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Blades with some known history?

Alex A
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Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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For some, like me, like it when blades come with a story or even a little bit of history.

 

Whether an inscription that states made by and made for a certain somebody to a family heirloom with some provenance.

 

Anyone own anything like this or know where there are any write-ups ?

 

 

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Scogg Veteran

Scogg

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You've likely already seen these topics in the forum.

But just incase, and for those who haven't, a fellow member has been sharing these great youtube videos of swords with a story

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/45657-story-of-the-onimaru-kunitsuna-sword/
 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/45678-the-sword-worth-a-country-the-ikkoku-kanemitsu/


https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/45668-honebami-tohshiro-bone-cutter/#comment-473327

 

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Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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Thanks Sam, good little vids those. 

 

Interesting Simon, cheers.  Extremely rare to come by a sword like that, nicks and a story from its owner.

Tsuku Contributor

Tsuku

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I have a few swords with some sort of provenance. Sometimes it is obscure — a habaki with a peculiar mon and a corroborating copy of an old Showa 26 torokusho. Sometimes the paperwork or a trustworthy sayagaki calls it out: “This was once an heirloom of the A clan that ruled B province.” And sometimes there’s old clan paperwork or a day book entry or an old Hon’ami appraisal that calls it out.

 

The gold standard are the meibutsu but good luck finding one….

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Brian

Brian

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What a story is right. A story.
Oh man, they take their time to make their pointless. What a load of bollocks. All that writing to say absolutely nothing, and a Daimyo attribution based on what? The colour of the urushi?
That story itself would have me avoiding a dealer.
And what's with this load of crap?

"Another sword, regarded by some as the most valuable in the world, is a samurai sword, estimated to be worth, by its investment fund owners, at one hundred million dollars, therefore, imagine what the Japanese National Treasure. the famed other Kuniyuki tachi might be worth, possibly several times that, but naturaly, it will a question impossible to answer, as it will never be sold."
Referring to something already known to be nonsense.
So you have a random average sword signed by a common name, without papers...that is suddenly elevated to treasure status  by adding pure fantasy.
I can see why members avoid that shop.

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Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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Its scary to think some folks will get pulled in by those descriptions but as the old saying goes about a fool and their money,.

 

I don't think they would do unless it worked for them.

 

Plenty on there, mentions of Napoleonic battles etc etc,

 

Fun reading though:laughing:

Matsunoki Grand Master

Matsunoki

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4 minutes ago, Alex A said:

Fun reading though:laughing:

I feel my blood pressure going up whenever I read their “descriptions”. I wonder how they stand legally?

It must work though….

Really it’s a shame as they have more swords for sale than any other UK (and possibly EU) dealer. Why not just give an accurate description of the blade/sword itself?……maybe then they would be taken far more seriously by a wider more knowledgeable clientele?

 

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Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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Must be many a wealthy person in the UK just looking for a Samurai sword, folks like "Tim nice but dim"

 

Then that's where the story ends.

 

In fairness, bought my first sword from there and it was ok, Koto. Did a bit of reading up then realised how much more there is to them. Then promptly exchanged it for i believe the one and only papered sword they have ever had in there, well, that ive seen.

Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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51 minutes ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Some absolutely abysmal polishes on some of the swords as well.

 

 

Think they call it a "commercial" polish.  

 

Shame, as some of the blades/koshirae combos in there over the years could have been amazing.

 

 

Guest Simon R

Guest Simon R

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22 hours ago, Alex A said:

Here's a blade with a story that I've just noticed, wow, what a story.

https://www.thelanes.../shop.php?code=24540

 

Who the hell is the "Li family'?

It sounds like a Chinese takeaway.

 

(I presume they can't spell a word as long and complex as Ii?)

Guest Simon R

Guest Simon R

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42 minutes ago, Alex A said:

That part of the tale was real Simon, they did exist. Had to check with google though, being honest:laughing:

Seriously, Alex?! 😳
 

I simply assumed they were misspelling Ii, which family was a very close Tokugawa supporter and always sported red armour.

SteveM Grand Master

SteveM

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Li doesn't exist as a Japanese surname, unless you are a naturalized Chinese person in Japan. 

 

Ii (double i) exists, and is apparently often misspelled as Li. 

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Alex A Grand Master

Alex A

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This is what came up on google 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ii_clan

 

 

Ii clan (Japanese: 井伊氏, Hepburn: Ii-shi) is a Japanese clan which originates in Tōtōmi Province. It was a retainer clan of the Imagawa family, and then switched sides to the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa Province at the reign of Ii Naotora. A famed 16th-century clan member, Ii Naomasa, adopted son of Ii Naotora, was Tokugawa Ieyasu's son-in-law and one of his most important generals. He received the fief of Hikone in Ōmi Province as a reward for his conduct in battle at Sekigahara. The Ii and a few sub-branches remained daimyō for the duration of the Edo period. Ii Naosuke, the famed politician of the late Edo period, was another member of this clan.

The clan claims descent from Fujiwara no Yoshikado,[1] who had been one of the Daijō daijin during the ninth century.

Head Family

 

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SteveM Grand Master

SteveM

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Yes - 井伊 a famous clan. Double i.

 

Hard to tell with certain fonts. Should be Ii

 

Edit: Pronounced EE (ē) as in meet, beet, sleek.

 

 

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John C Veteran

John C

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On 7/29/2023 at 5:59 AM, Brian said:

"Another sword, regarded by some as the most valuable in the world, is a samurai sword, estimated to be worth, by its investment fund owners, at one hundred million dollars, therefore, imagine what the Japanese National Treasure. the famed other Kuniyuki tachi might be worth, possibly several times that, but naturaly, it will a question impossible to answer, as it will never be sold."

This has the smell of something written by AI...

John C.

Matsunoki Grand Master

Matsunoki

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4 hours ago, Alex A said:

Another interesting advert from the Lanes. 

Alex, honestly, I’m speechless! What a load of ********!….again!

There should be a law against it.

Still, if you can get away with it…….and there are some idiots about…….

C.

 

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