Lottery Ticket Time - Ichimonji

[Vermithrax16]

Fred has a real stunner up for sale, and it's well worth a stop to see the pictures. Buy lotto tickets and hope! Wonderful:

http://www.nihonto.com/05-07-18/

 

 

[Guest Rayhan]

Hmmm

[Bazza]

Mmmmmmm...

[Stephen]

ho hummmm

[Vermithrax16]

Guessing from the responses there is some issue. 

[seattle1]

Hello:

 Sometimes we wonder why a fine Japanese sword isn't more than some European sword or other work of art, but when looking at the blade in question I wonder how so many thousands will risk bankruptcy by steeping up to have the last pick up truck, monster version, and a fine blade like this tries to find a home, and the pick up can easily cost more! That blade will be around until some asteroid destroys the earth, while the pick up will be at the wreckers within 15 years. Go figure.

 Arnold F.

[Bazza]

Guessing from the responses there is some issue. 

Not from me.  I was murmuring heartfelt desire and agree 1,000% with Arnold.  Stephen seems to have a problem??  Are we boring you mate??

 

BaZZa.

[Stephen]

Not all i was just acting like a elite collector where something cool is just ho hum,,,,get it mate?

[Stephen]

Arnold   at the cost in question it might buy  tires n maybe suspension on your truck.

[TETSUGENDO]

Arnolds made an excellent point, although costly it is a relative bargain.  If you want to see runaway prices check out the Chinese art market...It will make the prices of the best Japanese pieces look like giveaways.

[Kanenaga]

Question to the group:  It seems to me that the hi on this o-suriage blade must be ato-bori, but the Juyo paper doesn't comment.  Am I misreading something, or is this something that's ok to overlook?

 

Les

[mywei]

I wouldn't have thought it would be an issue especially if done tastefully as is in this case.

 

I think ato bori would not be that uncommon on old osuriage blades

[seattle1]

Hello All:

 Just having a little fun with the post above. Some replies have had me thinking of the strict division that was made in Japan immediately after the war when Dr. Homa and Provost Marshall Col. Cadwell drew the hard line between "art swords" which should be spared the sea or furnace melt down, and "gunto", a wholly different bucket of fish. There are many determinants of demand, things which partially explain the difference between the current Chinese market and "fine art" auction prices, but one of them surely is the art content, rather than the weapon content implicit in the Japanese sword. We can convey a lot of knowledge about the sword to the interested newbie, but how more generally to convey an art historical image of the sword that would appeal more widely is not clear. That is only part of the price differential issue, but a large and important one I believe.

 Arnold F.

[Jussi Ekholm]

I might be going against the common consensus but I do not like that sword. I do not like the size and shape of that sword in it's current state. And for me that is the most important part of the sword, as I do not have too keen eye on artistic values.

 

I was talking with Graham Curtis briefly at Utrecht about statistical approach to swords, I enjoyed his lecture greatly and I felt bit similar mindset to my own. We discussed a bit (among few other things) how you can imagine how the sword is by just looking at the numbers. As I've been working on my own databases I've learned a lot about my own preferences. So as crazy as it is by just looking at the numbers of that sword I would know that sword does not fall among those I like.

 

This comes round to that what Paul B. said in his lecture about good swords vs. bad swords and personal preference. I understand that the Ichimonji Fred has is a good sword, I just don't like it. I do like many swords of much lesser quality but that does not make them as good as this one.

[Gakusee]

A very good sword obviously but I am bothered by the staining in the bohi.

[Prewar70]

How would you compare this to his other Ichimonji that recently sold? It was longer, and less money. I preferred it but curious what others say.

[Gakusee]

There is a difference (in perception, value, etc) between Kamakura Ichimonji and Nanbokucho Ichimonji

In fact, when the previous one (Nanbokucho I think) was listed, it was listed at a higher price initially than this one and was subsequently reduced to below this one.

I suppose at higher value pieces, the market is not so dynamic and those are obviously less frequent transactions. So time passes before items are turned over.

[Katsujinken]

FWIW, whoever bought the previous Yoshioka Ichimonji when it was on sale tried to flip it at Bonhams shortly thereafter (not a great way to make money on a sword, if you ask me). As far as I know it did not sell.

 

I examined it in hand, and it was a fine sword. But not especially remarkable in my opinion. As the other Michael said, Kamakura Ichimonji is where the action is.