Blaze & Daze

FirstCavApache64

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
DCcan said:
My wife and her sister picked my vacation next summer. Renting a place on Cannon Beach, OR for a week or 2 for crazy money.
Hopefully do some hikes and mushrooms again, eat some smoked sturgeon.

Click to expand...
That's a beautiful coast! Never been anywhere out on the west coast before. Other than training in the Mohave desert I've never even been close. Looks like a great spot to chill and smoke something tasty. Hope you have a blast.
 
Jeffislovinlife

Jeffislovinlife

Well-Known Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
I can't sleep so I dug into the safe and got some pics. I have some nice sawtooth German bayonets as well but I'll dig those out later.

View attachment 5285425

This has the real wooden scabbard wrapped in eelskin which is period correct but is missing a few pieces that go on the pommel of the handle. Original replacement antique parts start at $500 each piece so I'll be holding off in adding them for now.

View attachment 5285429

The lower one is the older and was in a modern metal scabbard that had been made to fit the Nihonto blade. It was carried by a Japanese officer and was taken in battle. The handle has been lost to time and is crazy expensive to have an original put on in Japan now.

View attachment 5285430

This is on the handle and denotes the maker, his school and his rating as a sword maker.
View attachment 5285431

And no self respecting Cavalry soldier would own just Japanese steel. The top pic is a Cavalry saber for an officer that I've had trouble pin pointing a year on. It's covered in rust preventive so it stayed in the scabbard as my wife would use one of the others on me if I got grease all over her blanket. I have rifles from both sides of the conflict in WW2. Pretty much every axis and allies country is represented except for Australia but they used the same rifle as the Brits so my grandfather felt it was redundant I'm thinking. He was a Judge Advocate General attorney after the war and my Mom and uncle grew up in Kyoto while he tried cases against American soldiers accused of crimes by the Japanese after the war.
Click to expand...
Them are awesome I would say early 1900's and by the way thanks for sharing very very cool
 
go go kid

go go kid

Well-Known Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
The maker of the more historically important one is Nagamitsu. His is from the 13th century. I had it researched when I first got them. I forget the other one but they said it was 'Nihonto" meaning it is a real sword from the Japanese sword smiths of that earlier period. The mark on that one was from a famous guy but they said it was a frequently forged mark back then due to his fame and they'd have to send it to CA or Japan to really have it evaluated. I had to get an idea of what they were and their worth for insurance. I just wish they had been better cared for over the years. Restoration and sharpening is only done by 2 American's that studied in Japan or it has to be taken there at a crazy expense.
Click to expand...
i know there offten forged, that was going to be my next bit of info, i hadn't realised there were so few people who could sharpen them and give the dry powder finish. howerver i was aware of the cost of them being correctly identified. such a shame. but im sure the cost can be absorbed within the price of them if sold, its a 100% garantee. which all master made swords have to carry to get there price

the other option is auction houses, they offer a sword apraisal sometimes from there experts, dam sight cheaper then sending it to japan to be done. i found this one online, dont know of any others
mr-expert.com

Japanese sword appraisal | Expert valuation in 48 hours

Valuating a Japanese sword: Mr Expert provides appraisals and helps you to sell at the best price
mr-expert.com mr-expert.com
 
Last edited:
FirstCavApache64

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
go go kid said:
i know there offten forged, that was going to be my next bit of info, i hadn't realised there were so few people who could sharpen them and give the dry powder finish. howerver i was aware of the cost of them being correctly identified. such a shame. but im sure the cost can be absorbed within the price of them if sold, its a 100% garantee. which all master made swords have to carry to get there price

the other option is auction houses, they offer a sword apraisal sometimes from there experts, dam sight cheaper then sending it to japan to be done. i found this one online, dont know of any others
mr-expert.com

Japanese sword appraisal | Expert valuation in 48 hours

Valuating a Japanese sword: Mr Expert provides appraisals and helps you to sell at the best price
mr-expert.com mr-expert.com
Click to expand...
I have a pretty good idea of the value from a Nihonto forum I spent some time on many years ago which is where I learned about the various pieces I was missing for the handle. If I ever have the money I'd like to get the nicer one finished with new silk wrapping and the two pieces it's missing. I'd have to really do some research on who I let sharpen them as it involves shipping it to a stranger and all sorts of things can go wrong just like any business transaction in life. The blades as they sit are really sharp but with proper sharpening the nicer one could possibly be a truly scary blade. I hope one day to visit Kyoto and experience the city where Mom lived as a kid.
Thanks for the link, it was impossible to find an antique dealer on the East coast to accurately appraise them when I first inherited them so I went searching the net and found a Nihonto forum where I learned about the history and craftsmanship these were made with. It's what started an early fascination in me for weapons and blades in particular.
 
go go kid

go go kid

Well-Known Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
I have a pretty good idea of the value from a Nihonto forum I spent some time on many years ago which is where I learned about the various pieces I was missing for the handle. If I ever have the money I'd like to get the nicer one finished with new silk wrapping and the two pieces it's missing. I'd have to really do some research on who I let sharpen them as it involves shipping it to a stranger and all sorts of things can go wrong just like any business transaction in life. The blades as they sit are really sharp but with proper sharpening the nicer one could possibly be a truly scary blade. I hope one day to visit Kyoto and experience the city where Mom lived as a kid.
Thanks for the link, it was impossible to find an antique dealer on the East coast to accurately appraise them when I first inherited them so I went searching the net and found a Nihonto forum where I learned about the history and craftsmanship these were made with. It's what started an early fascination in me for weapons and blades in particular.
Click to expand...
i envy you, to have a fully restored blade would be a dream. i cut n shape n polish gemstones, and weve been asked to do a few repairs to some truely butifull weapons, as soon as we get the articulated lorry back open, ill take some pix of the arabian jade encrusted handeled blade,and the afghan rifel, horse mounted, they were given to us to repair over 30 yrs ago, the owner never returned, so they became ours.
the blade is a curvey one and the rifel is over 6 foot long. handel encrusted in mother of pearl and jade and lapis lasuli if i remember corectly. truely butifull weapons
the only other stuff we have, is boar war stuzz, we have an old hide zulu shield and a whole bunch of zulu spears, all in the lorry back, hopefully it wont be long untill we open it up

1682584432225.png
 
go go kid

go go kid

Well-Known Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
I have a pretty good idea of the value from a Nihonto forum I spent some time on many years ago which is where I learned about the various pieces I was missing for the handle. If I ever have the money I'd like to get the nicer one finished with new silk wrapping and the two pieces it's missing. I'd have to really do some research on who I let sharpen them as it involves shipping it to a stranger and all sorts of things can go wrong just like any business transaction in life. The blades as they sit are really sharp but with proper sharpening the nicer one could possibly be a truly scary blade. I hope one day to visit Kyoto and experience the city where Mom lived as a kid.1682584666413.png
Thanks for the link, it was impossible to find an antique dealer on the East coast to accurately appraise them when I first inherited them so I went searching the net and found a Nihonto forum where I learned about the history and craftsmanship these were made with. It's what started an early fascination in me for weapons and blades in particular.
Click to expand...
oh, it could be a kukari dagger, jusrt found this pic that reminds me of it.1682584666413.png
 
BarnBuster

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
I have a pretty good idea of the value from a Nihonto forum I spent some time on many years ago which is where I learned about the various pieces I was missing for the handle. If I ever have the money I'd like to get the nicer one finished with new silk wrapping and the two pieces it's missing. I'd have to really do some research on who I let sharpen them as it involves shipping it to a stranger and all sorts of things can go wrong just like any business transaction in life. The blades as they sit are really sharp but with proper sharpening the nicer one could possibly be a truly scary blade. I hope one day to visit Kyoto and experience the city where Mom lived as a kid.
Thanks for the link, it was impossible to find an antique dealer on the East coast to accurately appraise them when I first inherited them so I went searching the net and found a Nihonto forum where I learned about the history and craftsmanship these were made with. It's what started an early fascination in me for weapons and blades in particular.
Click to expand...
FWIW, this may lead nowhere but a museum with an armaments collection may have a resident expert that might look at them. You're on the East Coast?, Boston Peabody or the NY Met. A nice polite written letter with the backstory about your relation to the blades may peak their interest enough to at least look at them (or clear photos of the tangs). You never know.
If you haven't been on any related forums for a while you may revisit., additionally looking at WW2 and Vets forums. May be able to get some recommendations of USA or Canadian experts.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top