i came across a sword that has a surrender tag with unusual "stamped kanji". I think i can read Katsuyoshi, but have not seen tags with anything stamped on them. Is this usual? What does the stamp say?
thanks!
i have a tanto, signed BuShu Ju Minamoto Masatsugu. No date but I am thinking ShinShinto. There are kanji on the blade. Can't make much from it, can anyone help?
Thanks
i think both things are true. 1. You could always get a quality koshirae if you had the money and access. 2. As a general rule quality deteriorated with time. 3. You should not assume a gunto is late or early just on the quality of the koshirae
there is a club in SoCal, you should be able to find info online, or maybe someone here is a member. you can take it to a meeting and get multiple opinions
Chris and Joe's lecture was interesting. I learned a lot about the background and interactions of the smiths before and during WWII, thanks to both of you, great presentation
if looking for books check http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com
Grey is a good guy and a member here, if he does not have something he can usually get it for you
thing i cant wrap my mind around is NO HABAKI.... Would the Japanese do this even with a prototype? makes no sense, the habaki holds the blade in the saya, it centers it and makes a tight fit so no rattle. I can understand the possibility of the rest but not that
after offering a couple of swords to someone who asked http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/20375-looking-for-antique-junk-blades/
i listed one on ebay. http://www.ebay.com/itm/252517601302?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
check it out if you are interested, no reserve listed for less than $1
i have these 2 swords. either $400 (plus actual shipping), buyer has return option refund less shipping. Both have tsuba and one has f/k and fitting on end of saya.
best to reply to my email nixe@bright.net
thanks for looking
No, if you look at past shinsa you will see makers who regularly pass, they have a chance, if you have a maker who has only a blade or two that have passed on 50+ years the chance a blade by him will pass is very low. The NBTHK is very tradition oriented, you can have an excellent blade, the best of a average smiths work, something that is a knock out, he had a great day but it will not pass if he has not had a blade passed before. It will pass YuShu but not Juyo
they look at the quality of the individual item, then compare it with others of the same maker. If 5 blades by Korekazu are submitted the best of the 5 MAY pass Juyo, the other 4 will not. Maybe the next year the 4 others would be submitted again and the next best will pass, you never know what the competition will be in a given year
By the way: Is it ok for us to be discussing this? It is for sale and i don't want to interfere with the sale. Is the rule about discussing "For Sale" items just for things listed here or elsewhere? I want to follow the rules and not put the NMB in any potential difficulty.