Japanese sword,again!

[GEHRMANN]

Here is the other sword I purchased this morning
Thought it best to start a separate thread

Anyway,I had good luck with the last one,and Im hoping to do even better this time,as I had to pay more!

OK,so the blade is 25 3/4" long-has a fancy carved tsuba with a few very slight remnants of gold colored material remaining.Has a weird plug in it for some reason?

Tsuka (?) is missing the wrap and ray skin


Scabbard (saya) is missing the hanger deal..(Hahah..I sound like a moron)

Has a signature but I think it will be impossible to read.Very pitted and faint.
At least this one doesn't have as much red rust!!

I think these are the best pictures I can manage today.Hopefully they will suffice.
Thanks for looking guys!

[GEHRMANN]

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[GEHRMANN]

Is there an unobtrusive way to get the signature off of this one? It's definitely signed,but its very difficult to make anything out. I tried doing a rubbing,but not much success.
I lightly rubbed some flour on the nakago,no luck there either.
The photos are bad,but they pretty much sum it up. I'm seeing in person just about what shows in the pics.

All I really want to know is if its genuine and a rough date. I don't care if its valuable
(hopefully I didn't overpay by too much though)

From what I can gather,its a handmade blade (definitely has "layers", has a " grain" to the steel)
The hamon is almost perfectly straight,and does not show any bubbles (nie??)
that imply an etched hamon? Possibly a military issue blade?

[GHP]

....All I really want to know is if its genuine and a rough date. I don't care if its valuable
(hopefully I didn't overpay by too much though)

From what I can gather,its a handmade blade (definitely has "layers", has a " grain" to the steel)
The hamon is almost perfectly straight,and does not show any bubbles (nie??)
that imply an etched hamon? Possibly a military issue blade?

This is definitely a hand-forged Japanese sword over 100 years old. I'll leave it up to our panel of experts to make a judgement based on blade geometry and nakago color.

Yours is not a "military issued" blade, meaning it was not forged for the post-Edo Japanese officer.

However, in the 1930s there was a government sword "buy back" program to obtain blades to be refitted/reissued to the Showa-era officers. That the tsuba and other fittings are civilian leads me to believe that the blade was not a "buy-back-retrofit".

Just an unschooled opinion, but I think your sword is a civil sword that was modified -- either by the owner or government -- for military use. The missing kurigata/cord loop reinforces my thinking: it would (1) have to be removed to have a military field scabbard fitted, or (2) be newly made without a kurigata. The scabbard looks as if it were made without a kurigata.

Regards,
--Guy

[GEHRMANN]

The missing kurigata/cord loop reinforces my thinking: it would (1) have to be removed to have a military field scabbard fitted, or (2) be newly made without a kurigata. The scabbard looks as if it were made without a kurigata.

Regards,
--Guy[/QUOTE]

I guess this photo would have helped

[GEHRMANN]

here is another try at the signature,and another of the blade

[Luis22]

nice genuine hand forged sword,,,easily over $150 yrs old judging from the rust on the nakago..

[nickn]

Kurigata often get knocked off so it's no indication of military use
Civilian Shinto katana from the shape and colour of the steel and wear/patina on the nakago and silver foil Habaki (traditionally gold koto silver Shinto copper shinshinto) I would guess it's 17th century
Nice looking blade with quality fuchi kashira

[Bob Coleman]

The signature appears to have pounded out so at one time, it was likely considered gimei or fake. Nakago shape is reminiscent of blades made in Bizen Provence in the 16th century.

[GEHRMANN]

Very interesting!
I will attempt again tomorrow to capture a better picture of the signature.. If necessary?