Welcome to Komonjo.com

 I am a historian by training, thus the "historian333" ID.  My area of interest is in economic and cultural history of Tokugawa Japan.  Over the years, however, I found that dealing on eBay is far more rewarding than teaching history, so I am now dealing primarily in Japanese swords and sword-related books.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Q:  Where do I get the swords from?

A:  I buy them in Japan, either through their internet auction or from a dealer.  I visit Japan three to four times a year for this purpose.  I buy on eBay too when a piece looks promising and the price is reasonable.  I may send it to Japan for polishing and shinsa, but I have yet to make profit doing this.  I would be lucky to break even, and most of the time it is a loss deal.  But I enjoy the thrill of trying to find that "diamond in the rough" and am optimistic that I will some day hit the pay dirt.

I am also currently selling for two Japanese sword dealers on consignment basis, and occasionally I accept consignments from individuals.  Consignment swords are listed under my alternative ID, "komonjo."  Unless otherwise stated, owners don't accept returns.  Therefor all sales are final.

Please check them out at:

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZkomonjo

 

Q: Are the swords genuine?

A:  This is a difficult question to answer, and you must first define "genuine."  If you mean swords made in Japan as opposed to "Japanese" swords made elsewhere like in China, then the answer is Yes, every sword I sell is genuine.  When the origin is questionable, I will clearly state so.   If the question concerns the authenticity of the signature, then the answer is "Who knows?"  Unless you witness the sword being made and the signature inscribed, no one can tell with absolute certainty that the signature is genuine.  But, fortunately, there are people who spend years studying swords, and they offer their opinions in the form of kanteisho (evaluation paper).  In the absence of such a paper, it would be safe to assume that every signature is false.  Experts suggest that more than 80% of the signatures are not genuine, and the percentage gets higher on famous and popular swordsmiths.  The lack of kanteiso or having a gimei (false signature), however, does not mean that the sword is worthless.  Far from it.  False signatures are often added years, if not centuries after the blade was made, and that is no fault of the original swordsmith.  If you appreciate the blade for itself, then the signature should not matter, in my opinion.  If, on the other hand, you are buying the "name" and not the blade, then you should be prepared to pay dearly for it.  Having a kanteisho does not necessarily guarantee that the signature is genuine.  Some  kanteisho are issued by questionable organizations, and reputable organizations too are known to have issued some questionable papers in the past.  So what is one to do?  Unless you have trained eyes and the confidence in your ability to judge blades, it would be safe to shop only for a swod that "speaks" to you and is within the price range that you can justify to yourself.  

 

Q: Is the sword sharp?

A:  I don't know what prompts this question, but I get this quite often.  I don't know what to say.  How does one quantify the degree of sharpness and go about measuring it?  My stock answer is: "It may not be sharp enough to shave with, but it will certainly cause serious injuries if handled inproperly."

    

 

If you are curious about my background, here my CV.

Revised August 29, 2007