DTM72

The top pic is upside down. Starting from the top left of the bottom pic. Ichi =1 Shi = 4 San = 3 Go = 5 Can't really tell what the bottom right is. Basically the numbers are an assembly number. Follow the link below to understand the numbers. http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm

Someone must have liked it. She is sold.

BTW...Great editing skills Brian. Very impressive how you took our pics and made a side-by-side comparison.

Wow...that does appear to be the same! Currently, it is in shira-saya. See attached pics below. I purchased from Mark and Grey, and they gave me a great deal. Can't say enough good things about both of them. Grey Doffin : https://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/ Mark Jones : nixe@bright.net

Having some trouble translating the kanji on a Meiji era katana. Th ura is signed Minamoto Kaneharu Saku. The Omote is signed with 4 characters. The first is Oka, second is fuku, third and 4th I need help with. Oka fuku would translate to "give luck", and I'm guessing the 3rd and 4th are a name. There are 4-5 possible variations of #3, and I can't find anything close to #4. Thanks in advance! Dan

Wow. Absolutely beautiful.

Brian, I think you are correct. I am NOT familiar with that style of tanto, but after reading the previous topics it appears to be a rare style. The one that is up for auction does not appear to be an old piece. The signature looks terrible as well.

Add to that, the seller is "Asianswordsdirect"

What kind of wanna be ninja wanna-be sword is this? If you look at the pics, there are two different nakago shapes and two different kissaki shapes. I really hope people don't fall for this junk, thinking they are getting actual nihonto. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Katana-Uchigatana-13/174732736887?hash=item28aee1f977:g:~noAAOSwL0Zgd5nV Maybe a yoroi-doshi prison shank? https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-yoroi-d-shi-extra-thick-tant-4/174732780081?hash=item28aee2a231:g:ZycAAOSwUkxgd6fe

Looks like a good match to Kaneuji. http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/kaneuji3.jpg

The three I quoted is all I could find on the Nihonto Club website. Please feel free to post links to additional information about the other 5 smiths.

There were a few different generations that used the same signature. Hope this helps. https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/YAS907 https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/YAS908 https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/YAS912

https://nihontoclub.com/smiths/MOR850 Maybe this one?

Mark, Do you have a website of items for sale, outside of NMB? EDIT...Sorry, just saw that you partner with Grey...I know his site very well. Thanks!

I thought the same thing.

Ouch! Not what I was expecting, but thank you for your contribution.

It looks like the bisen plug has been well used. (Slightly rounded) Very happy that my encouragement helped you to separate the barrel from the stock. You have a nice signature on yours. When I opened mine for the first time, mine was partially corroded away...but still able to be seen.

I would like to begin by saying the transaction was smooth and easy. When I received the sword, I can confirm that the posted pics were great, but the sword was even better in person! Many thanks to you Grey, for a VERY happy customer. I will always keep an eye on your inventory, and I look forward to another great transaction in the future. Dan Crawford

I'm actually leaning more towards the kinsuji causing the island like appearances. See additional pics from Grey Doffin below.

Ken, I believe uchinoke appear above the hamon, above the nie line as a crescent moon island of nie. My blade has these same little islands of nie, not necessarily crecent shaped, within the hamon. It is possible the the nie in the valley (tani) of the hamon became very wide, and was intersected by kinsuji (darker in appearance) causing the island like appearance. Just a guess. Needless to say, I'm fascinated by this blade. MANY THANKS to Mr. Grey Doffin for selling this beautiful blade to me. I look forward to more purchases from him in the future.

Sunagashi is apparent on this blade as well, but that is found higher in the hamon and in the ji. "Raked sand" I could accept kinsuji since there seems to be a black line cutting through the nioi line separating the line into separate pieces.

I am familiar with uchinoke (打除け), the short crescent 🌙 moons over the hamon. What if those little crescent moons are below the nioi line, suspended in the hamon? Would that be yō (葉) or possibly abu no me (虻の目).

It can only go forward a tiny bit. The flash pan prevents it from going forward and out. The forward end of the stock should go downward, while the barrel is stationary.

"Enquiring minds want to know....I want to know."