Question Where to find Katana values .

[Yngblood]

Looking for value on a Katana dated 1530 with signature
豊前住了戒秀能作 Buzen Ju Ryokai Hideyoshi saku (made by Ryokai Hideyoshi in Buzen). Please. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[nice gaijin]

One of our members (@Majestic, I think?) that has shared links to another site that specializes in swords... Nihonto - Nihonto Message Board

If you're dealing with a serious antique, it seems like your best bet is to get it appraised by someone familiar with the sword market, so you have an official value based on an informed opinion. If you recently got it authenticated as you said in your other thread, I would've thought they would have been able to give you an idea of its worth?

As an aside for future reference, since this thread is about the same sword you were asking a translation for in another thread, perhaps it would've been better to ask this question in the existing thread, which has photos and more context and discussion about this particular piece :

 

[Yngblood]

One of our members (@Majestic, I think?) that has shared links to another site that specializes in swords... Nihonto - Nihonto Message Board

If you're dealing with a serious antique, it seems like your best bet is to get it appraised by someone familiar with the sword market, so you have an official value based on an informed opinion. If you recently got it authenticated as you said in your other thread, I would've thought they would have been able to give you an idea of its worth?

As an aside for future reference, since this thread is about the same sword you were asking a translation for in another thread, perhaps it would've been better to ask this question in the existing thread, which has photos and more context and discussion about this particular piece :

I had got it authenticated but they wouldn't attach a value to it other than its worth as much as someone is willing to pay. This is why I'm asking for help in finding out a dollar amount to place on it. So any real help would be greatly appreciated. As you can clearly see the photos in my other thread for translation help which I no longer need, I posted this question here for help on its value

 

[Yngblood]

This is why I am asking. This was sent to me by another person in a blog but was unsure of a value as it was all the info on Hideyoshi from Buzen from the school of Ryokai

 

[nice gaijin]

I understand that the other thread was about translation, but it also contains more information and photos about the sword that one would find helpful in establishing value... If I said I had a rare car and asked you to estimate its value, the first thing you'd probably ask is to see photos of it...

We have a few people who are into swords here, but if they don't respond you may want to try the Nihonto board linked above.

 

[Yngblood]

I understand that the other thread was about translation, but it also contains more information and photos about the sword that one would find helpful in establishing value... If I said I had a rare car and asked you to estimate its value, the first thing you'd probably ask is to see photos of it...

We have a few people who are into swords here, but if they don't respond you may want to try the Nihonto board linked above.

Copy that. Thanks for your advice. Truly.

 

[Yngblood]

 

[Yngblood]

 

[Yngblood]

 

[Yngblood]

 

[Yngblood]

It's a beautiful Katana!

 

[Majestic]

Hello Yngblood,

Do you have an appraisal from the NBTHK? The text you attached is not so much of an appraisal of your sword, as it is a precis of Ryokai . So a serious buyer would be looking for either authentication papers from an existing authority (NBTHK is probably the gold standard), or qualities in your sword that exemplify the characteristics of the Ryokai group. Looking at the sword pictures, it seems your sword is a bit tired, with some kitae ware showing, possibly as a result of too many polishes. Just looking at Markus Sesko's index of swordsmiths, Ryokai Hideyoshi (there were three of them) worked in the 1400s, so the 1530 date might be incorrect.
So there are some red flags around this particular sword, that would make a collector suspicious. Ryokai is an otherwise interesting group, so an authentic Ryokai Hideyoshi would be a nice sword to own.

 

[Majestic]

And for valuations, the best thing to do would be to post your sword on Nihonto Message Board.
There are so many variations in quality and condition, it is difficult to even give a range - hence the guys that say "it's worth whatever someone will pay you" are correct. What most people do is look for similar swords on the dealers' sites. So if you plug in Ryokai Hideyoshi into a search engine you will hopefully get at least one hit from a dealer (but you've probably already done that).