Samari Sword

[Bob Coleman]

Thanks to Guy who is much better reading kanji sideways when the tang is not properly displayed. Likely Kawachi no Kami Sukesada. The correct spelling is samurai.

[Del Panfini]

Samari Sword

Excuse me, I did not know which way to place the writing. I will try to correct it but I will probably cut some of the lettering off. Wasn't sure of the spelling. Thanks for correcting.

Del

[GHP]

thanks for your reply. When I was over his house I took all the pictures of the writing on the tang. Here are two more that I didn't put on. One is a little blurry. That is all the writing that is on the sword. I didn't take it all together because I took close ups and couldn't get it all together.

Thanks,
Del

Dell, when next you are at his house please take another clear photo (large format if possible) of the entire tang .... at least from above the bottom hole where the writing is. Perhaps the image is teasing me, but when I enlarge it, there certainly seems to be a horizontal 一 "ichi" carved above the hole.



Cheers,
--Guy

[GHP]

Dell,

I was suspicious of the tsuba because of the Western letters stamped on the other side.

HOWEVER ... apparently this tsuba maker did so. Here's another I found at Wataru.com



Note the fuchi:

The website url includes this in Japanese:
平戸住国重-外国文字入波に雲龍図鍔縁頭
"Hirado jū Kunishige - Gaikoku Monji Iri Nami ni Unryū-zu Tsuba Fuchi Kashira"
[Kunishige of Hirado -- Foreign Letter Carved Waves Image [on] hand guard, collar, and pommel.]


And his signature "handwriting" is the same as your friend's:


Cheers,
--Guy

[GHP]

Expert Opinion, Please ....

Dell, Thank you for the additional images which I have looked at carefully.

I hope our resident experts will opine.


Your sword does have engraved
一河内守祐...
[Ichi-monji Kawachi no Kami Suke~]

After researching the kanji engraved on your sword, I get results for a similar signature:
[Kiku] 一河内守祐定
[Kiku-Ichi-Monji Kawachi no Kami Sukesada, with a chrysanthemum [kiku] engraved above the horizontal 一 [ichi].


Your sword has "一内守祐..." but no engraved chrysanthemum, and no sign of any attempt at filing off any engraving. Therefore, I wonder if the name was added later to add value to the blade? The sword could be very good on its own merits, but a "gimei" [fake signature/forgery] could negatively impact value.

Judging from the placement of the signature at the bottom hole, it appears that the former tachi was shortened considerably to meet Army gunto standardization of 2-shaku 2-sun [66.66484 cm; 26.246 in.] -- though some swords were longer if someone's body was much larger (source Nakamura Taizaburo, IJA combat fencing instructor).
[A few images of Sergeant Nakamura teaching here.]



Regards,
--Guy

[Sengoku]

Re. the shortening, older swords were often shortened throughout their working lives for a variety of reasons, so this could have been done long before the war. The process is called suriage when only a bit is cut off, and O-suriage when a lot is cut off. There was also a habit of drilling new holes (mekugi-ana) when fitting new mounts. More information here.......

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/O-suriage.html

[Beater]

Del
Great sword - in spite of its condition, it is very restorable and is pretty high quality. I wouldn't hesitate buying such a sword if I had the opportunity. If the Sukesada suggestion is right, there were dozens of Sukesada smiths in the Shinto era and certainly one who signed Kawachi no kami at around the late 1680's.
Although I have mentioned restoration, this must not be attempted by anyone other than an expert. If you buy it, just lightly oil the blade and leave everything else as it is, until you invest in a fulll and professional restoration.
Congratulations on your find.

[Del Panfini]

Samurai Sword

Here are a few more pics. Thanks for the replies & help so far.

Del