Second opinion on wakizashi, and help sending it for shinsa in the US.

[deadreconing11]

I’ve recently acquired a decent Kanbun era wakizashi signed Katsushige (勝重). It’s currently unpapered and I’m split on whether to send it in for shinsa. The Nakago looks to be suriage because it is cut flat and there are two mekugi ana, but the mei is untouched. I’ve done a lot of cross referencing and comparing, and the mei doesn’t look to be gimei. It has a few blemish rust spots on the blade, but no hagiri or any chips. The reason I was thinking about submitting for shinsa is I saw another wakizashi made by the same smith with the exact same mei receive Tokubetsu Hozon papers, although it wasn’t suriage. So a few questions.

 

1.) Does the nakago being suriage affect it’s paper ranking/ value even if the mei is untouched?

 

2.) is it worth sending in for polishing and shinsa? If so, how can I submit for Shinsa through the US NBTHK. (I don’t have any contacts I know/trust to send my sword to Japan and would rather stay domestic and take it in person) 

 

3.) Is Katsushige a more notable Edo period smith? He came from the Sengo school, and received the title Mikawa no Kami (三河守)

[deadreconing11]

Here’s a couple more pictures, and the papered wakizashi I was talking about

[Ray Singer]

Being suriage does make it much more difficult for a shinto and later blade to receive Tokubetsu Hozon. There are exceptions, connected with how highly a smith is rated, a we routinely see Hizen-to by the first three mainline generations receive Tokubetsu Hozon or higher. 

[deadreconing11]

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Being suriage does make it much more difficult for a shinto and later blade to receive Tokubetsu Hozon. There are exceptions, connected with how highly a smith is rated, a we routinely see Hizen-to by the first three mainline generations receive Tokubetsu Hozon or higher. 

Yeah that’s what I was suspecting, would it still be worth sending it in for shinsa to possibly get hozon papers? From what I’ve researched, Katsushige was a prominent figure in the sengo school at the time? I’m still trying to feel out how important he was. There’s not really much I can go off of, since I’ve had a hard time finding similar work of his.  

[Rivkin]

My suggestion is to save the money and not to bother.

The signature is well written.

The smith is third tier.

This is kambun suriage waki with condition issues.

 

End of the story. 

[deadreconing11]

Quote

My suggestion is to save the money and not to bother.

The signature is well written.

The smith is third tier.

This is kambun suriage waki with condition issues.

Thank you! I appreciate your input, it’s probably not worth sending it. 

[Alex A]

Papers tell you its authentic and worthy of preservation.

 

Why pay someone to tell you its authentic and worthy of preservation when you know its authentic and worthy of preservation

 

Always good when there is a mei, looks decent.

[rematron]

Papering will give the wakizashi provenance which will help it to be preserved and appreciated for future generations.  We are not the final holders of the blades.  It is our responsibility to at least consider their future.  It will be easier to sell or gift if that is the intention because people who do not know how to identify a sword (like myself) will be able to see that it has been evaluated by experts.  They can trust the paper, not the seller.  My two cents.

 

Edit:  This is not to say that EVERY nihonto should be or is worth papering.  My point is that papering is more for the sword and not the person who happens to be in possession of it at any given moment.

Edited April 17, 2023 by rematron
reason stated

[ROKUJURO]

The signatures shown are VERY different. Are there several generations? That could be an explanation.