Roland Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 Dear fellow Nihonto addicts, from time to time I have a look at the offers of British antique arms & militaria shops. Though their presentations and even the informations about the Nihonto blades they offer are lacking detailed insights (both visually and experience wise) there is often enough a chance to discover something special. Like this Katana (titled "A Japanese WW2 Officer's Sword with Very early Ancestral Blade")... The guys of The Lanes Armoury at http://www.thelanesarmoury.co.uk seemed not to be able to give some more hints about the identity of the blade. After some research of the (low resolution!) online pics I assume that this could be a Ko-Nio Katana. It seems to show Yamato influence in the hamon, the sugata reminds me of the late Kamakura or early Nambokucho (like this one at Nihontocraft http://www.nihontocraft.com/Katana_Ko_Nio.html), the hamon seems to be a chu-suguha (?) with hotsure, the nakago looks quite old and has a dark chocolate color. Only one kanji of the mei is visible (a second one seems to be gone by time) and with some effort decipherable: KIYO. This again (if it isn't gimei) would be a hint to the Nio respectively Ko-Nio school with smiths like Kiyotsuna, Kiyonaga or Kiyohisa... Unfortunately the pics are far too bad to identify the typical Herakage Utsuri of early Nio blades. The only figures I've got is the 28" lenghth of the Nagasa. What do you think about this find? If I had time I would fly to Brighton, meet Mark and Daviod Hawkins and inspect the blade personally. Fortunately there are no funds left for such a spontaneous trip Quote
paulb Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 Roland, I have never dealt with Lanes Armoury personally, infact I may be even further away from them than you are, them being on the south coast and me in the wild north. However they always have a lot of swords with what look to be relatively high prices. While they may not be specialists in Nihonto I am pretty sure they know enough to tell if a sword is good/valuable. I have yet to see a bargain appear on their site. I am gettnig a little paranoid now but the patination on the nakago looks more due to abuse than age, whether an attempt to age it or just negelct. but I dont think it is as old as you do. regards Paul Quote
pcfarrar Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 Given the condition of the nakago it could also be saiha. The ware and openings in the blade would lend some support to that argument. I also noticed that many of the swords on their website have acid polishes. Quote
Bungo Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 Lanes Armoury ................... Is that the same shop I post pic previously with " matching " pole arms ? milt Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 I have the same problem with the nakago.. it doesnt seem like natural damage/rust, in my view its a deliberate thing... also the way it is attached to the blade makes me wonder..... almost if its inserted somehow... KM Quote
Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 almost if its inserted somehow...KM Hi KM. Indeed it's inserted. Into the Habaki. Black and withe picture. Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 ah yes now i see!! my bad! LOL still the rust strikes me not as being natural... Ooh i so dislike it when people photograph swords with the Habaki still on! Not that they have something to hide, but well i just dont like it because it leaves a lot out.. KM Quote
Bungo Posted November 3, 2008 Report Posted November 3, 2008 " Ooh i so dislike it when people photograph swords with the Habaki still on! Not that they have something to hide, but well i just dont like it because it leaves a lot out.. KM " http://www.esnips.com/web/nihonto?docsPage=1#files and the answer at............ http://www.esnips.com/web/nihonto?docsPage=2#files P.S. I bought the tanto for the koshirae( the tanto was a uniform grey with no visible hade/hamon except heavy rust under the habaki ), now has the best looking tsunagi ( spelling ? ), you agree ? milt Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted November 4, 2008 Report Posted November 4, 2008 Simply exquisite tsunagi! the answer made me smile.... KM Quote
Bungo Posted November 4, 2008 Report Posted November 4, 2008 Now if we move the hamachi up by a few mm............" technically " it's not a hagiri. milt Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted November 4, 2008 Report Posted November 4, 2008 True, and it snaps much more nicely when you most need it in battle.... LOL KM Quote
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