Mark

i am not positive but it looks like a Chinese copy

plan to come to the Chicago show, you are not that far away. You will see and learn a lot and can show your sword to polishers in person and get an opinion. You can see and compare hundreds of swords in one place

Murray There are a couple of clubs in the UK and some members of this group are in the UK. Hopefully some "up north" will see this. Here is a link to one site http://www.Japanese-swords.co.uk/clive_sinclaire.php

Dear Mjsh, or Mr Mjsh forum guidelines require signing your posts with a name, sorry not sure if i have your name correct. Where are you located? Maybe there is a sword show or club near you. One of us could assist you and remove the tsuka carefully

second picture is blurry on my screen, has the look of a genuine late war blade but hard to see anything in the picture

All presentations are on Saturday. Grey will do a presentation on etiquette and handling at 10am, there is an aikido demonstration at about noon. Mike Y is organizing the NBTHK-AB presentation, he may add a comment but last i spoke with him there may be two presentations, if so one wlll be about 2pm and the other 4pm. A couple of exhibitors are planning on displaying some interesting items, one display will be some very nice old iron tsuba.

Brian, I always take care of all the "refreshments", and am happy to do so. This year i am having an "Exhibitor Welcome reception" Friday after the show and so thought i could do a NMB reception Saturday. If you would like me to offer a special bottle from you i could do that.

If all NMB are at the show Saturday at closing time (9:00) we could go up to my room and enjoy a brew, glass of wine, or single malt and get a group picture in a more relaxed atmosphere. If members will not be there at that time someone can arrange a get together for a picture, i am sure i will be around anytime.

occasionally due to change of tsuka, maybe made as katana but then mounted as tachi, blade length the same but hole in different spot. I have seen some Hizen blades where the original hole is closer to the machi that normal and a later one was put in lower on the tang. Probably a variety of reasons but suriage is most common

with help of Markus Sesko's book Nihon-shinshinto-shi - The History of the shinshinto Era of Japanese Swords i found the meaning of the poem and some additional information. So i will have to compare the sword to some in books and try and determine if it is shoshin or a later copy

with Maurice's direction i found Arikoto in Nihonto Koza, there is an example shown with, what looks like, an identical inscription. The book says that the inscription could not be read, but also said that he inscribed poems on his blades so i guess that is what it is. Thanks! good learning opportunity Picture of the book below

Maurice thanks! I was not sure about my translation. Looking again I think you are right

i tried to place the pictures in order, full length then top to bottom but they were shuffled around somehow, sorry

I have a mumei (nothing on tang) wakizashi. I think the mei is on the blade along with an inscription, maybe a poem? I can see what i think is Sho or Masa, San or Mi, Ju AriSuke... i may be wrong with that, Looks like it was done with a dremel tool but it seems like it was written by someone familiar with kanji, not an American vet, and it came out of the woodwork so not done in the past 40 years. any help appreciated. Thanks!

The show plans are coming along well. The hotel is just about full, i think i have 2 or 3 rooms still available, the cutoff for reservations was yesterday but i was able to get the hotel to extend it through 4/3. So if you are thinking of coming and want to stay at the Hyatt make a reservation right away here is a link https://aws.passkey.com/event/13928013/owner/4631/home Tables were sold out but I had a cancellation, so if you want a table let me know. There are usually some great deals to be found. There are a lot of well known dealers with great items but a large number of table-holders are local and only attend the Chicago show. I usually hear of at least one or two great swords being found and a number of swords that later passed Juyo have been bought off tables. Educational opportunities abound. A few tables will have, or include, displays and the NBTHK-AB always provides a wonderful display/lecture or educational program. Grey will do lecture/demonstration of proper etiquette and handling of swords on Saturday morning, for the newly interested this is a great chance to pick up tips and you will be more confident at the show. There are plenty of people in attendance with decades or experience that are happy to take time to offer opinions and/or freely share their knowledge. You have the chance to see, and handle, more swords in a weekend than you are likely to see in a life time. Hopefully someone will organize a NMB get together for a picture. www.chicagoswordshow.com

Gassan group seem known for the high quality yasuri, well cut and crisp, these seem lower quality, but i am just seeing pictures

It reminds me of a naginata i saw by Jitsua, but I think that blade was Nambokucho so he may be a bit too late for the date so at first i thought Sairen, but with your hint maybe Ryosai or his brother Nyusai ?

papers for the Nagamori look genuine to me. The other paper is for a nice tachi koshirae. The Tadayoshi does NOT look like Chinese fake, may or may not be shoshin, if there is a paper post a picture

i have had a few, not as common as on the other handle fitting. I have had some with mon on the menuki. Any pictures of the blade? Is the blade signed?

Okimasa is a famous maker, student of Kotetsu think i saw this on eBay. Another NMB and i discussed it earlier today. As i recall the seller stated he "was not saying it was from the 1600's" and as i remember there was a description for someone else saying what the signature said but NOT saying it was signed by that person. It seemed to both of us that the owner/seller was not saying it was made by Okimasa, just that that was the name on the tang. So we were thinking everyone who saw in hand did not think it was his work from any era. But if it is shoshin then it is a great deal, if your research leads you to think it is genuine and you buy it you will do well

i am no expert on these. That being said i have been involved with swords for 30 years. I have seen hundreds of these swords and bought and sold dozens. My opinion is these are late war Navy of some type, NCO, cadet, or similar. There are just too many that are made the same way to be "put together". They come from Vet's and vet's families that brought them back. They are certainly lower quality than the early Navy swords but i see a lot of low quality late war army swords. Just my opinion

Yoshimasa -- Showa 14th year 8th month 1939

Steven, As Ray says other than the date column (which is different on all papers based on the date they were issued) the rest is the same. The date is easy to work out

does this help? http://www.nihontocraft.com/japanese_sword_papers.html#japanese_sword_5

I was waiting until Tampa was over to post a message. But thanks Derek for the nudge. The show is April 29 - May 1, 2016 If you are staying at the Hyatt here is a link for reservations https://aws.passkey.com/event/13928013/owner/4631/home Free parking at the hotel so it is easy for locals to attend Tables were sold out but i had a person who can't come this year so if you need one let me know http://www.chicagoswordshow.com/contact-table-info/ There are a number of people with tables who have not set up in years so there should be a lot of fresh items to be found. There will be a lot of people attending who are in the midwest and do not get to Tampa or SF. If you have questions or there is anything i can do to make your visit easier let me know Thanks Mark