Lexvdjagt Posted December 8 Report Posted December 8 Dear NMB, I am currently in Japan and found my probable next purchase a few days ago. I mainly collect Yamato den early koto pieces. I stumbled upon a Katana I truly liked, it is attributed to Nio and has Tokubetsu hozon papers. It has a beautiful sori of 2.8 cm, and a Nagasa of 74 cm. It was shortened in the muromachi period and newly polished. Now onto my question, how does the NBTHK identify a blade like this as either a Tachi or a Katana? I have seen many mumei papered Tachi which have very similar attributes. Is there something I am missing? and one additional question, would it be acceptable to display this Nio katana as a Tachi? As it was originally created as one, and it still has quite a long nagasa? I am still learning any input would be extremely helpful. below a picture of the Nio katana, before the polish. Greetings, Lex 1 Quote
Ray Singer Posted December 8 Report Posted December 8 The NBTHK does not generally categorize daito as tachi if they are osuriage mumei, even if they were made at a time before katana were produced. Ie. An o-suriage mumei katana from the Kamakura period would generally be papered as a katana. However, being signed tachi-mei or being ubu from that time period will steer towards categorization as a tachi. 3 Quote
Lexvdjagt Posted December 8 Author Report Posted December 8 Thank you @Ray Singer I just noticed after doing some more digging on the board that there was a very similar thread before mine. This means my first question is definitely answered. I am however interested in your opinions on treating a koto katana as a Tachi. I have seen many examples of mumei katana being sold as Tachi or being displayed as such. And was thus wondering what the opinions of the board members are Quote
Ray Singer Posted December 8 Report Posted December 8 I'm not sure if I understand your question with regards to treating a katana as a tachi. If you're talking about for example a 70cm o-suriage mumei Kamakura blade, it is a katana (in the eyes of the NBTHK). It was once a tachi and is now a katana, unless it has been placed into tachi koshirae and is being used as a tachi again. Sometimes blades are papered at juyo and above alongside their koshirae, and I believe there are edge cases where the NBTHK wouid call such a blade a tachi when paired at shinsa with its koshirae. However separate from the organization, dealers like to call osuriage mumei koto daito tachi because it helps with marketing their swords (improves sellability, by making the piece sound more desirable). In my opinion you should look at what is written on the papers and use that for the description. 5 1 Quote
Lexvdjagt Posted Monday at 12:38 AM Author Report Posted Monday at 12:38 AM Thank you Ray, I believe I phrased my question incorrectly. I meant to ask if it would be seen as rude or inappropriate to for example display this Nio katana as a Tachi, as in edge side up. thank you for the info and replies! Greetings, Lex Quote
reinhard Posted Monday at 01:12 AM Report Posted Monday at 01:12 AM Older blades, who lost their signature and were shortened later to be carried as katana, should be displayed as katana, i.e. with the cutting edge up. No mattter what their original shape and purpose were. reinhard 2 Quote
Lexvdjagt Posted Monday at 01:21 AM Author Report Posted Monday at 01:21 AM 7 minutes ago, reinhard said: Older blades, who lost their signature and were shortened later to be carried as katana, should be displayed as katana, i.e. with the cutting edge up. No mattter what their original shape and purpose were. reinhard Thank you for your response. I agree with your opinion, and think it is best to display a blade like this as a katana. Quote
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