the other for sure in next few weeks.... i will update when i know

Here is a close up of the part that is hard to read. I am now thinking it was an attribution to someone else. Probably unreadable but if anyone has a guess please let me know. Thanks again for all your help

I have looked at Andy's sword and hopefully helped him out some...... My impression is: Blade appears Muromachi, it is signed katana mei not tachi mei but we could see that from the pictures. The blade looks to be medium quality, i don't see any visible fatal flaws, there are some small carbon inclusions and/or small pits or ware', some nicks (polish should take out), some coarse hada (maybe core steel), habaki was tight and i didn't want to damage it so left it as is so didn't see the machi. I think it was originally signed Fujishima_______ and the smiths name has been lost. All in all the blade is an honest Koto sword, not a treasure but not junk, just mediocre. The tsuka and saya were redone probably Meiji for export (sale to foreigners), you can see the 2 hangers were not original, they were added to the saya. The tsuba is ok, nothing special my guess is Meiji, same for fuchi kashira and menuki. The hangers have dragons (one is missing on one side) and Tigers (the tigers seem to be maybe tobacco pouch ornaments, the dragons look like they were made as part of the hanger but they must of been added as you can see the spot where the missing one was attached). Probably the sword had samurai mounts and then they were tarted up in Meiji. I gave some suggestions about how to care for the sword and preserve the koshirae as it will deteriorate if left as is or mishandled. He will probably post his thoughts.

Tom and Moriyama San, Thanks for all the help!!!!! Very interesting. There were only 5 pictures, it looked like there were links for 2 at the beginning, not sure what happened, I had to edit multiple times to get the pictures in the right order......... Here are some pictures. The blade is very slender, but appears to be made that way as the temper is not thin (unless retempered). It has very nice hada (in my opinion) and gives the idea of some age but signed Norimitsu so i would expect 1500's. Not sure what to make of it, that is why i posted to see if the sayagaki could offer some direction. I guess the mei could have been added to match a katana? If so maybe the upper part of the sayagaki was written when it was mumei with an attribution to another smith and that was removed if the mei was added??? a conundrum. The blade looks older and better (or just different) than i would expect for Bizen Norimitsu ( i realize there were good Norimitsu but the mei does not look like one of the notable ones)

i have a wakizashi in shirasaya. It has 2 long columns of sayagaki. I can make out some, i can see Meiji 34, 5th day, but some of the rest is beyond me, the first part seems worn or "distressed" not sure if someone tried to remove or hide that part. I would appreciate some assistance Thanks in advance !!

if you are in Tecumseh i live near Toledo. If you want someone to look at it let me know. nixe@bright.net

looks like a nice sword with interesting mei. it should do well

after standing on my head for a few minutes i would guess Sukemune. The blade looks like it is toast

i thought Yasusada but jiri is wrong so i guess Yasutsugu

it is very rare but i have twice come across swords where the sarute' barrel nut goes through a second hole in at the base of the tang, doubt it is the case here but just mentioning

looks like kaneyoshi

$225 -- thanks for the fun and help for NMB so i will support it

not sure i understand. do you own this sword? Do you have it in your possession, in Canada? I thought i bid on it this afternoon at an auction in Texas?? https://bid.igavelauctions.com/Bidding.taf?_function=detail&auction_uid1=6109661

a person i know, said hey Mark i hear there is a collection of swords available for sale, call this guy he has them I call the person, he says yes he had bought a collection, but found out they had been stolen, so gave them to a friend of Larry's. I don't know the details of how he found out I contact Chris B and he verified that the swords are returned and accounted for Since it was mentioned here i figured i would let the group know they were recovered. probably could have been clearer

Good News!!!!!!!! (at least about the swords -- still sad to lose Larry) I heard of a large number of swords for sale in WI. i contacted the seller, they were Larry's swords, he had returned them to the family so after communicating With Chris B i understand all are accounted for

this one? https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b1009-tsuba-kansho-jiten-sato-%26-wakayama

don't think it means a number... think it is "Lucky" day meaning a good day in that month

8th month of Showa 18 i cant see the kanji before day

looks like a fukure that has opened up

date looks like Eisho 1504-1521........... signature looks like Yokoyama Kozuke Daijo Sukesada saku

not sure about BiShu being older form, my understanding is BiShu is the shortened form or less formal form of Bizen (and other provinces). I thought it was like saying "Mich" instead of Michigan, or OH instead of Ohio. Osafune is a town but also became, or was, a School or group. so bishu or Bizen Kuni Osafune Ju is a place description -- i am from Osafune Bizen, Bizen Kuni Ju Osafune more of i am from Bizen Prov and the Osafune group or school just my understanding, happy to be corrected and learn

maybe Higo (no) Kami Kuni ______ you might look up makers with that title with first kanji of name Kuni

i thought you had to be a member to submit for Juyo??? I am more familiar with swords than fittings but maybe applies to both? Here is Bob Benson's info https://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/nbthk-shinsa-submission.html NBTHK Shinsa Fees: See NBTHK's shinsa fees at http://www.touken.or.jp/english/shinsa_fees.html - If you are a member we will need your NBTHK membership number. - If non-member the NBTHK charges 2,000 yen extra on each item submitted to shinsa for Hozon and Tokubetsu Hozon. ( i.e: If your piece passes both Hozon and T. Hozon you will be charged an additional 4,000 yen on top of their shinsa fees.) -For a Juyo Token shinsa submission you will have to become a NBTHK member. -You can join the American Branch of the NBTHK at www.nbthk-ab.org

BiShu Osafune ju Yokoyama Sukesada saku 60th generation not sure the next but usually Tomonari Keio 3rd year August (1867)

looks like Bizen Kuni Ju Norimitsu