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I agree with Mark. It looks like "KaneUji" to me.

You can also check out Katana:Tsuda Echizen no kami Sukehiro　 Wakizashi:Ryuoshi Minamotono Sadatsugu Katana:Mumei（no signature) Enju　(Juyo blade) Very nice but Tanto:Gassan Sadakazu　is not much appealing to me...eventhough I do like Sadakazu works...

Hi Simon, Here is another sword in Japan, that looks like it has mini arsenal stamp which removed. http://www.samurai-nippon.net/536/ If you examined closely on the date side, you will see the evidence of someone removed the mini stamp. In General, some arsenal stamp swords do show poorly making...ie....activities in hamon and grain structure. However, few of them I counter are quite impressive where there is a lot of activities in the hamon and the grain structures showed well. As Rich stein mentioned on his website. these individual blades must examine in hand to have better judgement.

bullpuppy, The smith name is "Kanenori". The other one is the date when it made. Please reverse the pictures up again. Kanjis are read from top down but the pictures are not necessary to turn upside down in order to read

Hi Nagasa31, There are two polishers in U.S. whom I know can perform this service and there might be others too. Moses Becerra: http://www.nihontoantiques.com/index.htm Robert Benson: http://www.bushidojapaneseswords.com/

b.hennick, It is "Kiku Ichi mon ji". It is a mino smith.

Nate Stefan, Some of the people in here are very knowledge in older period sword. In addition, they have sharp eye in details of the some famous smith work. Can you post the pictures of the whole sword for us to examine. Many times, the details of forging skills and characteristics in the sword confirm the signature. If you refers us back to the auction then the pictures are not showing up after the auction. Considering you are lucky, sometimes the second or third person on the lists got scammed on ebay by someone else instead of the original owner. The signature does not look right to my reference book.

Blucool, oil is cooling the blade slowly rate so the chance of steel cracking is more less. With water, cooling down the blade at a faster rate so the chance of having a crack in the temperline is higher. With the high demand of swords during the WWII, some smiths will use oil to temperline the blade to meet demand. As a collector, people prefer to collect water temperline sword as to oil temperline.

Gogoto123, There is one instance where NCO contains "Yasu kuni blade". I think if my memory served me correctly was "Yasuyoshi". I was very surprised. However, the blade was bolted on the handle and the owner was forced to removed it. That is how he discovered the Gendaito blade. Most of the time, it is machine made but they are very sound after for militaria collection especially the early version with a copper handle.

Hi B, I think "Seiki Ju Fujiware Kane sada saku"

Jean, There are several elements that requires to take a better picture. 1) SLR camera (Nikon and Canon would do) with Macro lense 2) Tripod 3) Softbox light with diffuser. You probably 250 WATT. Unless you already have three points lights.

Are you sure you see ashi, yo and utsuri on Bungoed swords....? Perhaps, it is about time to upgrade to Lasik surgery.... :lol: :lol:

Yes, I am definitely not agreed with you on that.....Machines gun, B-52 plane and nuclear weapon are the weapon on choices.... :lol: :lol: On the side notes, based on several sources mentioned that Bungo smiths are very skillful in forged more as a functional sword than artistic view...... Anyhow, the era NTHK paper stated this is a shinshinto era instead of Koto or shinto era.....but the thinness of this wakizashi is narrow to lead to that direction. It is just my 2 cents thought on it.

Hi Ludolf, Thanks for the info. I checked in Hawley book and there is no mention 1818 Hisayuki smith signed this way. The only Hisayuki signed very close to this way is in Koto period of 1489-1500 (HIS177). I know that you have more reference books than I do so I would like to double check the forum users. I got this feeling the year was not right for this smith. The Wakizashi kasane is more like Koto period than Shinshinto period. Thanks for your help Ludolf.

I am NOT a Bungo collector by choice............please remember that. :x One main reason I am into fittings is because i am freaking sick und tired of being " bung-ed " since collecting tsuba, I have not been bungo-ed, not even once !! They don't know how to make tsuba in Bungo milt THE ronin My bad! I always thought you started out as a Bungo collector.... :lol: Too bad....I thought Bungo smith did not make Tsuba too.....Otherwise, you will have a full house of it......

I am looking more info on this smith. It is signed "Hoshu Takada Ju Fujiwara Hisayuki" and the period is Bunsei (1818-1829). I received a conflicted of information on this smith. The only smith signed almost like this way is Koto period. Thanks for everyone inputs! Milt, Since you are bungo collector, can you dig some Bungo information for me.....ahahha

The auction ended early absolutely had nothing do to with me :lol: but the seller might realize that removing the mei and go through Shinsa again is a lot cheaper than selling now at a greater loss :D . Hey....I have just enough $$$ for the sword to go to Hawaii but it will be going alone....through Priority mail so there is no need someone to carry any luggage......

Sure it will! I think my will go to Hawaii soon too..... :D

In the past, one must have being accused of using shillbid to rise up the price of their own auction so by mentioned 'no schillbid' that means the seller willing to let goes at whatever the final bidding price. This is a Juyo level sword and If it is the way it goes....the winner might have a great bargain on this sword.

David F, Well, you must refrained yourself on comments about this Juyo blade otherwise the seller will email you like he did to me and mentioned I talk "big shitt"..... :lol: :lol:

As for me, I buy what I see and like the characteristics on the blade and look the mei later even if it is a gimei..... I am sure there are a lot of gimeis sword on this hobby but study on the blade characteristics is more importance than just look at the mei and provided judgemental call.....

Dennis, The translated of the signature is "izu kami fujiwara Daido". There are fourth generations of this smiths so I don't know which one to narrow it down to.

Minister Amos, ahahahaaha.....Hawaii is a nice place! I am in the process of having one my mine to have the mei removal.

It is a nice Juyo sword but I don't know if you will ever get the sword once you have won it...... I have heard a few comments about this seller in the past......I guess this person needs to clean out his closet for new purchase.....or owed a debt that must be pay quick....

Ouch! I thought it was only around $400 for the gimei removal......Do you request special treatment or something for the sword go on vacation before its mei got strip down......