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Not like that -- get your mind out of the gutter! LOL
In our dojo, we have a gentleman who usually sits and watches while we hold class. His son is in the class, and the only reason he doesn't come onto the mats with us is because of a problem with his back.
Last night, he brought in something he thought we would like to see -- a very fine Japanese katana, circa 1650. He allowed the head instructor to unsheathe it and hold it while the rest of us looked at it -- no touching! As was right and proper, only the head instructor handled it, as this is far too fine a blade to be passed around a crowd of people who've never held any sword, and never been taught proper ways of handling, showing respect, etc.
After class was over and we were leaving the workout area, this gentleman waved me over to him, and told me in a low voice that he hadn't yet put the sword away, that he'd kept it in the dojo office, because he could tell I'd wanted a better look, and he trusted me to "do right by it."
Needless to say, he didn't have to extend that invitation twice!
Only one other time in my life have I held a sword that felt like that one -- several years ago, when a friend of mine in Memphis acquired one from the same approximate time period.
To those who have never held such a blade, it is very difficult to explain what it is like... and to those who have, no explanation is needed. There is no sensation of grasping something in your hand. It is more accurate to say that it feels as if your arm has simply grown an extra segment, as much a natural part of you as any other part of your body.
When I held it, I was able to see something else... worked into the fuchi was a chrysanthemum! For those of you who are wondering why that would matter, the chrysanthemum represents the Imperial Family, and usually only a very small handful of swordsmiths (and sometimes only one) would be allowed to put that symbol onto their work.
::sighs:: ...and my hand remembers the feel of the hilt, and itches to hold it again.
In our dojo, we have a gentleman who usually sits and watches while we hold class. His son is in the class, and the only reason he doesn't come onto the mats with us is because of a problem with his back.
Last night, he brought in something he thought we would like to see -- a very fine Japanese katana, circa 1650. He allowed the head instructor to unsheathe it and hold it while the rest of us looked at it -- no touching! As was right and proper, only the head instructor handled it, as this is far too fine a blade to be passed around a crowd of people who've never held any sword, and never been taught proper ways of handling, showing respect, etc.
After class was over and we were leaving the workout area, this gentleman waved me over to him, and told me in a low voice that he hadn't yet put the sword away, that he'd kept it in the dojo office, because he could tell I'd wanted a better look, and he trusted me to "do right by it."
Needless to say, he didn't have to extend that invitation twice!
Only one other time in my life have I held a sword that felt like that one -- several years ago, when a friend of mine in Memphis acquired one from the same approximate time period.
To those who have never held such a blade, it is very difficult to explain what it is like... and to those who have, no explanation is needed. There is no sensation of grasping something in your hand. It is more accurate to say that it feels as if your arm has simply grown an extra segment, as much a natural part of you as any other part of your body.
When I held it, I was able to see something else... worked into the fuchi was a chrysanthemum! For those of you who are wondering why that would matter, the chrysanthemum represents the Imperial Family, and usually only a very small handful of swordsmiths (and sometimes only one) would be allowed to put that symbol onto their work.
::sighs:: ...and my hand remembers the feel of the hilt, and itches to hold it again.
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Isn't it nice to know that you have the respect of someone like that!
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*Looks up chrysanthemum, runs upstairs, checks katana* Nope, just dragons and wood carvings. Though how can you tell an authentic katana from a mass produced one?
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For example, I own a katana that is a replica of a Yasutsugu (http://www.nihonto.com/abtartyasutsugu.html) katana. I have the certificates verifying that it was made in Japan by Japanese sword-smiths, but it was not actually made by Master Yasutsugu -- the man's been dead for a few centuries now, and I suspect one of his swords would probably cost about as much as my annual salary, IF they were even for sale, which is highly unlikely.
I do not have the necessary training to identify which swords are true masterwork swords and which ones are replicas, aside from how they feel in my hand. Part of the identification process involves removing the mekugi (http://www.katana-encyclopedia.info/sword-parts.php) and checking the inscription on the tang, if any.
If you have a sword that you think might be valuable, find someone qualified to examine it. If you decide to check the tang yourself, please Please PLEASE DO NOT CLEAN IT! If you do so, you will almost certainly decrease the value of your sword, by a significant amount!
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Thank you for the advice and help!
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Out of curiosity, who's asking? You're showing up as "anonymous".