Tokaido

Please be patient: the NBTHK EB is a group of ethusiasts, NOT a commercial organisation with a permanently occupied secretary unit. They all do their regulary work and maybe sometimes unavailiable for a short time. Any polite inquiery will receive a polite answer, it just may take some time. Best Andreas

Hi Lewis, please try to get a competent translation of the saysgaki I do not see any mentioning of utsuri in the sayagaki, but I do see the mentioning of gunome in the hamon, which would be totally in line with work of the Shikkake school and even with Shikkake Norinaga himself. Depending on where you live in Germany, you might be interested to check out the NBTHK EB for an invitation to the next meeting. There will be a meeting at Klingenmuseum Solingen on July the 20th. Best Andreas

in my opinion the hada is way off for koto. My wild guess: Shinshinto, mimicing Soshu tradtion, especially Sa-Yoshisada or Sa Kunihiro, made by Naotane

Hello Florian, the paper gives a date around Tensho (1573-1592). That should be the 8.th or 9.th generation Kanetsune according to Markus Seskos book, see below. Please do oil the blade gently with a gunoil like Balistol to remove the stains left by the pure clove oil. Rubb the blade dry with very soft tissue (face-tissue) or a microfibre cloth used for camera lens before inserting back into the shirasays. You do not want to accumulate excessive oil inside the shirasaya. Right now with the Corona mess, it may be difficult to get in contact with many of the local collectors. But the NBTHK European Branch is located in Bonn and the Nihonto Club usually meets in Neuwied. So if "stay at home" is no longer necessary, you might be able to get in touch with some of sword enthusiasts in your area :-) Greetings Andreas Sorry guys, I have the german version only at hand: Source: Lexikon der japanischen Schwertschmiede, A-M by © 2012 Markus Sesko Kanetsune (兼常), Tenbun (天文, 1532-1555), Mino – „Kanetsune“ (兼常), „Nōshū Seki-jū Kanetsune“ (濃州関住兼常), „Nōshū Seki no jū Kanetsune“ (濃州関之住兼常), Vorname „Heizaburō“ (兵三郎), er führte später den Namen „Nando Suke´emon“ (納戸助右衛門), er war der Ahnherr der späteren Mutō-Kanetsune-Linie (武藤兼常), er bekam im siebten Monat des zweiten Jahres Genki (元亀, 1571) von Oda Nobunaga den Ehrentitel „Seki-kaji-tōryō“ (関鍛冶頭領, wörtl. „Oberhaupt der Seki-Schmiede“) verliehen, er war von der beginnenden Tenbun- bis in die Tenshō-Periode (天正, 1573-1592) aktiv, er soll auch in Fushimi (伏見) in der Provinz Yamashiro geschmiedet haben, er starb im zehnten Monat des 16. Jahres Tenshō (1588), posthumer buddh. Name „Tennō Gentaku“ (天翁元沢), er fertigte meist etwas längere und eher robust anmutende Klingen mit breiter mihaba und sakizori, das jigane ist eine dichte mokume gemischt mit masame oder eine heraus-stehende itame gemischt mit masame, der hamon ist ein suguha mit ō-midare als koshiba an der Klingenwurzel, er härtete aber auch einen koshi-no-hiraita gunome-chōji mit togiyaki, generell sind seine hamon eher nie-lastig Kanetsune (兼常), Eiroku (永禄, 1558-1570), Mino/Izumo – „Unshū-jū Kanetsune saku“ (雲州住兼常作), er ging von Mino in die Provinz Izumo Kanetsune (兼常), Bunroku (文禄, 1592-1596), Mino – „Nōshū Seki-jū Kanetsune“ (濃州関住兼常), „Kanetsune“ (兼常), bürgerlicher Name „Nando Suke´emon“ (納戸助右衛門), er führte auch den Vornamen „Sukejirō“ (助次郎), älterer Bruder Owari-Seki Masatsunes (政常), er fertigte eine stattliche Keichō-shintō-sugata mit einem ō-kissaki, dichte itame, chōji-midare in ko-nie-deki, er war ein äußerst talentierter Schmied, lt. Überlieferung soll er Mitte der Keichō-Periode (慶長, 1596-1615) von Kananmori Nagamitsu (金森長光, 1605 1611), dem daimyō des Minoer Kōzuchi-Lehens (上有知藩) eingestellt worden sein, diese Überlieferung ist aber etwas abwegig, da Nagamitsu (nach jap. Zählweise) nur sieben Jahre alt wurde, es kann aber durchaus sein, dass er für das besagte Lehen tätig war, er starb im vierten Monat des zwölften Jahres Kan´ei (寛永, 1635), posthumer buddh. Name „Koshun-Eirin“ (孤俊永輪) Kanetsune (兼常), 9. Gen., Bunroku (文禄, 1592-1596), Mino – „Kanetsune“ (兼常), „Nōshū Seki-jū Kanetsune“ (濃州関住兼常), bürgerlicher Name „Nando Suke´emon“ (納戸助右衛門), er zählte sich als 9. Gen. Kanetsune, die vorangegangene Generationenfolge ist unklar, Vater von Sagami no Kami Masatsune (相模守政常) Kanetsune

Hi Jeremiah, there IS a side light pic, but you have to dig for it Have a look at this: https://www.aoijapan.com/img/sword/2019/19159-4.jpg Greetings Andreas

Hi Uwe, thank you for entertaining us with these lovely pictures The sugata reminds me of either late Kamakura Period or late Nambokucho/Beginning of Muromachi. The hada is breathtaking. Reminds me of a sword with a debatable attribution to either Soshu Yukimitsu or Taima. Since there are very many chikei, I guess it is neither of these. I can also understand an attribution to Kashu Sanekage or Uda Well, the later is an excuse to not know what it is and so to dump it right in the "box of doom" Greetings Andreas

You have NO idea ! He was fueld not by blood, but by "Spezi" ROFL Greetings Andreas

Hello Marco, if you do not mind the hadaware in the hamon, go for it if you like it and the price is ok for you. The name is a "big name" in Osafune, so consider it gimei, when judging the price. Concerning "strange file marks": it is hard to make out, since the pics do not show the full length of the nakago, but observed in the full blade pic. I guess I can see a "machiokuri-job" e.g. the machi moved up and therefore new horizontal filemarks added to the otherwise older looking nakago surface. Maybe it is a matter of the (black and white?) fotos, but the kanji look "sharp" considering the overal weathering of the nakago. Needs futher study Greetings Andreas

Hi, little bit of cheating, I think: I do not think this is a Kaga nakago-jiri, it is not square cut at the end of the shinogi-ji. But it is typical shape of nakago-jiri for another smith. Observing the yakidashi and the smooth boshi in combination with the wilder hamon, I vote for Shinto-Period. Good curvature and deep sori, I guess it is past Kanbun, maybe Genroku-Era. Long choji-ashi and nice long sunagashi gives the clue in my opionion. Don't be fooled by the togari elements! Taking into account the hint of a 8-kanji-signature and "early work" (another cheating!) I vote for: Greetings Andreas PS: Thank you Uwe for showing this fantastic foto of a sword!!!

Hi Uwe, the boshi is a little bit on the "wild side", but I still believe it is Oya Kunisada = Izumi (no) Kami Kunisada, shodai. Can you do a shot along the blade, aiming at a light bulb to show the hamon and habuchi? Greetings Andreas

Hi Uwe, observing the overall shape of the blade, I guess an early Shinto, first quater of the 17th century. I ignore the nakago, because I'm not sure about the patina. Looks very light, but that maybe an effect caused by the fotolight? Fine hada points to Osaka (not fine enought for Osaka!?) or Kyoto. Looks like having a tinge of zanguri? Neither Kyo- nor Osaka-yakidashi visible, but a "feeling" of a less active hamon near the machi. OK, can't make out the boshi, but the o-gunome/midare in the lower part of the blade and the "dip" towards the kissaki reminds me of Kotetsu. But I allready decided for a different time and location. Anyway, I go for a guy in Osaka with roots in Kyoto Greetings Andreas PS: maybe all the thoughts above are simply BS but I "vote" for..OK

Hello Chris, fortunately I never had a bad shipping experience with any nihonto so far knock on wood... When I received a european style sword (modern reproduction), I was shocked about the damage to the parcel done by the sword itself in transit (ok, "transit" means the post-guys had a tossing-the-parcel-contest, most likely). The sword probably danced around in the parcel and punched several holes into the heavy duty cardboard and finally almost ripped the parcel apart. Fortunately the edge and tip of the sword had additional padding, so no one was hurt, to my great relief. For shipping anything as delicate as a nihonto, you better prepare the parcel to take and absorb/withstand the force of a Sojus-Landing-Impact.... Greetings Andreas

Hello Uwe, the nijimei of Sukezane was written in very large kanji. Very unusual signature for Sukezane. The sword is published in the "blue Solingen Catalogue". Greetings Andreas

Hi Chris and everone else, I guess Stephen ist right. We may suffer from translation. I'm not a native english speaker, so my command of english isn't the best. I try simple words: those swords are genuine Japanese swords, most likely. The "seller" may have stolen the pictures from somewhere else in the internet. Search yahoo Japan vor example, maybe you will find exacly those pictures in those auctions. Greetings Andreas

Hi, see this topic: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/19167-nihonto-or-fake/ Swords most likely are genuine objects, but it is most doubtfull that the "seller" have them in his posession. No needs for more allerts about China based sellers on egun I guess anyone on this board will be aware of "buyer beware" on offers like those ones... Greetings Andreas

Are you sure the horimono has been entirely on the blade before shortening? If machi okuri, that would make the wider hi with its kakinagashi end terminating in kakinagashi above the habaki? I have never seen a hi ending kakinagashi above the habaki;..marudome and kakudome, yes, but kakinagashi? no Greetings Andreas

Hello Michael, if one thing is certain on earth, besides death and taxes, than that you NEVER EVER will get the pictured sword from that seller for the indicated price http://www.egun.de/market/item.php?id=5890822 Greetings Andreas

Hi Geoffry I agree with Stephen: first picture: name of the smith = Kiyosada second picture: name of the location: Bishu (??) ju not certain about the "Bi"... Few Bishu Kiyosada with this kanji in in Markus Seskos book. Greetings Andreas

Hello Chris, my best guess is Sato Kanesumi. Extract from Markus Sesko: Kanesumi (兼住), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – „Kanesumi“ (兼住), name „Satō Kōhachi“ (佐藤幸八),born 10. Oktober 1891, rikugun-jumei-tōshō Maybe anyone of the military swordcollectors can help you with a sample oshigata to compare.... Greetings Andreas

Hello Anders, simply: the paper states no date. The paper rarely state a date on a sword, which shows no dating on the nakago. Somethimes the papers tell you the generation of a smith, if it can be clearly determined and if is important for the judgment. With your Kanenori, the paper is of little help to date the sword. You have to study the blade itself closely to find out the generation of the smith as well as the approximately date of manufacture. The former owner may have done this deeply and concluded a date around 1540. Jussi told you about the shape of the blade and the style of the signature and comes to the same conclusion. Kanenori are not that rare, so you might find another one on the web to compare. But most late koto Blades from Mino are not dated... Greetings Andreas

Hello Anders, sorry to disapoint you, but the Papers of NBTHK for your sword simply state that it is a wakizashi of 31 cm length and signed by Kanenori. And it is Tokubetsu Hozon level (literally: especially worth of preservation). The papers do not give any further clue about the age, the school or anything about the sword. That is the normal status of information on this papers. To explain the many columns on the paper, please visit this side: http://www.nihontocraft.com/japanese_sword_papers.html Select Tokubetsu Hozon, as this is the level of your paper. Greetings Andreas PS: The second paper ist the export permission. Nothing interesting here. PS2: There is a very active group of the NBTHK in Sweden, so you are lucky. Find them and enjoy. Correction: James C. (Kronos) ist right, it is Hozon, not Tokubetsu Hozon, sorry.

The second kantei session displayed: 5. a Ko-Kongobyoye daito (in the shape of an early nagamaki-naoshi) in koshirae 6. a daito attributed to Omiya Morikage 7. a mumei tanto (needs further study, but looked like a shinshinto blade by an Osaka smith) 8. a Kozori tachi (late Nambokucho/early Muromachi) 9. a shinsakuto-daito by Enomoto Tatsuyoshi The last one fooled some of participants (including me) because ist was a very nice Shizu utsushi. (And nobody expected the spanish inquisition...) Some incredible Higo tsuba were on display together with stunning koshirae. Professor Eckhard Kremers lectured about the tsuba as well as "how to distinguish a real Higo koshirae from koshirae similar to the Higo style". Greetings Andreas

Hi Michael, I guess these pictures are the "additional pictures on request" showing the sword in the egun auction from Nuernberg I wonder if the edge survived the heavy bending back and forth which caused the shinae in the shinogi. I suspect some hagire too these are of course not visible in the fuzzy fotos. Anyway, the simple answer to your question about buying: if you like it, buy it. BUT you will have a VERY HARD time to sell it again. Greetings Andreas

Hello Neil, sorry, but the sword is a (chinese) fake sword. It is NOT a genuine Japanese sword. Please have a close look at the "Fake Sword" section found at the pull-down menue "Research". Greetings Andreas