Another bargain "Muramasa"

[Veli]

Another "Muramasa" for sale; The usual explanation: because the Nakago is in bad shape and the mei is unclear, it is a Muramasa with removed Mei.

 

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Huge-WWII-Japanese-N ... 0415662889

 

The blade looks somewhat tired and is in bad polish. It has muneyaki, but I cannot identify it to any major school.

 

Wakimono?

 

BR, Veli

[Hermes]

It's up to $5,100.00 with 35 minutes left, up $850 in the last few minutes!

[pcfarrar]

You could probably have bought a real muramasa for $5,000.

[Veli]

I guess the buyer primarily wanted the fittings? Does anybody know if this is the normal market price level for this kind of naval dirk? Of course I am no expert, but I do not see why anybody should pay that much for the blade.

 

BR, Veli

[reinhard]

I do not see why anybody should pay that much for the blade.

 

Some collectors are still fascinated by the myth of "the" MURAMASA, although there were at least two generations by this name in Ise province, maybe three. It is true that many of their mei were changed or even erased during Edo times, but this particular one was not obliterated enough. The top two kanji on the sashi-omote can still be read as: "Bishu" meaning Owari (province). Unfortunately no MURAMASA ever worked in this province as far as I know. It must have been the mounting then, or somebody will be really disappointed soon.

 

reinhard

[Veli]

Now that you said it, the first two kanji indeed look like "Bishu"! But isn't the nakago shape atypical for a Bizen blade?

 

BR, Veli

[Jacques]

Hi

 

Now that you said it, the first two kanji indeed look like "Bishu"! But isn't the nakago shape atypical for a Bizen blade?

 

BR, Veli

 

Owari (Tokaido) isn't related with Bizen, more with Mino.

[Veli]

Gentlemen,

 

I apologize for my elementary mistake;

 

尾州 = Bishu as Owari, Tokaido

 

備州 = Bishu as Bizen, Sanyodo

 

Thank You for helping!

 

Where would I be without this forum...

(answer: on my porch, enjoying sunshine and drinking beer instead of sitting inside learning kanji :lol: )

 

BR, Veli

[SwordGuyJoe]

Get a blackberry. Then you can sit on the porch drink beer AND learn kanji!