Type 3 Gunto - Nagamitsu

[reeder]

After a break from swords I've gotten back into researching and trying to dig blades up. Have a few new acquisitions including this type 3 which is on its way. These were the only pictures given to me so I'll post better ones when I get it in hand. All of the signs point towards a nice blade and figured I'd take a chance.

 

-Brandon

[Stephen]

too bad you did not get more blade pix ie hamon, outside chance of Nagamitsu, so far so good.

[reeder]

yes, although sometimes getting additional pictures is quite the challenge. I took a chance on this one and hope I've done enough good recently to have some pleasant surprises upon receiving it.

[Stephen]

I aways cringe when i see the tip in the floor, think thats how mine got rounded.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Might be Nagamitsu - most swords I've seen of him had that same habaki, but others used it as well (There's an example on eBay with the same habaki, that isn't Nagamitsu: http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.vi ... 1506493571).

 

Long way of saying, "Who knows?"

[Stephen]

Joe

 

I think that most standard habaki on gunto are like that with the sliver wash, 90% are worn off. The Tsunahiro has one but with a lot more in and out in its history.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I don't disagree, but Nagamitsu's always look similar, regardless of the 'in and out' of it's history. This one resembles that is all I am saying.

[reeder]

Nagamitsu it is, I'll post pics tonight.

[Kai-Gunto]

Congrats

[reeder]

Nakago & mei.

[reeder]

Some blade pics. Mune is highest I've personally seen but that's not saying much as my exposure has been limited.

 

And as you predicted, Stephen, tip a little buggered.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Not a bad get (depending what you paid of course). I see what you mean on the mune. It's not dramatically extended, but a bit larger than normal.

[Stephen]

nagasa?

[reeder]

nagasa?

 

26 1/8"

 

Fittings are nicer than shown in original pictures as well.

[Stephen]

Good deal, nice collection.

 

TSUNAHIRO would look good on that rack, grin grin, wink wink, say no more...

[reeder]

Good deal, nice collection.

 

TSUNAHIRO would look good on that rack, grin grin, wink wink, say no more...

 

Thanks.

 

I agree, however my bank account and wife strongly disagree. Lol. I have a lot of knives and USGI M14 stocks I need to move to make room for more goodies.

 

Here's another pic of the entire collection minus the Wakizashi (nagasa is 13" so guess not a tanto) my mentor gave me. Keep thinking about selling/trading my showa stamped 1944 Nobumitsu, Showa stamped Yoshimasa, and naval stamped kai gunto for upgrades, but then I pick them up and decide I can't let them go.

[Stephen]

PM sent

[SwordGuyJoe]

You could move all three and have at least one pretty decent gendaito.

[reeder]

You could move all three and have at least one pretty decent gendaito.

 

That's what I've been thinking about. My other Type 98s are older blades, short sword 1700s-1800s, and the longer sword late koto (thanks mdiddy for your help!), both mumei, plan on hanging on to them. I really like these nicer type 3 fittings with the gendaito blades after finally getting an example. I've owned some of the poorer type 3s and didn't get too excited over anything about them, on the nagamitsu I like everything about the fittings and blade.

[Rich S]

Brandon -

 

Really nice Nagamitsu. Don't let anyone put it down :-)

A mint type 3 Nagamitsu was my first nice sword about 40

years ago. It was my most expensive sword at that time ($300).

 

My first sword I got at a gun show for $145 - shobu wakizashi in

en suite mounts (Shoami) with NBTHK letter (Bizen Osafune Sukesada);

dated Bunmei something (I don't recall exact date). Classic Sukesada

crab claw choji hamon. Unfortunately rusted and I didn't know better

then, so cleaned it with steel wool. Still have both of them.

I've since acquired several Nagamitsu (he and Emura are my favorite

gendai smiths).

 

Rich S

[reeder]

Thank you, Dr. Stein, I'm very pleased with it. I too have liked both the emura and nagamitsu examples I've seen. This is my 1st nagamitsu. I previously owned just an emura blade but it was bent and in poor condition. I sold it a while back to fund another knife I wanted at the time.

[David Flynn]

I agree with Dr Stein. Each sword should be judged on its own merit and not by the signature. To comment further, I have seen many Yasukuni to that have major problems and only sell for the signature.

[SwordGuyJoe]

...but then I pick them up and decide I can't let them go.

 

As many here know, I liquidated a collection of about a dozen gendaito swords ranging from good to very good quality. I did this to focus my collection on Kasama Den swords. I now own three, a far cry from the quantity I used to own, but the quantity is far outpaced by the quality of my new collection.

 

I thought I would be disappointed by my "loss", but as soon as I pull out my Special Order Okimasa, I know it was all SO worth it (the Taisho Shigetsugu and 30"+ nagasa Special Order Shigemasa fully mounted, with spectacular horimono are just icing on the cake).

 

I'd bet your experience would be even more amplified given the drastic improvement from a few showato to a good quality gendaito. You can find something by a decent smith (or even very good) for $3-4k - which is what your 3 swords should fetch pretty easily.

[reeder]

Joe, thanks, that's looking like the route I'm going to go. Just need to sell the blades then find something to replace them with, hopefully before my wife spends it. Lol.