'Budget' Norishige

[Schneeds]

https://www.samuraim...k-hozon-certificate/

 

I'm curious what the knowledgeable folks here think of that price.  

[Gakusee]

Lots of condition issues on that one but that’s all factored in the price. If you can live with the ware, if this gets repolished to brighten up the condition a bit (as the current polish is old) you will have a big name in koshirae and with Hozon paper. Not a bad place at all. 
For a top-condition nice-quality Norishige at TH you are looking at 5-6m yen+ minimum if you are lucky. 

[Rivkin]

If you can't see a hamon but you can somewhat see hada when looking at an angle its a bad sign. It was probably a magnificent sword but how much of it can be brought back by fresh polish is a big gamble. It can come out well, it can be that what it is right now is the best it will ever be.

[Lewis B]

Prices for Norishige are all over the place. I've seen them as high as 350k Euro for a TJ all the way down to 15mil yen for a fairly uninspired Juyo example with later bohi, to 8.5mil yen for what I consider to be from his best period/style with Norishige Mei, relocated and embedded in the nakago, but unfortunately it's o-suriage to a short 44cm wakizashi and finally a TH katana for 6.5mil yen. The paper for this item is Den Norishige so they are uncertain. I've seen much, much better examples of Den Norishige offered for less than 4mil yen, with Juyo Shinsa pass.

 

The retailer knows exactly what they have and its potential, to offer it at that bargain basement price. They also say to contact for pics of the kizu so there is undisclosed condition problems not shown in the published photos. Norishige would be a great name to own and even though I am actively looking for one to add to my collection, I personally would pass on this example. Another polish and it might be game over. 

[Schneeds]

I'm sure someone will gamble and try it. I'd love to see how it turns out. I also thought it was interesting it was only papered 8 months ago for the first time. 

[Jussi Ekholm]

Thanks for posting this Erik I hadn't seen this item before. Other above me will know lot more than me about fine details.

 

Unfortunately for me the blade is very uninspiring in size & shape, as well as in condition. I think the only reason for the price is that it has the den Norishige attribution. Give it something like Kodai Hōju or generic Uda (Muromachi attributions), and it would be 3,000-4,000$. I know financially this would be an opportunity for many to get a Norishige attributed blade, as they tend to go for very high prices as mentioned above. However I would personally aim for better quality & condition item for much lesser smith for that amount of money, as I would see it as much more enjoyable option.