Mei - signing the Japanese swords

Recently I found an advertisement on the internet for a katana for 90 000 CZK. From the presentation of this sword I got the feeling that it was a Japanese original. I asked for more information and more photos. The materials I had received confirmed my first thought that it was an original. The photos were amateurish and not sharp. Nevertheless, for my surprise, I was able to recognize a blade made by myself.
For this reason, after speaking with Mr. Watanabe from Japan and Mr. Bohumil Planka, the president of Nihonto Kenkyukai, I start to sign all my blades made from 11th month of 2005 on, so the blades cannot be presented as originals any more.
On Sunobe blades (not folded) the Mei shall be engraved. Folded blades will have Mei cut out in a traditional way. There is going to be the sword-cutters signature in Japanese (either mine or some of my students or colleagues I work with) on the Omote side. The date will be on the Ura side, also in Japanese.

Of course, not even this will stop the swindlers from removing the Mei. This will at least make their actions more difficult. Consider the fact that recognizing the blade as a fake is extremely difficult without a real expert, while buying a sword. Not even signature on Nakago and old-looking rust on its surface can guarantee the originality of the sword. I have seen similar well done fakes couple of times in CR and there are many swords with a “story” and “confirmed past” on the internet auctions.
I think it is my duty to advise the buyer, that the sword was made outside of Japan, at the very beginning of the ad or our discussion about selling such weapon.
Next would be the price of the originals. Back to the internet again. I have seen Tachi in Uchigatana set for 1 200 000 CZK. It is a pretty sword. But it was made by the present sword-cutter. The price on his website for Katana (Tachi) to order, polished, in Shirasaya, usually with silver Habaki is 800 000Y (about 200 000 CZK). The price that includes the set (Koshirae) is about 880 000Y. The sword which price is almost five times higher than the price set by its maker might be somehow exceptional, but still, I would really think about this difference.
If you really want to invest in the original, make some research and go thru the present Japanese sword-cutters websites. You should look at some established online-shops (AOI-ART), if you want some old original. There you usually receive also the documents of origin which belong to the sword.

Getting these documents is not really a standard in here. Of course, these certificates can guarantee that you are buying what you are paying for, but be aware of two kinds:

1. Origami (folded paper) - document about the sword written by hand
2. Technical certificate - card similar to gun certificates

Because both are written in Japanese it is good to check if they actually belong to the sword you are buying.

Beware of:
- replicas presented as originals
- the originality of Mei – sword-cutters signature
- hardening origin (hard to identify)
- the sword documents – their originality and pertinence to the sword
- overvaluation of the sword price
- the hardening quality – Hamon could be only “painted”. It might be hard to recognize for layman. It is necessary to put it under a good light
- nakago modifications – removing or getting the Nakago artificial rust, so the sword looks older