Right down the street

[tokashikibob]

Gents, Got a message and a grainy photo from a fella saying he's got a sword and some misc gear. Crazy thing is that he's less than a half mile away. Living in a the largest Marine town in the good old U.S.A there are always good leads to track down and this was one of them. Just found in closet Family sword from SgtMaj's Japanese wife who was part of a aristocracy in Japan. The son just started to work the mother's polish into it and was laying on some nice fingerprints.

 

The tsuka has some odd yarn like material under itomaki, what type/meaning is that?

Cut down blade with one kanji left, Blade is very nice with only some discoloration on the yokote area. Hamon gets thin there and it is hard to see around the yokote/kissaki but I don't think it runs off.

 

I'd like to make a fair offer, he does not need to sell, and I don't need to steal anything, what do you think would be a fair price?

Best Regards,

Bob

[tokashikibob]

More Pictures

[tokashikibob]

Japanese goverment Nihonto card

[Darcy]

Looks like it will be Kanemoto, Kanesada, Kanefusa ... some of the shots look like a Kanemoto hamon but some others look like the last two. So regardless I think it's a Mino blade. Just need to have a close look at the Kane character and try to narrow it down as well as making a full evaluation of the hamon.

[Toryu2020]

Exciting stuff!

[Jussi Ekholm]

I believe there is brocade (nishiki) under the tsukamaki.

[Geraint]

Hi Bob.

 

Jussi is right that the wrap covers some sort of brocade but it is not necessarily Japanese, perhaps Chinese. As all the twists on the wrap go in the same direction rather than alternating you might be looking at a re wrap once the sword was out of Japan. I don't think we are in national treasure territory here, (unless, of course, Darcy can pin it down to Magoroku :D ). Have a browse on Ebay for what similar swords are fetching.

 

Have fun.

[Tcat]

Interesting to see the hira wrap over where the menuki are placed...was the tsukamakishi concerned with damaging them?

[Surfson]

Any photos of the whole piece, in and out of mounts? How long is it? Any big ware or other flaws? Pits, cracks, chips, bends....... All of these will figure into its value. I agree with Darcy about school. Between the Kane and what appears to be sanbonsugi hamon, it has that feel. If those photos were put exactly as they are on ebay, it would bring about $2K to $2500. Hope this helps. Cheers, Bob

[tokashikibob]

Any photos of the whole piece, in and out of mounts? How long is it? Any big ware or other flaws? Pits, cracks, chips, bends....... All of these will figure into its value. I agree with Darcy about school. Between the Kane and what appears to be sanbonsugi hamon, it has that feel. If those photos were put exactly as they are on ebay, it would bring about $2K to $2500. Hope this helps. Cheers, Bob

 

Bob, Thanks for the ballpark, 2k is what I offered yesterday which I thought was fair seeing that Nihontocraft has some choice Kane Mino under 3k polished with papers, I'll post some detailed stuff if he decides to sell. No flaws except some large grain, and would need a finish polish. Nice piece hope he deals.

Best regards,

Bob

[Peter Bleed]

And it looks like it has a Showa 22 dated Torokusho. Given a discussion we had earlier about the date when registration got up and running, this seems like an interesting bit of content.

Peter

[cabowen]

I don't think they were issuing them in Showa 22. I think it is Showa 24, which is when they began issuing them I believe. In any case, I agree with Peter that it is interesting...

[tokashikibob]

Chicago Shinsa - Kanemoto 3rd Gen.  Next generation after the big guy

[Bazza]

Hey Bob, that's great news and good to see follow up news outcome from the Shinsa.  Congratulations.  Its obviously a katana, but what's the length now given it is suriage???

 

BaZZa.

[Geraint]

Well that's a result!  Congratulations Bob.

 

All the best.

[tokashikibob]

Hey Bob, that's great news and good to see follow up news outcome from the Shinsa.  Congratulations.  Its obviously a katana, but what's the length now given it is suriage???

 

BaZZa.

  BaZZa,   I think it is a hair under katana length,  wish it wasn't but it is.    I found it very surprising it was a Kanemoto as I am programmed to think Kanemoto=sanbontsugi .   Now, I have 2 Kanemoto,  so I guess I am a Kanemoto collector.

[John A Stuart]

It is a sanbontsugi hamon. John