Bishu Osafune Sukesada (orikaeshi-mei)-Shinsa candidate?

[Yoshimichi]

I picked up this o-suriagi waki really cheap with another sword in a "package deal" at a local gun show this weekend. It is in a wooden katana gunto saya, with a few gunto mounts with it. It has a folded over "orikaeshi-mei." It appears to be signed: "Bishu Osafune Sukesada." The blade is in serious need of restoration, but I will likely not be the one to take on that project. I have read that blades with gakumei or orikaeshi-mei are often gimei, and that many blades signed simply "Bishu Osafune Sukesada" tend to be somewhat mass produced or "bundled" swords of lessor quality, but not always. However, before I just write this one off as a "metal tsunagi," or let a potentially decent "blade in the rough" become a beginning sword polisher's weekend practice piece, I would like to first get some input from the NMB members as to whether the mei looks genuine enough to warrant further study and/or even the expense of a stateside shinsa. I am fairly well out of my element when it comes to Bizen blades, and given that there appears to be a "herd" of Sukesada smiths, any input or thoughts the more knowlegable members have as to the potential genuiness of this mei is greatly appreciated.

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

[Jean]

Bill,

 

It is not a question of being a specialist iin Bizen mei. It is a question of knowing sue Koto world. Half of the swords forged at that time were Bizen. There are scores of Sukesada smiths so no need to gimei a so short nagamei. Sukesada in Bizen are as common as Smith (family name :D ).

 

Furthermore this kind of signature was used mostly on Kazu uchi blades.

 

Conclusion: Only the blade can speak for itself. Nothing exceptional or fabulous. Polishing far exceed the value of the blade.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Bill,

The fact that someone bothered to have the orikaeshi done and that it was done so well is, I think, an indication that this might be better than average. Don't be quick to give up on it.

Grey

[Brian]

I was going to post exactly what Grey just wrote.

Something to make you have it looked at closer. A lot of work to have that done.

 

Brian

[Yoshimichi]

Gentlemen: Thanks so much for the input on this one. I appreciate it. I will definitely study it further between now and August, and bring it with me to the S. F. Token Kai this year for a "hands on"assessment of where to go with this one. Thanks, everyone.

 

Regards,

Bill E. Sheehan (Yoshimichi)

[Darcy]

Vast majority are indeed as Jean says.

 

There are some though by Hikobei-no-jo and a small amount attributed to Yosozaemon-no-jo that do have this kind of signature, and a couple of Juyos. So while Jean is likely right, it's just going to come back with the signature confirmed and you have yourself a suriage Muromachi piece, there is a tiny fractional chance that it could be outstanding Hikobei-no-jo or Yosozaemon-no-jo work. So evaluate, consider indeed that the signature preservation indicated that someone invested extra money to keep that info and think about their motivation then (they felt it of value, so maybe it is). But don't hope very highly because the statistics are against you.