Very Old Koto Katana Or Tachi In Antique Koshirae Preferably 1400 Ad -1000 Ad Period

[T14]

Looking to buy a very old koto katana or tachi in antique or shin gunto koshirae preferably Kammakura, Nanboku-cho or early Muromachi period, preferably pre 1500 ad. I need a blade in polish, not a rusted blade, with no hakabore-no nicks and intact unbroken sharp tip kissaki and no hagire-no cracks in antique koshirae. Also interested in a quality made sword instead of bundle made swords that were cheaply mass produced. For $800-$1800 depending on quality of the sword.

[Jean]

Alec,

 

Price range?

[lonely panet]

Ill take 2

[paulb]

Alec

For your own sake I think you want to focus down a little. Age on it's own does not represent quality and the time scale you mention incorporates the very best and some of the extremely mediore (bundle swords mass produced work from Mino Bizen etc)

To try and help more can you share why you are specifically looking for a sword in this condition and in koshirae? I am assumimg (hoping) you are not intending to use it in any martial art actvity, but such things have been known in the past.

As Jean says give us an idea of the price range and what your preferences are and it is possible something might be lurking here that meets your needs

good luck with the hunt

Regards

Paul

[uwe]

Alec,

did I understand you correctly, $800-$1800?

[paulb]

Sorry Alec But I think you are going to be dissappointed (or extremely lucky )

At that price range you will struggle to find what you describe. Take a look at the websites of sellers listed here and the for sale section and that will give you a much better idea of what you might expect to pay.

regards

Paul

[uwe]

I hesitated to say "no chance"

[Stephen]

is this where we hear  "gotcha!"

[Stephen]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tachi-in-Koshirae-Blade-Length-66-1-cm-26-02-inch-Z-86-/222006559775?hash=item33b09f441f:g:BSUAAOSwpRRWpyDA

 

bout all you  can get for that price

[jason_mazzy]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tachi-in-Koshirae-Blade-Length-66-1-cm-26-02-inch-Z-86-/222006559775?hash=item33b09f441f:g:BSUAAOSwpRRWpyDA

 

bout all you  can get for that price

really this is it

[Jean]

Fully agreed, the sageo is perfect.

[md02geist]

Is that ebay seller any good? I see they have a lot of cheaper Nihonto...is the stuff they sell fake or is it just in less than ideal condition? Seems a lot of their stuff would probably be deemed unfit for restoration but I'm so new I'm just guessing at this point.

[hxv]

Is that ebay seller any good? I see they have a lot of cheaper Nihonto...is the stuff they sell fake or is it just in less than ideal condition? Seems a lot of their stuff would probably be deemed unfit for restoration but I'm so new I'm just guessing at this point.

 

Nihonto junk yard!

 

Hoanh

[md02geist]

So most of it is legit just in bad shape?

[hxv]

So most of it is legit just in bad shape?

 

Yes.

 

Hoanh

[md02geist]

Thanks Hoanh!

[ggil]

Stephen,

 

That katana is pretty thin (0.5cm motokasane), and the pictures showing nakago to mune thickness variance quite significant (many polishes = tired = unfit to wield in battle).  original fuchi/kashira gone, and the saya splitting away.  Id say the katana is less that acceptable, for the OP's price range = fatally flawed tired and cant even be studied due to the polish (and it never will be polished again because its too far gone).  I'm sure you were just illustrating the fact that the OP is WAY over-reaching, not that the blade you mentioned was actually a good idea to go and buy for anyone.  Who knows though, maybe the seller in question has some cheap nihonto that would be 'right' for the OP??? 

 

Rob,

 

I'm pretty sure you aren't looking for such a tired old blade.  Don't go buying blades from a 'junkyard,' (unless they aren't all the way junk) because this may only make you want to spend more $ (to get one that is fit for use at least).  A main feature of Japanese blades is their ability to do what they were intended for (and take relative abuse etc), so you had better get one that isn't fatally flawed.  Good luck (with your price range you will need it)!  Be patient and I bet you will find one that you are thrilled with, can study, and will be useful if you ever really need to whack somebody's arm or leg off with it (you all know that if you use your $5000 katana to chop an intruder in half, the blade value doubles even if the cut doesn't go all the way through...right? :-)

 

-Grant

[truelotus]

I just got a tachi in gunto koshirae, it's mumei and need to be restored professionally, but the koshi-zori and funbari shows the true identity of the blade

nagasa 72.5 cm with sort of takeda kamon pinned in the kabutogane

and ... still won't sell it for 1800

[lonely panet]

post some pics, sounds interesting