interesting ebay text for claimed chokuto...

[cabowen]

This sword has been discussed on the forum before but I thought the latest listing with the following text to be interesting:

 

"I attended the Florida Token Kai Japanese Sword Show 10,11,&12 february in Tampa and asked the NTHK if I could submit this tachi for Shinsa.It is not in any condition for them to make a paper on it but I wanted to see what would happen.They agreed and when I brought it into the room all of the judges left their tables to inspect it.Of course they declined to give me a paper with the explanation that it was not in the scope of their occupation to judge such an early sword.The Sensei explained to me that this was a precious artifact and that I should treat it with great respect and reverence.In addition he asked me to remove it from it's case so their team might photograph and scan the sword which I agreed to do for them.It will be featured in the NTHK magazine in several months and he advised me that they would try to get it on the cover.He also advised me that it was absolutely genuine.For you naysayers who criticised my listing please understand the NTHK agrees with me."

[John A Stuart]

Which sword is this Chris? and is his statement true? John

[Brian]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANCIENT-JAPANES ... 5646db89f3

Probably true. Good to see it is being "treated with great respect and reverence" by being bartered off on eBay :lol:

Good luck though.

 

Brian

[Lance]

I think it's this one,

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANCIENT-JAPANES ... 5646db89f3

 

 

too slow in posting...........

 

Lance

[cabowen]

Sorry, meant to post the link and got distracted by my son....Thanks to those who posted the link...

[Toryu2020]

All -

the statement is true - I remember being skeptical when seeing the first listing of this piece having seen many Chinese and Middle Eastern fakes. I was surprised myself when Yoshikawa Sensei and the others took such an interest in this piece. I am a little uncomfortable with this being used to sell the sword in this way - I think it would have been better to wait for the publication, but what can you do.

 

If it adds value to the piece then more power to you...

-t

[John A Stuart]

It would be nice to have this in a collection, not available that often. Still, I wonder how much can be gleaned from it? in that condition. Maybe a candidate for cleaning and stabilisation. John

[cabowen]

I would think a good place for it would be a museum where it can be studied and cared for along with similar items. I can't see much in it that would appeal to a collector of nihonto as it is really just a relic/artifact at this point-like a dinosaur bone....

[raven2]

I talked with the seller at the show because I thought the piece was interesting. Obviously in the condition it is in, it is very hard to say yes or no as to whether it was authenic. I leave that up to more knowledgable people than myself. The seller told me the exact same thing that he has listed on the website. I had no reason to not believe him. I do think it is interesting that he is asking $8500 for it when he quoted me $10000 at the show.

[george trotter]

Hi all, I remember seeing this chokuto when it first came up.

Speaking with my history/museum hat on I would say that the sword looked promising then...and now with the comments attributed to the knowledgeable Shinsa team, it is pretty well confirmed in the sense that it is a genuine chokuto.

From an historical perspective it is important and probably deserves to be in the national collection as an example, but from an archaeological perspective it is at present quite lacking . By this I mean that it is important that the seller/finder produce the details of where/when/how it was found and what was found with it (for its historical location and contemporary context). If it was grave-robbed in the Meiji-Taisho period and such details are unknown, then it loses a lot of its educational potential. If these details were known and could be verified, it is then quite important as an historic record of swordmaking in a location and use within a social stratum.

As I said...it has a lot of potential...just hope the whole story has not been lost.

Regards,

[DirkO]

Originally his asking price was 2500$ on eBay -> it rose to 5000$ after some posts on this forum -> and now it's 8500$ :-)

[Brian]

When it sells....I expect my commission to be considerable.

 

 

Brian