New purchase @ Willis Henry Auction , looking for opinion ?

[Joe Heckel]

I am a 1st time user @ Nihanto and would like to learn more about a Wakazashi that I just purchased. If you could check the website for Willis Henry Auctions, it was lot #78 that I bought. Can anyone give me an educated guess as to the age of the sword? The Fuchi & kashira set ( on the blade) has many characters that I cannot translate, to take a clear picture of the characters ( the blade has a dark patina) what should I clean this small blade with, to include a picture in my next post?

 

I would appreciate any commentary about the sword, that expands on the cataloging description in the auction catalog?

Thank you for your kind help

Joe H

[Mark]

Joe

 

can you post a link, save us trying to find it

[Joe Heckel]

Thanks for your reply Mark

Link follows

http://www.willishenryauctions.com/cata ... -78-sword/

Hope the link works as I am not a computer expert

Joe H

[nihonto1001]

Looks to be a nice hira-zukuri wakizashi. The koshirae looks original and intact.

 

Nice fittings. In particular, I like the menuki.

 

What was the closing price?

[Rivkin]

Hard to say anything, but looks like late Koto, hard to be more precise with this pictures. Not a bad koshirae and condition seems to be fine. Decent sword.

[Joe Heckel]

I paid $1300 +18% $1534

 

There is a lot of writing on the small knife blade, the blade is blackened, how should I clean it so it can be photographed? What is your thought as to age

Thanks

Joe H

[tokashikibob]

Great buy Joe, that is a really great looking blade! Where you in attendance? That auction really had some great items up for bid, I wish I lived closer that would have been a great auction to attend. The 23% online bid fee plus shipping cost tempered my enthusiasm but they were fun to look at and you got a nice one. How did you decide which one to go for? Some great items went very cheap, a couple of those tsubas in the catalog were great too.

Enjoy the blade!

Best Regards,

Bob

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Joe,

Here is a link to a care and etiquette site:

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

You asked how you should clean the sword. Watch the video and do nothing to the sword that isn't in the video. Anything you try that isn't there risks damage.

You have a sword; now you need knowledge. Slow up on collecting and take time for study. Attend sword shows, buy and read books, ask lots of questions, and take every opportunity to hold and see good quality Nihonto.

Grey

[Surfson]

Joe, congratulations on a fabulous first nihonto purchase! We see so many first swords that are Chinese fakes or are machine made blades in terrible shape. You obviously have good taste and your sword is in wonderful condition. It is very, very rare to see mounts in as fine a condition as those on your sword. I would like to see photos of the sides of the tsuba. Do you know how to remove it without damaging the blade? In terms of price, I would say that you get a steal on it, and it is worth considerably more than you paid for it, so well done on all accounts! Cheers, Bob

[nihonto1001]

What is your thought as to age

 

Hard to say. The blade looks Muromachi, while the nakago looks Shinto. Since the nakago may have been re-worked during its lifetime, I am going with Muromachi Period.

[Bazza]

Joe, a very,very nice sword with quiet quality. Note especially the hitodome on the kurikata - base gold plate, with shakudo plate next, then last the gold closing plug (I'm sure all these minute bits have separate names - koseppa???). You couldn't hope to do better for a first sword. Goodness me, even with the sageo and original bag AND the tsukaito (hilt binding) nicely intact. So often old silk is crumbling away, or beginning to, with sometimes a menuki missing. Oh, and the lacquer with nary a blemish. SWEET. And the price!!! In my book this is more than excellent value, it is a steal.

 

I wish you good fortune for your future collecting, but you are unlikely to do as well for a very long time - unless you have pots of money, of course. I have a friend who sprung a nidai Tadahiro wakizashi out of an arms and militaria shop in an original koshirae, the whole koshirae of the same quiet quality as your sword. I told my friend he was unlikely to ever do that again, and he paid a similar price to you. Nice to know it still happens.

 

Best regards

 

BaZZa.

[Brian]

Very good deal. I think the auction house did very well from their promotion here. Bet a lot of items went to members.

I wouldn't worry too much about the writing on the kogatana. They are usually just poems or a spurious smith name of little consequence. It's nice to know what it says, but doesn't have any bearing on the sword. Congrats, a well mounted sword. Like those menuki.

 

Brian

[Joe Heckel]

Thanks for all your encouraging responses, you all are great resources. I am so impressed with the knowledge base and kinsman ship.

One more question; the Mon on the Koshirae and Tsuka Kashira was identified as Maeda & Mimura, what significance do these 2 crests have relative to the person/Samurai the sword was made for, etc? Do these 2 crests help to validate the age as being Muromachi Period??

 

Thanks for your interest and responses.

Joe H