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Hello again ladies and gentlemen, on offer is a wonderful and exceedingly rare Den Oshu Hoju katana, of the nearly mythical Mokusa school. Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : katana Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Mumei Papered or not and by whom? : Yes, papered to Den Oshu Hoju, NTHK-NPO papers with kanteisho Era/Age : Muromachi, circa Bunmei (1469-1487) Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Shirasaya Nagasa/Blade Length : 66.6cm or 26.25" Sori : 1.9cm or 0.75" Hamon Type : A well-controlled suguha with occasional undulations. Ko-maru boshi. Jihada : Long flowing itame with some masame. Very characteristic of the course boulder iron that the Mokusa school used. If you love itame/masame, then this is the blade for you! Other Hataraki Visible : Kinsuji, inazuma. I believe there is also utsuri. This blade has A LOT of activity and is an eyeful! Flaws : Ware as expected of a blade composed primarily of long itame hada, one small fukure on one side, a few trace kirikomi, a few pits. Sword Location : Indiana, USA Will ship to : USA primarily, international contingent on laws of destination country. Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal, Cashapp. Shipping options discussed at time of purchase. Price and Currency : $2400 USD Other Info and Full Description : Comes in shirasaya with integral wooden habaki. This is a beautiful and extremely rare Den Oshu Hoju blade of the Mokusa school, which has an almost mythical status of being one of the primary influences upon the Soshu den. There are almost no extant signed works by this school and very few papered blades. This blade has NTHK-NPO papers with a kanteisho sheet and score of a very respectable 71 points, even in its current condition. The polish is old but with so much to see! It features a lot of activity as well as the presence of utsuri. One important thing to note is that this blade is ubu which is a very big bonus for a blade of its age. Given that this blade has papers and is in shirasaya in decent condition, the price at $2400 is very fair and priced to sell quickly. If you are interested, please drop a message in this thread, then DM me here on the message board or email me at ChrisW7290@gmail.com First come, first served of course. ~Chris

A Japanese WWII gendaito sword by Ki Masatsugu is available. Notably, Ki Masatsugu was given the special rank of Jyungenro, second only to Genro, in the 1943 list, the Gendai Tosho Ninki Banzuke. Published by the Nihon Token Tanrenjo (NTT) and the Nihon Token Shinbunshi (NTS), the Gendai Tosho Ninki Banzuke served to rank what were then modern or gendai swordsmiths. He is also given the rank of Jo-jo saku, superior-superior made, on the Fujishiro Ranking System, a rank that is only secondary to Sai-jo Saku. The late Fujishiro Matsuo san was a Living National Treasure polisher and author of the Nihon Toko Jiten. Therefore, this World War II Japanese sword represents an important acquisition for any serious collection. The tang bears the signature “Ki Masatsugu”. Additionally, Masatsugu crafted this blade as a traditionally made, water-tempered gendai sword. As expected for a traditionally forged blade, it carries no Showa or arsenal stamp. The blade measures 24 5/32″ (61.3 cm) from the tip to the bottom of the notch in the habaki. The Army mounts are exceptional. The saya has the hard to find extended prototype drag fitting with kanji. In addition, the tsuba is the only infrequently found special thin variation. The original Company grade (Lieutenant) blue/brown Officer tassel is still attached to the sarute. CONDITION The rare mounts on this Japanese WWII Gendaito sword are in exceptional condition. The blade has staining from past oxidation. This blade would polish beautifully if desired. There are a couple of minor nail nicks in the blade edge, and the blade remains perfectly straight. The hamon (temper line) and boshi are healthy and well defined. Additional photos available by using the link below. $2900 plus postage --Matthew Brice https://stcroixblades.com/product/Japanese-wwii-gendaito-sword-ww2-army-samurai-gunto/

A Japanese WWII gendaito sword by Kojima Kanemichi is available. Notably, Kanemichi earned the title of Sword Forging Teacher, the highest rating, at the 1941 Sword Forging Exhibition. Therefore, this World War II Japanese sword represents an important acquisition for any serious collection. Importantly, this blade represents early work by Kanemichi. He forged the sword in May 1940, recorded as the 2600th year of the founding of the Japanese Empire. The tang bears the signature “Noshu ju Kanemichi saku kore.” Additionally, Kanemichi crafted this blade as a traditionally made, water-tempered gendai sword. As expected for a traditionally forged blade, it carries no Showa or arsenal stamp. Collectors and dealers will likely agree--about 85% of swords by Kanemichi encountered are showato, so to locate a gendaito is significant. The blade measures 26 3/4″ (68.0 cm) from the tip to the bottom of the notch in the habaki. Furthermore, the sword retains its Army shin-gunto mounts, which complement the blade well. At the 1941 Sword Exhibition, Kanemichi received the rank of Special Honor Noted Seat – Sword Forging Teacher. In addition, experts rank him as a 2 Million Yen smith. John Slough notes in his book: “His real name is Kojima Tokijiro. Kanemichi was born in July 1902. At first he studied under Kojima Katsumasa, who had previously studied with Zenjo Kaneyoshi. Later, he trained under Watanabe Kanenaga. He was a Rikugun Jumei Tosho and had many students.” CONDITION Overall, the blade remains in fine polish. It shows only a couple of fingerprints, which uchiko will likely remove. Moreover, the edge shows no nicks, and the blade remains perfectly straight. The hamon (temper line) and boshi are healthy and well defined. Finally, the sword saw service during the war for more than five years. As a result, the saya lacquer shows wear and is missing in several areas. Additional photos at the link below. $2900 plus postage --Matthew Brice https://stcroixblades.com/product/kanemichi-Japanese-wwii-sword-ww2-army-2-million-yen/

A teaser--soon to be formally listed, but available for purchase NOW. A fine IMPERIAL GIFT tachi. Blade is papered. This tachi was gifted by an Emperor to a member of the Imperial peerage for carry at Coronation. $19,000 plus postage (if paying via credit card or Paypal add their 3% fee) LAYAWAY available --Matthew Brice StCroixBlades.com

A teaser--soon to be formally listed, but available for purchase NOW. A fine IMPERIAL GIFT tachi. Blade is papered. This tachi was gifted by an Emperor to a member of the Imperial peerage for carry at Coronation. $19,000 plus postage (if paying via credit card or Paypal add their 3% fee) LAYAWAY available --Matthew Brice StCroixBlades.com

Hello fellow NMB members! In anticipation of several events and change-ups in my inventory of nihonto, I am putting these out here for sale. Prices are negotiable, I am open to fair offers, and even partial trades where indicated. If you want more pictures of a particular item, I will do my best to accommodate! Shipping/insurance will be discussed but generally CONUS will be the simplest and quickest to receive. Shipping will be USPS for CONUS and the rates are usually no more than $100 with full insurance. All swords will be 'mummified' in bubble-wrap, cardboard.. whatever I deem necessary to make sure it gets to you in the same condition that I sent it out. Out-of-country sales will depend on your local laws. All sales are final. Please use your best judgement. I'll oblige and do my best to deliver satisfactory photos and excellent shipping. None of these blades are papered, most are considered projects. They are in the condition that they were received in by me, with only gentle application of choji. They all have potential to be restored fully and will be free of fatal flaws as far as possible within my experience. Polishing, like on any project, can reveal flaws after the fact. For those, I am not responsible. If you have an opinion on a sword or believe something is in error, please DM me and I will correct it. I am not an expert, nor will I ever be. If it is about the quality of my photographs, I will do my best to get you more if that is your interest. I apologize for my usual rough-shod photography skills; there is not much I can do about that... short of getting a professional setup or a new phone; but the photos should be enough to get you an idea of sugata and condition. Again, more are available via DMs. If it is just commentary about the quality of said photos, then keep it to yourself s'il vous plait! Lastly, each sale will net the NMB a $50 donation to help our beloved NMB with its planned upgrades. To reserve a piece for purchase, please put a reply here in this thread and/or then DM me directly. First come, first served! FINALLY, without further ado: 1. 28" katana in shirasaya. Signed "Tsuda Echizen no Kami Sukehiro", would need a polish to fully appreciate. Signature is unlikely to be first generation, more likely second or third or gimei. Notare hamon, unknown hada. Appears suriage. I predicate my opinion on the mei based on the fact that it is missing the classic long osaka-yakidashi of the first generation; instead only possessing a short one that disappears into the nakago. However, I have been known to be wrong. Will consider partial trade up to $1k in value. Asking price is $2500. 2. 19" wakizashi in substitute saya. Signed "Bizen no Kami Osafune Naga[xxxx]" with the rest having been cut off. Likely to be Bizen Nagamitsu since the work seems most appropriate for him. Sleepy old polish with lots of beautiful activity visible still. Pre-1530. Haven't had a chance to do deep research on this one to narrow it down. Has a fukure/ware flaw in the spine. Suriage. No partial trade on this one. Asking price is $1800. 3. 27" katana in partially restored gunto mounts. Mumei, but likely to be Yamato. Needs a polish as previous owner acid-polished it. Gold-plate habaki, silver mon on tsuka. Blade is likely to be late 1500/early 1600's. Several pits that are unlikely to come out with a polish but still a fine blade. Ubu. Paper stock saya. Partial trade up to $500. Asking price is $2200. 4. 23.25" o-suriage early to mid Kamakura tachi in assembled mounts. Mumei. Likely to be Bizen den. Circa 1200's. Decent assembled mounts with gold-trimmed Omori fuchigashira and Namban tsuba. This is a greatly o-suriaged blade, likely having been cut down somewhere in the Muromachi period. The boshi on this one is a little thin, but still present. In recent polish. The opinions on this piece come straight from my polisher; before that, I thought it a late Muromachi/early Edo boy's blade. A rare piece to be sure. No partial trade on this one. Asking price is $3450. 5. 24.5" katana in remnants of WWII leather-cased mounts. Signed "Kunihiro". Almost certainly a gimei since nearly ANY Kunihiro is a big big name smith, with most of them working late Kamakura. The biggest name Kunihiro worked in the 1600's strangely. There is a remote possibility it is one of them, but the placement of the mei leads me to believe it is gimei. However, it is still an older blade that is likely to be late Kamakura/Muromachi. Suriage with 2 mekugi-ana. Notare hamon. Could use a polish to revive the masame hada. Has kirikomi. Nice tsuba. Partial trade up to $700. Asking price is $2200. 6. 26" katana of WWII origin. Mumei, no stamps. It is my opinion that this blade is Showato, but it does show some signs of hand-forging including a very thick particle line in the hamon. It is in a somewhat amateur-ish polish with some warping of the geometry but would make for a very fine wall hanger. A good piece to find mounts for. It is a very interesting styled gunome. Paper stock saya. No Partial trade on this one. Asking price is $1000. 7. 17" wakizashi in American-made saya. Signed "Nobukuni" - the particulars of this signature, particularly the kanji used purport it to be one of the Oei Nobukuni, which if believed to be true would make for a very nice restoration project. Two meguki-ana. It does have a Soshu-esque hamon in it and a sugata that suggests an old blade. However, there are a few areas of damage to the edge and an S-bend in the blade. Ergo... the low price on this one. No partial trade on this one. Asking price is $700. 8. 11.25" tanto in restored mounts. Mumei. Kanmuri-otoshi shape, which along with the nakago, suggests the Nambokucho era. 2 mekugi-ana. BEAUTIFUL mounts which suggest that the habaki is not original. The saya is a striped alternating shiny and matte black lacquer with horn accents. Gorgeous hand-painted red wooden grain pattern tsuka. Why they would paint the wood grain as opposed to use real wood or a veneer? Your guess is as good as mine. Rare shape would make for a fun project. Unknown school since hada is not visible. Hamon appears to be a very straight and well-executed suguha. No partial trade on this one. Asking price is $1500. 9. 26" katana of WWII origin. Mumei, no stamps. No mounts but habaki and paper tube saya. Unlike #6, this one is clearly a gendaito. It has evident particle activity in both the hamon and hada scattered about. The gunome pattern is much more orderly and well-arranged. There is no evidence of the characteristic dark shadows that one would see in showato. The blade has a nice gold-plate habaki. Condition is solid but with several nail catchers and a solid patina covering the whole blade. A Mino-Seki blade with the appropriate yasurime. Strangely two mekugi-ana, with the top one showing a rough burr that would make it unlikely to be used; my theory being that this blade was ordered for one set of mounts and then changed before final fitting to another mount set. No partial trade on this one. Asking price is $1300. (Limit hit, will upload #9 below!) Thanks for looking! ~Chris

Hi There, I posted this Katana in the Translation section for help with authentication. So far it seems to have been identified as a Fuyuhiro Saku with Shaomi Tsuba in good condition. I am an auctioneer from Ontario Canada, and this item is listed on my website for auction closing Thursday October 12th at 7PM (GMT-5). Anyone interested in bidding simply go to this website and follow the prompts. International Shipping can be arranged if you are the winning bidder: http://kwauctions.hibid.com/catalog/112683/-71---consignment-auction-thurs--oct-12--warehouse-pickup-/ Any questions feel free to email me directly at info@kwauctions.ca, any additional information (age, value, etc) would be appreciated. Best Regards, Ian Watson KW Auctions

Hi, I am selling from my collection this superbe large heinjo tsuba with a rope patern and Tembo marks Price : € 300 / $ 350 plus shipping and potential payment fees Size: 9,25 cm / 8,47 cm /0,55 cm Nakago: 2,99 cm Weight: 177 grams Please contact me for any questions.

Hello everyone, my name is Sami R. I am a collector from Florida, USA. I have a deep interest in history and horology. I am starting a new venture so I am choosing to sell my Japanese swords. This is the first one. Here is some details (all done to the best of my ability) Thank you. Type Katana Ubu -- (appears unshortened) Mei (Mumei, Signature): Signed (hand-chiseled mei) 正廣 作 Masahiro saku Papered or not and by whom?: Not papered Era/Age: Showa period (WWII era, 1930s–1940s) Koshirae (original WWII Type 98 Army mounts) Nagasa / Blade Length: Approximately 26 inches Sori (Curvature): Moderate tori-sori (gentle traditional curvature) Hamon Type: Visible midare-based hamon (irregular temper line) Jihada: Visible traditional jihada (itame/mokume appearance under patina) Other Hataraki Visible: Hamon activity visible under natural patina; more detail would show with professional polish Flaws: No known fatal flaws observed. Blade shows surface wear and age patina consistent with historical use. No cracks or bends visible. Sword Location: United States Will ship to: United States preferred Payment Methods Accepted: Zelle, Apple Pay, Venmo, Cashapp Price and Currency: $3,000 USD – Open to offers

For sale is a Tokubetsu Hozon 2nd gen Yasutsugu katana with orikaeshi mei in fine koshirae. Looking at the length of the blade and orikaeshi mei, I thought this could very well be an odachi originally. Tsuba is iron while the other fittings are sakudo, with dragon and tiger motifs in gold. Double layer gold foil habaki. All without damages or losses. Dimensions: Nagasa: 74.9 cm / 29.49 in / 2 shaku 4 sun 7 bu Sori: 2.0 cm / 0.79 in Motohaba: 3.16 cm / 1.24 in Moto-kasane: 0.7 cm / 0.28 in Sakihaba: 2.26 cm / 0.89 in Saki-kasane: 0.47 cm / 0.19 in Blade Weight: 822 g / 1.81 lb Asking Price: $12,500 USD. CONUS shipping included. For shipping to other places please message me. Payment Methods: PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, Bank Transfer. 5% of this sale will be donated to NMB. I'll post a proof of that donation in this thread once the sale is complete. More Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bdlnZ5dEXnb7CBzatBx238LA_73TA0sJ?usp=sharing Thanks for looking!

This book set is in excellent condition and just posted to ebay. Click on the link for additional information. https://ebay.us/m/qsslQL

A fine papered 16th Century Katana by (Heianjo) Nagamitsu. This Koto period sword would make an important addition to any collection. This katana is in excellent polish. It is accompanied by beautiful mounts. The fuchi and kurikata have a matching gold floral motif. The kashira is polished horn. The tsuba is very interesting–it is made of lacquered wood. The plugs in the hitsu-ana are fine textured gold. A complementing silk sageo is threaded through the kurikata. A wood tsunagi (with habaki) was made for the mounts. The blade is in a handsome shirasaya. The shirasaya is wrapped with bamboo accents. The blade measures 68 cm (26.8 in). The 2-piece habaki is wrapped in gold foil. This Koto period sword is accompanied by NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho papers. CONDITION: The blade is in excellent polish. The hamon and boshi are healthy. The koshirae is in exceptional condition. $6650 View additional photos by visiting http://StCroixBlades.com --Matthew Brice

Hey guys, just submitting this for sale here on the board. If it sells here, I'll pay $50 out of the final price to the board. Thanks to Brian for providing a solid experience for us sellers! Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Wakizashi Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Suriage Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Mumei, two nakago-ana. Papered or not and by whom? : No, but a copy of the torokusho. This blade is textbook Yamato Mihara school and I would be surprised if it was named otherwise. Era/Age : Muromachi, approx. 1420-1450 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : in full koshirae Nagasa/Blade Length : 53.3cm or 20.98 inches, around 24" originally. Sori : 1.3cm (0.51 inches) Hamon Type : Chu-suguha Jihada : Dense ko-itame, with some mokume and masame elements. Other Hataraki Visible : Kinsuji, inazuma, slight hakikake in the boshi, and more activity than I can remember the terminology for! This one is a real looker! Flaws : a few aesthetic scratches, light dimpling/staining on the edge for a few inches, stains under the habaki -- otherwise very clean and appreciable. Sword Location : Indiana, USA Will ship to : USA primarily, international contingent on laws of destination country. Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal, Cashapp. Shipping options discussed at time of purchase. Price and Currency : SOLD USD or reasonable offers. Will only take up to $X in trade value. Other Info and Full Description : Comes in full koshirae with fine shakudo and gold trimmed elements. The fuchi shows a gold rabbit leaping over shakudo waves, combined with the dual mon menuki and the restrained elements of the koshirae, it leads me to believe this was meant as a bridal/wedding gift between two clans. The rabbit leaping over waves is a common fertility theme. Tsuba is a floral motif done in copper with gold highlights. Habaki is a gold-plated two piece. Saya is black lacquer in good condition, has sageo attached in a nice ornamental knot. A copy of the torokusho is rubber-banded onto the saya. This is a lovely blade for sale at a more than reasonable price. It is priced for far less than what you would pay to get a blade of this size polished, plus it comes in full koshirae!

Hello again ladies and gentlemen, here is one more for the evening. Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : omi yari Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Signed two kanji Kanenori, by the workmanship, mainline Mino, one nakago-ana. Papered or not and by whom? : No Era/Age : Late Muromachi, circa 1530 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : partial koshirae. Nagasa/Blade Length : 28cm or just over 11 inches, with kubi it is 12 inches Sori : none Hamon Type : Chu-suguha Jihada : Running itame with mokume and masame elements. Other Hataraki Visible : Kinsuji, inazuma. This blade has A LOT of activity and is an eyeful! Flaws : a few small ware, one small fukure midway on one side, five kirikomi, a few pits. Sword Location : Indiana, USA Will ship to : USA primarily, international contingent on laws of destination country. Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal, Cashapp. Shipping options discussed at time of purchase. Price and Currency : $1400 USD or reasonable offers. Other Info and Full Description : Comes in a saya. The smith is likely to be one of the mainline Mino Kanenori of the late Muromachi period judging by the workmanship. This is a very petite 'omi yari' as with the kubi included, it just comes in at 12". Despite its size, it has FIVE kirikomi or 'battle scars' and is in great condition for its age. Another lovely yari in fine condition for its age. It sports a ryo-shinogi (double ridge) which is rather uncommon provides for a very distinctive look compared to many other yari. Enjoy!

Hello again ladies and gentlemen, I am submitting another item for sale here on the board. Type (Tachi, Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto, Naginata, Other) : Yari Ubu, Suriage or O-Suriage : Ubu Mei : (Mumei, Signature) : Signed Yamato Daijo Fujiwara Masanori, the mei being filled in with gold lacquer, one nakago-ana. Papered or not and by whom? : No Era/Age : Early Edo, approx. 1600-1624 Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : in shirasaya. Nagasa/Blade Length : 16.2cm or just under 5 inches Sori : none Hamon Type : Chu-suguha Jihada : Dense itame/masame. Flaws : a few aesthetic scratches, a minor stain near the tip. Sword Location : Indiana, USA Will ship to : USA primarily, international contingent on laws of destination country. Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal, Cashapp. Shipping options discussed at time of purchase. Price and Currency : $1200 USD or reasonable offers. Other Info and Full Description : Comes in shirasaya. The smith Yamato Masanori worked from 1600 to 1624 and is a 50-point smith. This is the shodai in my opinion, as opposed to the nidai because yari made by shodai were done in a Hizen-esque style with the suguha/itame combination. The mei on this yari is infilled with gold lacquer that really does help make the mei pop in my opinion A very well-preserved makura or "pillow" yari with a very nice gold lacquer filled mei in shirasaya at a very nice price.

Type :Tanto Ubu : Mei :: Morishige Era/Age : Showa (1985) Shirasaya, Koshirae or Bare Blade? : Shirasaya Hamon Type : Suguha Flaws : Light kizu Sword Location : USA Will ship to : USA, International at buyers risk Payment Methods Accepted : PayPal, Zelle Price and Currency : $850 USD Other Info and Full Description : Offering a very interesting special order shinsakuto Tanto for sale. This Tanto was created by smith Morishige in August, 1985 responding to a request made by a Mr. Yanagi Gado. The blade features a Suguha hamon with a very misty nioi-guchi. Looking at the folds in the blade is almost like looking at waves rippling in the ocean. The habaki is solid silver as well, weighing a hefty 20.6 grams. The Mei is intricately carved and covers almost all of the Nakago in writing. I’ve attached a translation below. Please see the imgur album for more pictures https://imgur.com/a/LGxmuoV 東海道清水住人、盛重作 – A resident of Tokaido Shimizu, Morishige made. 応好 柳雅堂氏 – Responding to the order from Mr. Yanagi Gado 家運長久 – Good future for the family 昭和六十乙丑年八月日 – Showa 60 Kinoto-Ushi year (1985), 8th month Blade is in polish and overall excellent condition other than light kizu as depicted. Small ding on the shirasaya (also depicted). Asking $850 shipped

$100 or best offer Offered here is the highly regarded Kanzan Shinto Oshigata Dictionary, authored by esteemed sword expert Sato Kanzan. This reference work is an essential resource for collectors, scholars, and enthusiasts of Japanese swords, particularly the Shinto period. Featuring hundreds of meticulously reproduced oshigata (swordsmith signature rubbings), this volume presents a comprehensive survey of notable Shinto-period swordsmiths, arranged for easy reference. Sato Kanzan's expertise and scholarly approach make this a foundational text for those interested in sword appraisal, history, and signature verification. Author: Sato Kanzan Title: Kanzan Shinto Oshigata Dictionary Language: Japanese (with some English translations) Binding: Deluxe Paperback Contents: 729 oshigata, smith listings, reference diagrams Like new. Slightest wear to the corner of the book. Spine and pages are in pristine condition. Lower United States only. Subject to being sold earlier.

25% off all Japanese swords and tosogu through Sunday. (with payment made by Paypal, Zelle, Venmo, Wise, bank transfer before midnight Sunday, September 14th). http://stcroixblades.com --Matthew Brice St. Croix Blades

Dear all I am parting with a nicely made Edo period pine sukashi tsuba. Dimensions: 7.88 cm x 7.64 cm Height: 0.52 cm Seppa-dai (max): 2.99 cm x 0.85 cm Asking price: EUR 300.00 plus shipping Best Chris

Had to create a new account, old one locked behind an email address i cant access. People know me from other websites, Aaron Justice. 4th generation Tadayoshi with NBTHK papers. Recently polished. Fitted with a new dragon tsuba recently. Gorgeous blade, had it for a few years but finances dictate something needs to move. Full polish. Choji hamon. Silver habaki, silver fuchi and kashira. All dragon/ukigumo themed. Has a shirasaya. Fits a bit tight at the habaki, might have shrunk a bit in storage. And NBTHK papers. 69cm nagasa, 3.2cm motohaba, 2.35cm sakihaba. 7.5mm thick. 1.1cm sori. Dated 1688. Looking for $7500 shipped and insured in the US. Pictures to follow, in person shots and studio shots.

New swords just added. Click on the link to take a look: https://stcroixblades.com/product-category/Japanese-swords/ If you have any questions, need more photos, etc., just let me know. --Matthew Brice St. Croix Blades

Hi guys selling this beautiful ubu Tadahiro katana and koshirae, don't hesitate to reach out if you want high res/more pics. Tadahiro is the son of Shodai Tadayoshi. He was born in Saga, Hizen in 1614 and he studied under his father (from the age of 10!) and other great smiths such as the first generation Masahiro, and Yoshinobu. When his father died in 1632, Tadahiro took up the reins for the school. He received his title of Omi Daijo in 1641 - a very unusual honour to receive at the young age of 28. The short time to receiving this title is probably an indication of how prolific the school was in producing fine swords, and the prestige it earned for the Nabeshima Daimyo. Nidai Tadahiro passed away at the age of 81 in the sixth year of Genroku or 1693. His sword-making career spanned over sixty years and resulted in him being the most prolific artisan among the Hizen smiths. Smith Ratings: Fujishiro’s reference: Jo Jo Saku (Above Superior made) Hawley’s: 70 points Toko taikan / Dr Tokuno: 800 man yen (very highly regarded) Sharpness rating: Kokan Kaji Biko by Yamada Asaemon- rated as O Wazamono (formidable cutting ability). Nidai Tadahiro’s forte is his skill in producing suguha hamon. Sword specifications Type : Katana Mei : HIZEN KUNI JÛ FUJIWARA TADAHIRO 肥前国住藤原忠廣 Paper : NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Era/Age : between 1633 and July 1641 Shirasaya : Sayagaki by Tanobe sensai Koshirae : Yes Nagasa / Blade Length : 74.5cm Nakago : Length 20.8cm. Ubu. Nakago-jiri is iri-yamagata. Yasurime are kiri Sori : 1.2cm Moto haba: 3.19cm Saki haba: 2.01cm Kasane: 6.64mm Hamon Type : Suguha Jihada : Konuka Other Hataraki Visible : Ashi and yo, some small kinsuji Flaws : Small oil stain in kissaki/boshi on one side (see pic), some small light scratches Sword Location : Australia Will ship to : Anywhere, shipping fees / any customs duties etc responsibility of buyer Payment Methods Accepted : Bank transfer Price and Currency : USD $17,500 Other Info and Full Description : This is a large Shinto Katana with good length and in very good polish. Very consistent suguha noiguchi and a beautiful example of a Hizen blade by the Nidai Tadahiro as mentioned by Tanobe sensai. Sayagaki translation Hizen-no-kuni Fujiwara Tadahiro Ubu with eight-character signature. An early work of the Tadahiro 2nd. The jitetsu of konuka hada, and the clear, belt-like suguha are excellent, and show off this smith's true abilities. This piece was made circa Kan'ei 14 (1637), before Tadahiro received the title of "Ōmi daijō" Length of two shaku, four sun, six bu. Appraised and written on this day in November, 2009, by Tanzan Hendō.

An ō-tanto or ko-wakizashi with NBTHK Hozon to Fuyuhiro. Measurements: Nagasa: 31 cm (12.2 inch) Motogasane: 6 mm (0.236 inch) Motohabaa: 2.7 cm (1.06 inch) Blade characteristics: Deki: Nioi deki, Hamon: ko-midare Activities: chikei, shirake utsuri, koshiba Hada: itame. About koshiba: Koshiba is a feature of the hamon that you can find only in ubu blades. It is a milder part of the hamon at the beginning of the it,and it lacks a clear nioi-guchi. It can be found only be found only on 12th-13th century blades (if a natural result of yaki-ire) or on blades from the 15th century if it's designed. I have not found any evidence that it was a feature of Fuyuhiro. You can read about koshiba here: http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/yakiotoshi.html#koshiba Drawing of koshiba by Kojima Hiroshi (Kei'un Naohiro) Important remarks: 1. Boshi is not very distinct (see pics on Dropbox) 2. There is a delamination close to the mune. You can see it in my photos on Dropbox. 3. Chikei are clearly visible in the koshiba, and they are very beautiful. Chikei consist of streaks of nie and must not be confused with hada. 4. The sword comes in a shirasaya and with copper habaki. 5. The polish is sashikomi. 6. This sword is not a piece of art, but a real weapon. However, it is full of interesting activities, that are difficult to see in my pics. 7. Personally I think this might be a much older sword than Fuyuhiro. The school did not produce koshiba. Bu, to all intent and purpose, the NBTHK has "made" this sword a Fuyuhiro. The magic of papers... About Fuyuhiro: Fyuhuhiro were a lineage of smiths in the Wakasa province. The first Fuyuhiro is said to have been a pupil of Sōshū Hirotsugu. He florished in the Kōshō era (1455-1457). Earlier generations worked in hoso-suguha, sugu gunome midare and notare gunome. Later generations worked often in hitatsura. More pictures: This sword is hellishlu dificult to photograph, I heva tried my best, but the results are so-so... https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/xa3bm1jp1p12emsoc9ufp/AJdYi07qqcL6v23a3QRDqfI?rlkey=zywer9px6a1mb97hr5lcy87b0&dl=0 Price: EUR 1,050 incl. shipping to EU or US, others please ask Payment: Wire transer in EUR to a European bank account or in US$ to a US bank account (domestic transfer) Paypal possible, friends and family, otherwise buyer pays the PayPal fees on top of the price Shipping: Priority mail, registered, with tracking. Any courier service at extra charge (if they ship swords at all)

$700 or best offer. Great Masterpieces Japanese Sword Book NBTHK-Homma This rare set of two volumes was published by the NBTHK under Dr. Homma's supervision in 1982. One volume features incredibly detailed photographs of what Dr. Homma regarded as the greatest Japanese swords in the history of this art, along with descriptions in Japanese. The second volume features descriptions of these swords translated into the English language for those of us who have not mastered Japanese. Because of resolution limitations of the website, the images presented here in this listing cannot capture the incredible detail presented in book images. Printed in Japan more than forty years ago, the quality of these books and their binding (which I believe is silk) is exceptional. The condition of the two volumes is excellent, with the English translation retaining its slip cover as shown. If you would like to see what the greatest Japanese swords in history look like without being able to hold them in your hand, this book that shows the finest details of the hada and hamon of the illustrated swords is about as close as you can get. It is a truly wonderful set of books to learn about the workmanship of the very finest Japanese swords. These books are offered with the cost of shipping included to folks in the contiguous U.S.

$150 or best offer. Swords of Imperial Japan 1868?1945 By Jim Dawson | Paperback | Illustrated | Out of Print A highly regarded reference for collectors and historians, Swords of Imperial Japan 1868-1945 by Jim Dawson offers a comprehensive study of the swords issued, carried, and manufactured during Japan's Imperial period. Covering the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa eras, the book documents the development and use of military swords during a pivotal time in Japanese history. Features: Detailed identification and classification of army, navy, and police swords Clear photographic documentation of tangs, markings, mounts, and blades Historical background and explanations of arsenal stamps, serial numbers, and manufacturing variations Includes rare examples and in-depth analysis valuable to both beginners and advanced collectors This book is long out of print and sought after in the militaria and Japanese sword-collecting communities for its detailed research and visual references. Very good condition. There is a little rippling on the cover. The spine and pages are in excellent condition. For sale in the contiguous U.S. only.