kealpe

Pic of the Habaki and part of blade.

One more picture of the other side. Let me know if more or better pics needed. Thanks, Keith

Here's a tang signed on both side. Have no idea as to the maker. Any help is much appreciated. I added a close up of the lower part of the tang where it had deep rust. I also blew it up some so the characters are more visible

I almost forgot! Hi Dan, No, my tang doesn't have any characters on the other side.

Thanks for all the help, guys. Was hoping that the furniture and the groves might help discover the smith. Looking at the tang with a magnifier glass shows horizontal file marks all the way across the tang with leftward slanting file marks closer to the habaki on the upper half of the tang. Almost impossible to see with the eye.

If you look at the bottom of my tang, you can see the start of the next character. I added another tang and was wondering if this is the maker? Thanks, Keith

Here's a close up of the lower tang, you can see the start of the next character.

One more pic. Habaki doesn't want to come off, so I left it alone.

Thanks guys, Much appreciate the help. Crazy someone would cut off the signature, but I guess back then they never thought someone 400 years in the future would care. I added a few pics, maybe someone would be able to tell the sword style. This was an unmolested sword. Scabbard in the pic is the wrong one for this sword. Bad part is the blade has a chip just past the habaki, not sure if it could be corrected by polishing and redoing the edge. Blade with a single and double grove. Beautiful dragons on all hardware.

Thanks for the Japanese lessons. It's good to earn something new every day. Thanks, Keith

I thought some of the signature was cut off when the sword was shortened. This only shows where it was made? Or is this part of the smith's name? Thanks, Keith

I could figure out a few of the correctors but not even close to figuring this one. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks, Keith

Yep, you and I talked on the phone a couple months ago.

Here's a couple pic. of the blade. Was wondering what a polish would cost and if even worth it? Thanks for all the help, Keith

Thanks, a lot for all the information. Got this from an old WW2 vet years back for $200 so don't think it's forged. If it is, would have to have been done a long time ago. How would you tell if forged?

Wanted to show this one. From what I've been told this was cut down and had its signature cut off. Tang with 3 punch holes. No signature. Tang is a nice dark black. Scabbard looks like is nickel plating and the officer put tape on it to prevent shine. Cutting edge is 27 1/2 inches. Couldn't add a fourth picture of other side of tang, kept getting error message.

Sorry, every time I try and put a pic on north-south it never works.

I'm not quite sure if this should have the SHO JI within the reading or not? I looked at some sites and they show just the Taikie Naotane signature. When I had this read by a Japanese person (not a sword collector) was told it says TAI KEI SHO JI NAO TANE? Would like to know the correct reading and when most likely made? I figured the Ido period but when? I understand he lived from 1778-1857

Very nice set of tangs! Love to see all the blades lined up!

Is it Tanba or Tamba? My book was also showing Tamba with a no in brackets so not sure if it is in the name or can replace the ba in Tamba?

Thanks, Any idea as to what generation? edo?, early edo, Mid edo?

Would like to Know if I'm correct on the signature for this blade. Would also like to know what generation for this sword, 1-7 generation