Advise On Ebay Purchase

[zsg1313]

Good morning NMB,

 

I have recently picked up a blade from Ebay seller Komojo and I was wondering if anyone could tell me a little about what I may have purchased. I was considering getting it mounted or just a shirasaya and habaki made, but I was hoping that some experts here could maybe tell me a little more about what I purchased before I spend a bit more.

 

The komonjo link is gone but I found this when researching the smith and this is the exact blade I purchased.

 

http://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/6107299-Japanese-long-gendaito-katana-blade-showa-period-1926-1989

 

 I am guessing that the signature may be falsified due to the low price tag but I would appreciate any input you all may have.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Zach G

[ggil]

These blades like this, that Kimonjo sells, have been discussed here before. IF memory serves, they aren't registered so whoever is making them is doing so illegally, with unknown materials, and thusly can avoid wait times in exporting and other legal hassles, while using any method of manufacture that they want. Did the blade arrive quickly, from Japan? I don't recall too much being discussed as to the quality. It would be nice to have close ups so we can see how well they are made and if the edge is well hardeded and if the metal has much grain evident. Also maybe it is the same group doing all of them. They always have a $500 min bid and usually sell for that.

 

Just from the pictures that aren't too well zoomed in, the blade seems nice and if the hamon shows evidence of decent differential hardening (nioi or nie), the $500 price tag may be a fair bit better than what you get from a decent name brand Chinese cutter. Don't feel too bad is what I'm saying. The lines seem OK and the verdict isn't completely "out" on exactly what you have as far as quality/usability go. More pictures of good quality and you may have more answers/speculation

[zsg1313]

Great thank you! I figured as much since I did quite a bit of looking around here on the seller in question and what you are suggesting confirms what I thought. It did arrive fairly quickly maybe about 2 and a half  or 3 weeks tops. Ill try to take some better photographs and get them up after work. Thanks again!

 

I did find the photos I saved from the ebay listing, these are quite a bit clearer but you will need to zoom in.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B62owBZpWdocOVVra24zRnVHQkU/view?usp=sharing

 

 

Zach G

[Brian]

It seems to have gone for over $1100...and he often sells real but gimei swords that the Japanese market would not absorb. Basically a sword clearing house of low end stuff from Japan.

[ggil]

Brian, about these bare blade supposed gimei gendaito, I'm sure we would steer WAY clear of THESE puppies. no idea what they are or aren't. basically, to those who may be considering one of these: keep the cash and get something better. There it is said. Don't want to devalue what may be a great deal but if one is educated in nihonto they can find SURE FIRE decent stuff for this money.

 

It's a delicate matter trying to keep newbs from getting screwed, especially when we can't get decent photos, and we hate to be the one to cause a new blade owner to potentially ABUSE what MAY be something totally different from what we expect it to be. What I mean is: I and most others here wouldn't spend $500 on one of the MANY of these bare blade supposed gendai to, but I am not sure that is what U have, just guessing.

[Jean]

Zach,

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12646-advices-for-newbies-buyers-rules-of-thumb/

[hxv]

Zach,

 

Once you add a habaki+shirasaya+roundtrip shipping to you favorite artisan, you will be out another $1100-$1200 on top of the cost of the blade. ,For the same money (or even slightly less), you can own a nice gendaito in gunto mounts - both a work of art and an article of historical importance. I may be over-reaching, but if I were you, I would enjoy it as is without putting out additional money. When you are deeper into the hobby, i.e. mentally prepared to spend more hard-earned money, you can resell it on ebay to recoup some of your money and look for an upgrade path. 

 

Hoanh

[zsg1313]

Thanks guys and no worries, I didnt spend nearly that amount. I will probably get a shirasaya done just so the blade isnt exposed. When I purchased it I was really looking just to add a folded katana to my collection that wasnt a Chinese production sword and I'm pretty happy with what I got.

[drjoe]

i've owned and examined several of these up close (back before i knew what they were) and have done some other research as well.  consensus seems to be that they are made in Japan from tamahagane/orishigane probably all from the same maker or group (since they are all instantly recognizable and look the same), gimei/unregistered and therefore illegal as nihonto, and relatively low quality with poor polish (by Japanese shinsakuto standards).

komonjo used to sell in shirasaya, but now the blades are usually sold bare, so you do have to factor in the price of having them fully mounted.

these days the selling price isn't that bad so long as you know what you're getting.  on the plus side, it's tamahagane that appears to be well forged.  the downsides have already been stated.

you could also argue that the swords are "bad for the market," giving people the impression that quality shinsakuto can be had for $1000.  in that sense, these black market, low quality blades seem to be devaluing the craft as a whole.  that is bad for collectors and more importantly bad for the smiths that are struggling in Japan to make blades legally.  then again, you could also argue that the overly strict laws for manufacture in Japan are what incentivize the illegal trade of these low quality "fakes" in the first place.  in the end, price, value, and ethics all point away from these being a smart purchase.

[drjoe]

btw, it takes ebay listings forever to disappear.  for $585, you got what you paid for.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TO267-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Sadashige-Katana-Bare-Blade-73-5-CM-/131888772438
 

[zsg1313]

Thats the one Joe thanks, and thanks to all I learned quite a bit about the legalities of Japanese swords and their export.

[Surfson]

I think that these blades are not as bad for the gaijin market as the gimei older blades that he dumps over and over again.  They may actually be pretty nice starter swords.  Once a new collector starts to develop the power to discern, these can be resold for the starting 500 bucks and they can branch to whatever they are interested in.  Although I have never held one in my hands, from the photos it appears that the blades are in full polish and have a hamon and hada, finished nakago etc.  The older blades are sold for more than they are worth with expectations of being a treasure, probably over and over.