How Are Historical Japanese Swords Preserved? What Use Is The Nhthk?

[Reddawn27]

So while trying to get my feet wet in the art of collecting and preserving historical swords, I find my self coming up with the same few questions. 1) How does Japan go about preserving katanas? I ask this because Japan went through the trouble of creating a system to preserve is historical swords during occupation,..So WHY does it allow its culturally important swords be sold of around the world? Why wouldn't the Japanese obtain its national treasure to be preserved? Ex look at the Egyptian government... Any thing from the Egyptian past is considered a national treasure and strictly protected and kept in museums for the preservation for future generations. Ive seen sights were you can buy swords from the 13-15-16th centuries straight from Japan! This seems strange to me as it would be like Egypt selling off parts of the sphinx or the pyramids. It seems kinda foolish that the Japanese government would put so much trust in collectors ( these swords are after all the nations historical and cultural artifacts) when these swords can be neglected, stolen, abused by some owners kid thinking its a toy, destroyed by a house fire, ect..

 

2) How exactly does the NHTHK work as far a preserving historical swords? Do they just track the blades once they have proven a sword to be authentic?

 

3) When collecting historical swords.. Is it really only the blades that matter? I've seen so meany web pages that sell historical swords but only the blades are historical and every thing else it new.. Ex..http://new.uniquejapan.com/home/, http://www.nihontoantiques.com , http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0805/member_frame_sword.htm .

 

4) Do new mounts help with increasing the value?

 

5) Are most swords that we see are with new mounts as the originals no longer exists?

 

6) Dose Japan actively try to preserve its past? Or dose there strict laws and now pasavist ways put an end to that?

 

Thanks guys sorry for the long post!

Dominic

[DirkO]

1\ National treasure level of swords are usually owned by government, hence the titel - they simply have quite a number of early swords and not all of them are unique or national treasures. However, they do command high prices.

2\ It's either the NBTHK or the NTHK (+NPO) - their origami are more a COA - blades aren't tracked at all. Blade can go Tokubetsu Juyo and be sold the next day for all they know. The goal of these organisations is to carry on the task of preserving and educating people about the Japanese sword.

3\ Swords usually live longer than their koshirae and kodogu, so every once in a while, a blade gets a new outfit. But tsuba, menuki, fuchi/kashira and full koshirae are also very collectible (depending on quality, age, maker,...)

4\ Nope - let's say you have a sword without mounts and you want new ones made. No matter the trouble you go through and the top pieces you use, it will always be a labor of love rather than a sensible financial thing to do. Same with polishing a sword. 

5\ see 3

6\ I like to think Japan is actively trying to preserve it's cultural heritage and swords are a part of that. That being said - the younger people no longer have a strong interest in this, so our numbers are declining, although that could just be a temporary thing.

All the above is just my opinion of course, other people are welcome to chime in :-)

[Kronos]

When you consider there's about 2 million swords registered in Japan and many more around the world then they're not exactly rare so they only protect the best and they're designated Juyo Bijutsuhin, Juyo Bukazai and Kokuho, Kokuho being national treasures. Swords with those designations are restricted from export outside of Japan although I believe they do allow Juyo-bijutsuhin to be exported but will lose that status on leaving Japan. There's currently 1000ish juyo bunkazai and 122 Kokuho with most of the Kokuho being owned by museums and shinto shrines although some are owned by private individuals. There's also strict laaws on how they should be preserved.

[Reddawn27]

So even when swords themselves come from Japan like this.. http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0805/member_frame_sword.htmThe only thing "real" is the the blade? Everything else is a new made item? Do any originally as completed swords exist? I looked for some pictures but nearly all swords displayed are blades only. Also I read a report about the NHTHK being raided back a few years ago and around 500+ improperly registered swords were confiscated.. We're these swords destroyed? Or were they allowed to be registered properly? Japan wouldn't actually destroy swords that are 200+ years old would they?? Here is the link http://www.japanprobe.com/2010/09/30/police-raid-society-for-preservation-of-Japanese-art-swords/

[Grey Doffin]

There are some very early, important swords that have very early and important koshirae (if the sword is in polish it is kept in shira-saya and the koshirae is kept together with a wooden blade called tsunagi).  Most very old swords, however, if mounted are mounted with koshirae that is newer than the blade.  This doesn't mean that the koshirae isn't real, just that it is newer than the blade.

The stash of swords that surfaced at the NBTHK some years ago had fallen through a beaurocratic crack.  They have since been registered and will not be destroyed.  Destruction was never an option.

Grey

[Gordon Sanders]

Hi Dominic, sometimes when you buy a sword it is just the blade. But then you find matching 200-300 year old fittings (Tsuba, menuki, fuchi,kashira) and then have the koshirae built using those parts. The saya (scabbard) will be new, the Tsuka (handle) will be new, but all the "metal parts" can be just as old as the sword and in some cases worth more than the sword.

 

A

[Jean]

Dominic,

 

NBTHK and not NHTHK

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Part or all of the following has already been mentioned, but a couple comments might be value adding.

 1.Designated blades at the level of Juyo Bijutsuhin (now disestablished as a category), Juyo Bunkazai, and  Kokuho cannot be taken or sold outgoing from Japan, and as far as I know all registered sword dealers must get signed off before any sword, irrespective of level, that they sell, can be exported.

 2. The NBTHK is at most a quasi-governmental organization, and the overall authority over all antique items rests with the Cultural Ministry. The NBTHK makes no award or designation above Tokubetsu Juyo, though the Sword Museum, as it is often referred to, is a custodian of many most highly rated blades as are other museums and institutions in Japan.

 3.All things related to the sword "matter" including tosogu, koshirae, katchu, etc., are collected, preserved and treasured. Sword koshirae, when in use, last about a generation, and early koshirae are very rare to extremely rare.

 4.Given #3 of course many koshirae will be much newer then is its go with blade, but no blade if in top polish is ever put into any koshirae, rather it is stored in a shirasaya.

 5, See #3.

 6. Japan is probably at the top of any list of countries that care for and societally admire all their historical cultural objects, and they go to great efforts to keep the technology of making those things alive, rewarded and appreciated. The modern shinsakuto are a good example, but the same holds for textiles, carpentry techniques, ceramics, etc.

 Arnold F.