My humble haul from the Chicago Sword Show.

[waljamada]

Greetings All,

 

Went to my first Chicago Sword Show (and first sword show ever) today wanting to make a purchase to support the show/dealers and did a bundle purchase on two items.  I think overall I did essentially "fine" price wise while the items are no national treasures.  Paid $2000 and got a Yari with pole and a 20 1/4" nagasa wakizashi.  Both are mumei but at least came with NTHK papers.  The yari is said to be Den: Mino Daido 1573-1592 and the wak is attributed to Nobutaka (most likely 4th gen) 1711-1715.  Just thought I'd share the haul. 

 

I only was able to attend Sunday so who knows what blades I missed seeing but the show was great fun, educational, eclectic personalities, wonderful to meet a few people I recognize from these forums and loved eying all the wares and blades.  It's my first yari and didn't know I wanted one before this show. 

 

I will be attending again next year and my only regret (which barely nags me) is not posaibly buying a 27" nagasa koto blade instead with some cool bohi and awesome (but a bit worn) koshirae.  It had two chips in the cutting edge however (otherwise in beautiful polish) and cost the same as the total for the two items I purchased....but it just had a presence.  Was really grateful to Mark for organizing the show and look forward to attending in the years to come!

[waljamada]

Just some more pics.  Hit my upload size limit above.  Was told the lacquer on the yari pole was redone about 20 years back.  Not sure if that's good or bad.

[NewB]

2 ubu, papered blades for 2k is a great price. Congrats

 

 

 

John

[Katsujinken]

Glad you had such a good experience! Note those are NTHK papers, not NBTHK. 

[waljamada]

John,

Thank you.  My favorite thing is actually the yari pole funnily.  I believe/hope it might be from either mid or late edo.  I think if you buy a yari you immediately want a naginata. Also noticed some interesting togishi lines on the wakizashi.  Someone might recognize them.

 

Michael,

Thank you I will correct it to NTHK.

[Fred Geyer]

i was going to buy they yari ...you beat me to it !

 

Fred

[waljamada]

4 minutes ago, Fred Geyer said:

i was going to buy they yari ...you beat me to it !

 

Fred

 

Fred, I got locked in with the bundle deal!   Now I just have to figure out where to put it....

[Brian]

You did great! Well done. There is something about yari fully mounted that is just
Doubt I'll ever get one due to the difficulty in shipping. And if Fred wanted that one, you know it has to be decent. Congrats!

[Michaelr]

Congrats Adam. Looks like you did well.  Thank you for sharing   

   MikeR

[ribendao]

Very nice! I got a beautiful wakizashi signed Hizen Tadayoshi and a stout mumei shinto katana with  O'kissaki.  I wanted one of those yari too but I think I would have had trouble fitting it into my suitcase haha. 
You got some very cool items for a great price. Should look excellent on display. 

[NewB]

24 minutes ago, ribendao said:

Very nice! I got a beautiful wakizashi signed Hizen Tadayoshi and a stout mumei shinto katana with  O'kissaki.  I wanted one of those yari too but I think I would have had trouble fitting it into my suitcase haha. 
You got some very cool items for a great price. Should look excellent on display. 

 

Pictures ? 😁

 

John

[ribendao]

4 minutes ago, Darkcon said:

 

Pictures ? 😁

 

John

Haven't had a chance to take any yet. But they will be coming soon!

[NewB]

44 minutes ago, ribendao said:

Haven't had a chance to take any yet. But they will be coming soon!

I think I saw that Tadayoshi wakizashi 

 

Lots of items sold it appears

 

I liked the Reisen Sadamori Juyo blade. Very nice!

 

 

John

[Surfson]

I  bought a Yokoyama Bizen Sukenaga wakizashi with kiku and ichi that was out of polish, a very early (I think kamakura or early nambokucho, but others think later) cut down osuriage katana and a Dewa Gassan wakizashi with papers that had koshirae (this one was for a friend).   I sold two blades as well and handed the rest of the blades that I brought to Andy Quirt, so you may see them on his site over the next few months.  It was nice to attend and I am so grateful to Mark Jones for putting it on.  

[Surfson]

When I saw the wakizashi, it seemed very similar to a katana that I already own.  These are the two once I got it home.   Shall I polish them as a daisho?   Only two years apart!  

[waljamada]

Robert,

 

That wakizashi was meant to find you and you to find it.  They are definitely asking to be a daisho.

[ribendao]

My haul from the Chicago show. One wakizashi signed Hizen Tadayoshi and one mumei Katana with O'kissaki. Couldn't quite capture the hamon on the Tadayoshi but its a nice suguha with alot of activity. Also bought some other small knickknacks not pictured. 
 

[NewB]

I saw that wakizashi. The 'kuni' character scared me so I passed on it. In any event it was reasonably priced and I am glad someone got it

 

 

Cheers

 

 

John

[ribendao]

1 hour ago, Darkcon said:

I saw that wakizashi. The 'kuni' character scared me so I passed on it. In any event it was reasonably priced and I am glad someone got it

 

 

Cheers

 

 

John

Yeah I just bought it for the looks not the signature. My goal was to get a blade with o kissaki and a nice chu suguha hamon. I basically accomplished that goal but I had to get two swords to do it.

[NewB]

Job well done. There were many aggressively priced items on Mark and Grey's table and others as a whole. I am glad I went just to get acquainted otherwise who knows what damage I would have done to my wallet after seeing few very very appealing and tempting examples

 

 

John

[waljamada]

Something about o-kissaki blades just sing to me.  Great pick up and that's a beautiful example.  Love the hamon.  Grey had my dream o-kissaki blade at his table.  Was awesome to see all there was to gander and awe at from that show.  

[Tom Darling]

Bob, you have a nice daisho.  I noticed that Sotheby's  4/1993 sold a  Sukenaga katana from the Sir Francis Festing Collection  described with Kiku-mon Ichi, but, it had no Kiku-mon Ichi,  another auction house error.  Thank you for showing both with it.

[Jcremer24]

Nice haul and great pieces!  Wish I loved closer to Chicago. I will have to fly in and go to the show some day!

[Bugyotsuji]

Kiku Ichi Mon Sukenaga definitely on my bucket list!

[Japan2112]

I am sitting here drooling over your haul. You have some nice sword study ahead. Thanks for sharing, and am pleased the show went so well. The yari is a splendid outfit.

[Mark S.]

Picked up two blades at the Chicago Show.  First blade was on Mark Jones table.  Amongst many, he had 2 katana attributed to Hizen Kuni ju Omi Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro.  I picked this blade because I loved the shape, a well cut full-length bohi, great condition/polish, and the hada and hamon are extremely well done.  
 

NOW... FULL DISCLOSER: the blade came with no papers, but does have a sayagaki (more info on that in Translation Section) that may be signed by Kanzan Sato.  I say this because I got some advice both at the show and after reaching out on-line that the signature may be gimei and that also puts the sayagaki into question.  I also got some advice that it is a wonderful blade in excellent condition and reflects the workmanship of the smith.  

 

I AM IN NO WAY saying that Mark didn’t sell me a wonderful blade at a great price.  He was excellent throughout the process and sells QUALITY items.  I went into this with eyes wide open and do not regret the decision one bit whether blade is gimei or not.  THANK YOU Mark for this blade.  Next year’s Chicago Show and Shinsa will be interesting.

[Mark S.]

Second blade... I decided I wanted to take the chance on a ‘project’. I know... I know... 

 

Picked up a very inexpensive wakizashi that had some interesting activity and maybe had some possibilities (I thought).  Showed it to Woody Hall and he agreed it might be interesting.  Sent it off to him for polish.  We shall see...  

 

Please forgive me... forgot to take an overall pic of blade showing shape.

 

 

[Bryan B]

Hi Mark

Thanks for sharing, the first blade looks wonderful to me and it is the shape and form that I would like to own .

Bryan 

[Winchester]

Thank you for posting, Adam. I am a total newbie; when I listed a post asking for advice in my area, the good folks here shared this link with me.

 

That is really incredible; the purchases you made. Way too cool.

 

Really like your artwork in your place too. I collect all sorts of things and sending a note, in good faith, should you wish to talk some time or may have items to sell. I am a buyer. Just really enjoy learning and history and all aspects of this hobby. I am still learning, but think you hit a home run--great job!