Woodwork Find Sword and Blade Case

[Tom Kibler]

Please forgive my improper vernacular when it comes to Japanese swords and materials. Unfortunately, this is the area I lack in the most.

This literally dropped in my lap yesterday. I believe these types of blade cases are always good to find. The blade does show minor rust to the edge near the tip and minor dotting (photo'd).

The case has writing as does the blade. The signature is unlike one I've ever seen (my dad loved these)!!

Any and all help welcome. Guidance on what I should and should not do to the blade to stop and clean the rust.

Thanks guys!

[Tom Kibler]

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[Tom Kibler]

That's all for now. I'm trying to determine if there is any veteran provenance. There was a hard, worn Colt 1911A1 as well.

Thanks again!!

TK

[Lampwick]

16 petal chrysanthemum on the tang is a good sign I believe? C'mon Guy.. help me out here as I'm just spinning my wheels.

[Steve Flanagan]

Sword in shirasaya

Nice find. Will be easy one for Guy but he's on west coast so give him time for coffee! Blade is in shirasaya or "resting scabbard" for storage. A light coating of quality oil to stop rust is all you should do. Do nothing to the tang. If you wipe blade down with soft rag and oil only wipe one direction from tang to tip, not back and forth. Keeping sharp side away from you. Measure blade from tip to notch in back spine of blade for cutting edge length.

[Tom Kibler]

Thanks you and I shall. Back before long...

[GHP]

Nice find. Will be easy one for Guy but he's on west coast so give him time for coffee! Blade is in shirasaya or "resting scabbard" for storage. A light coating of quality oil to stop rust is all you should do. Do nothing to the tang. If you wipe blade down with soft rag and oil only wipe one direction from tang to tip, not back and forth. Keeping sharp side away from you. Measure blade from tip to notch in back spine of blade for cutting edge length.

Thanks! I'm still waiting for coffee .... but I've had a cuppa tea for the nonce.

The shirasaya names the swordmaker on one side and the owner on the other.

The smith named on the shirasaya DOES match the engraved tang:
伊賀守藤原金道
Iga-no-kami Fujiwara Kinmichi

[I thought 金道 was pronounced as "Kanemichi" ... which it could be, but everyone else reads it as Kinmichi].

Tang:
[菊紋] 伊賀守藤原金道
[Chrysanthemum badge] Iganokami Fujiwara Kanemichi

Does the other side of the tang have any inscription ... usually a date.

Here's a wakizashi by the same named smith:

http://www.nipponto.co.jp/upload/p7/3424_08.jpg
=====
Iga no Kami Kinmichi　伊賀守金道

....
source

K1) Kinmichi, 1st generation, 1590, Yamashiro, wazamono, Kinmichi 金道, Iga (no) Kami Kinmichi 伊賀守金道, Iga (no) Kami Fujiwara Kinmichi 伊賀守藤原金道. Seki Kanemichi's eldest son, Kinmichi, received the title of "Iga (no) Kami" on 2/19/1594 and worked for the emperor. Before the war of Seki Ge Hara, Kinmichi made arrangements to have one thousand tachi made for Tokugawa Ieyasu's war preparation. After Ieyasu won the war, it's only natural he would reward Kinmichi. He received the title of "Nihon Kaji Sosho" from Ieyasu. The title means, "master of Japanese swordsmiths". It also gave Kinmichi the authority to register swordsmiths and give them titles. He died on 12/11/1629, but his family retained this privilege for generations.

The sugata of his swords is very strong and powerful with wide width and elongated kissaki. Ji-tetsu is itame mixed with running itame and masame. The ji-hada stands up with ji-nie and chikei. Hamon styles are notare and gunome with pointed peaks, ko-notare gunome, and o-midare under Soshu influence with sunagashi and kinsugi. Boshi types are midare, jizu, sugu and Mishina boshi. Mishina Boshi is an very distinct "trade-mark" of this school. The Kin character of his name can also be pronounced as Kane. In order to distinquish from his father's name, he called himself Kinmichi instead.

So ..... there are 10 generations of this smith ... which is yours???? Or, is it an old blade with a forged name? A sword expert needs to see your sword.


--Guy

[GHP]

The lower side of the shirasaya....

Sayagaki [attribution writing on the resting scabbard], part 2. What appears to be an address:

栃木県下都加郡宮村大官
Tochigi-ken Shimotsuga-gun Miyamura Taikan
Minister Miyamura, Shimotsugu County, Tochigi Prefecture

松本英雄
Matsumoto Hideo

So for some reason Mr. Matsumoto is associated with a Mr. Miyamura who is a high ranking official (taikan, 大官) in Tochigi.


--Guy

[Tom Kibler]

The blade length is 30".

This came out of a garage, where it's been for the past 35 years.

Thank you all SO MUCH!!! Really looking forward to learning more about it!

TK

[nickn]

I believe the sword is gimei the signature is very week
Look at the Mei on the waki guy posted
That is not to say it isn't a good sword
Nice find

[GHP]

I believe the sword is gimei the signature is very week
Look at the Mei on the waki guy posted
That is not to say it isn't a good sword
Nice find

Hi Nick, and thanks. I'll post a side-by-side of the two signatures for easier comparison. Lead image is the known Kinmichi signature.

--Guy

[GHP]

If gimei, the forger is really trying to match a known signature. I see a few stylistic differences, but that might be due to a different day.

What do you think Nick?


--Guy

[nickn]

That's what the fakers did
To my eye the Mei do not compare

[oldhonda]

I also think it's a gimei sword, but that's because I'm pessimistic. The mei isn't as well cut as on the confirmed sword.

The real pros don't look at the mei, at least not before they've looked details of the blade.

[Tom Kibler]

So help me understand..... Is a "gimei" a modern reproduction?? A fake or just a different maker??

Forgive me as I don't understand the lingo.

Is this sword valueless?? Or is it original?? I have no idea what the value is, as it was just given to me.

Wanting to learn AND understand. Thanks.

TK