Cuirassier Posted October 20, 2015 Report Posted October 20, 2015 Any help greatly appreciated. So, I bought this sword........................ It is a shin gunto, with a very unusual and somewhat impressive blade. The tang has corroded to the point the kanji are illegible to me (anyone fancy having a go; perfect, thanks). I can see some strokes on what I presume to be the date inscription, and these are clearly barbed shinshinto. At first I was sure the blade is shinto, but now I am not sure. I presume this is Shobu-Zukuri kissaki? The upper most section appears to have its own hamon! I guess I should have taken more photos, and can add some later. But hopefully these will do for the blade itself. Thanks in mounting anticipation Mark Quote
PeterS Posted October 20, 2015 Report Posted October 20, 2015 Can you make a picture about the mihaba without the habaki? Thanks in advance. Peter Quote
Drago Posted October 20, 2015 Report Posted October 20, 2015 The shape is called u-no-kubi-zukuri. First nakago picture shows the signature: I can only recognize 國 "province" Second nakago picture shows a date inscription: ｘｘｘ年十二月日 "a day in the 12th month of xxx year" (might be 3rd year of xx era; second kanji for the era might be 永, which would limit the blade to 4 possible eras if the signature is real) Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 20, 2015 Author Report Posted October 20, 2015 Thanks guys. The rust / corrosion (now removed) I believe is recent, but maybe the blade is older than I think. Do these photos help? Thanks Mark Quote
Geraint Posted October 22, 2015 Report Posted October 22, 2015 Hi Mark. Might be my imagination but I think I can see Bizen kuni Osa......... All the best. 1 Quote
lonely panet Posted October 22, 2015 Report Posted October 22, 2015 me too, but such a odd sword. nagmaki, nagmaki-noshi but signed??? Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 22, 2015 Author Report Posted October 22, 2015 Guys, thank you, very much. Could it be Bizen Osafune Nagamori? I think I need to get this blade to Tony Norman for a polish, and also maybe certification? Quote
obiwanknabbe Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 I think im seeing evidence of Muneyaki? Would this help point to a more specific school? Kurt K Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Posted October 23, 2015 Bizen-no-Kuni Osafune? I need to carefully work on the nakago and see what I can get out of it. Wishful thinking, of course, but this is beginning to sound like the Chogi school? Quote
Shugyosha Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Mark, Don't do anything with the nakago. It already looks like an attempt has been made to clean up the tang around the mei - it's best left well alone as the removal of patina will affect the sword's value. Also, if you think this blade is worth a polish, get it out to Japan - if it is going to be papered it has probably got to go there anyway. Have a look at Kunitaro san's polishing service advertised in the "for sale" section - the prices are reasonable and it's a fairly quick turn around. Best regards, John Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Posted October 23, 2015 Thanks John But I was thinking of sending it to Tony Norman in the UK; he said they now have a papering / verification service in the UK? I am worried about sending it to Japan as it is in gunto mounts, so I can not send it in these correct? And, I know many nihonto collectors will hate me for this; but I like gunto mounts, especially when they are a special build. Also, if it is a valuable blade by Chogi himself (OK, slim chance, but still a chance), it will be seized as a Japanese national treasure, right? OK, so I will simply take a number of extra photos to try and determine who the smith was / what the date is. Quote
Jamie Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 It won't be seized. That's a myth. A missing Japanese national treasure Akihiro Tanto was sent to, and back from Japan recently. Also Bob Benson has a juyo Chogi for sale on his site. If you don't want to send to Japan right away- you could send it to Bob and have it polished and shirasaya made and then send to Japan - and it would be in shirasaya and the gun to mounts wouldn't matter. Quote
Drago Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 On 10/23/2015 at 10:33 AM, Jamie said: A missing Japanese national treasure Akihiro Tanto was sent to, and back from Japan recently. What are you refering to? I haven't heard about that. Could you post a link to some info? Quote
Jamie Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 I don't have a link. But a hitatsura Akihiro Tanto was found at a pawn shop a few years ago and bought by someone. The sword was in Tampa,I think two years ago( at the show)It had been sent to Japan for polish. Unfortunately the person who sent it to Japan wasn't familiar with the polishing process and that it takes time. I believe it was said that he had the sword sent back to him and it wasn't polished to the degree that it should have been. There was a lot of talk about it at the show and afterwards here. I'm sure I missed some detail. But it was a known, missing sword. And it was sent back to the us anyway. My apologies, I am not trying derail this thread. Just showing that the myth that Japan will seize swords isn't true. Quote
Brian Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 Complete myth..never happened, never will happen. Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Posted October 23, 2015 OK, if it is OK with the moderators, I will post the images of the mei and date inscriptions, plus photos of the blade alone on the translation page? Sorry, I am ashamed to admit I viewed this with some scepticism originally. Now, it has really grown on me! So here are the shin gunto photos along with a mon (will also post the mon on the translation section with the mei) Sorry, but I like guntos! Quote
Cuirassier Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Posted October 23, 2015 more photos (sorry, I got mysql errors when I tried before) Quote
pcfarrar Posted October 23, 2015 Report Posted October 23, 2015 On 10/23/2015 at 10:21 AM, Cuirassier said: But I was thinking of sending it to Tony Norman in the UK; he said they now have a papering / verification service in the UK? I am worried about sending it to Japan as it is in gunto mounts, so I can not send it in these correct? If your quick sending it to Tony, Paul Martin is in the UK in a few weeks and he can take it back to Japan for you for shinsa. Gunto mounts are no problem at all in Japan. There are also gunto koshirae with papers from the NTHK-NPO now. Quote
Markdd Posted April 17, 2020 Report Posted April 17, 2020 Hi, I know this is a old thread but what was the outcome. Mark Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted April 18, 2020 Report Posted April 18, 2020 The sword was listed for sale here, looks like it was polished but not papered: https://www.antique-swords.com/N83-Oei-era-Naginata-Naoshi-Katana.html 1 Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted April 18, 2020 Report Posted April 18, 2020 On 4/18/2020 at 11:44 AM, Hamfish said: the boshi is gone -i hahahhah Oh wow, yes....no wonder it didn't paper? Quote
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