advice on first purchase

[Nicv99]

Greetings all would like some advice on a blade I am looking to purchase as my first , Thankyou for any help 

[Geraint]

Dear Nick.

 

Welcome to NMB.  What sort of help are you looking for?  A lot depends on some factors that you have not mentioned, is it coming out of Japan?  I assume that it is because it has the registration papers with it, torokusho.  Does it have authentication papers and if so who from?  What is it being sold as?  And of course, how much is being asked for it?

 

Opinions will differ but from what I can see so far this is a mumei or unsigned sword that would now be classified as a wakizashi, a short sword.  It seems from these images to be Koto, pre 1600.  It has an unusual sugata, the overall shape of the blade, and might at one time have been a naginata or polearm. It seems to have a raised shinogi, the ridge running down the blade.  It also has several flaws that from the images don't appear to be disastrous but should affect the value a little.

 

So, it is a genuine Japanese sword. probably from the koto period, (but bear in mind that late koto swords are often not considered especially desirable - old does not always mean good in this hobby), and it is in shirasaya, the plain wooden mounts.

 

Please feel free to ask more specific questions and throw out some more information, plenty of help here.

 

All the best.

 

 

[Nicv99]

Hi sorry very new to this , it’s from Japan , Tokyosword is the shop. He is asking 600 Australian dollars. Thankyou for the response . I am not to fussed about the flaws as this will be my first sword . 

[Nicv99]

2 hours ago, Geraint said:

Dear Nick.

 

Welcome to NMB.  What sort of help are you looking for?  A lot depends on some factors that you have not mentioned, is it coming out of Japan?  I assume that it is because it has the registration papers with it, torokusho.  Does it have authentication papers and if so who from?  What is it being sold as?  And of course, how much is being asked for it?

 

Opinions will differ but from what I can see so far this is a mumei or unsigned sword that would now be classified as a wakizashi, a short sword.  It seems from these images to be Koto, pre 1600.  It has an unusual sugata, the overall shape of the blade, and might at one time have been a naginata or polearm. It seems to have a raised shinogi, the ridge running down the blade.  It also has several flaws that from the images don't appear to be disastrous but should affect the value a little.

 

So, it is a genuine Japanese sword. probably from the koto period, (but bear in mind that late koto swords are often not considered especially desirable - old does not always mean good in this hobby), and it is in shirasaya, the plain wooden mounts.

 

Please feel free to ask more specific questions and throw out some more information, plenty of help here.

 

All the best.

 

 

Hi sorry very new to this , it’s from Japan , Tokyosword is the shop. He is asking 600 Australian dollars. Thankyou for the response . I am not to fussed about the flaws as this will be my first sword . 

[Rivkin]

Looks like Mino-ish late Muromachi waki. Not too much of a collectible but authentic, so the only question is it fun enough for you.

[Mark S.]

And some other questions you need to ask yourself… what is it about this blade you like?  What do you hope to learn from it?  What ‘boxes’ does it check for you and your collecting goals?  Only you can decide if this blade makes you happy.  If you ask others, they will tell you their opinion based on if the blade makes them happy… and that is ok too.  But YOU have to live with it and look at it every day.

 

Just a bit of advice though… and this is only to save you money or disappointment (not to dissuade you)… you might want to take some time and study more (although, I admit I don’t know how much you have already done this) so you can answer the “why am I buying this?”, “what is it worth TO ME?”, and more knowledge of “is it real and what is it?” on your own, not to say we don’t mind helping.

 

We always recommend buying books and studying more first.  There will ALWAYS be more blades… ALWAYS.  Just don’t want you to rush into a purchase, but I DO understand the excitement.  We have all been there.  
 

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

Sage advice @Mark S.

[Baba Yaga]

Let me offer another road to travel . Go to this site http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm and memorize a lot of Japanese sword terms. Most of what's on this free site is in the elementary books. The seconded step, find a sword club in your area, "if available",  The 3rd step is purchasing books / swords / tsuba / ect which advanced club members will guide you. 

 

If $600 is your price point and you want an Authentic Made Sword without getting yourself in a highly academic and expensive hobby then it's not a bad purchase at all.  

 

 

 

[Wayben]

For context - 600 Australian Dollars is approximately 400 US dollars.

[Nicv99]

8 hours ago, Mark S. said:

And some other questions you need to ask yourself… what is it about this blade you like?  What do you hope to learn from it?  What ‘boxes’ does it check for you and your collecting goals?  Only you can decide if this blade makes you happy.  If you ask others, they will tell you their opinion based on if the blade makes them happy… and that is ok too.  But YOU have to live with it and look at it every day.

 

Just a bit of advice though… and this is only to save you money or disappointment (not to dissuade you)… you might want to take some time and study more (although, I admit I don’t know how much you have already done this) so you can answer the “why am I buying this?”, “what is it worth TO ME?”, and more knowledge of “is it real and what is it?” on your own, not to say we don’t mind helping.

 

We always recommend buying books and studying more first.  There will ALWAYS be more blades… ALWAYS.  Just don’t want you to rush into a purchase, but I DO understand the excitement.  We have all been there.  
 

Thankyou that is most helpful , i am pretty much after a first blade that is wakizashi length nothing to expensive for starters that can come in future . For now an entry level blade that is still old is all I am after . 

[Nicv99]

36 minutes ago, Wayben said:

For context - 600 Australian Dollars is approximately 400 US dollars.

Thankyou I was very unsure if that price range is indicating a dodgy deal . If the sword is authentic I am quite happy paying that for an entry level sword im aware it’s not a desirable collectable however 

[Nicv99]

If any one can recommend sites to look for entry level blades it would be appreciated, we don’t have access to sword conventions here and they are usually in other states if we do . 

[Brian]

Post a wanted ad here if you haven't already....specify you want from Australia to make shipping easier. Maybe some members have something.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Nic, 

This guy has a shop in Cairns. You could drop him a line to see if he has or will look out for anything suitable. 
 

https://nihonto.com.au

 

As regards the sword you’re looking at, you probably won’t make a loss should you sell it as it is bottom dollar. Not that that makes it a bad sword but there are many like it and there’s no need to rush to get this one before you know more about the subject and can make a more informed choice. 

[Nicv99]

20 minutes ago, Shugyosha said:

Hi Nic, 

This guy has a shop in Cairns. You could drop him a line to see if he has or will look out for anything suitable. 
 

https://nihonto.com.au

 

As regards the sword you’re looking at, you probably won’t make a loss should you sell it as it is bottom dollar. Not that that makes it a bad sword but there are many like it and there’s no need to rush to get this one before you know more about the subject and can make a more informed choice. 

Thankyou legend , great advice after talking to everyone here it has cooled me down not so stesswd about missing out on a sword