Janrudolph

Jean and Stephen and others, you have kindly advised that I add a pic of the saya throat. Please see below. I'd also like to put a pic or two of two utility knives I have. They seem of real interest. Any comment will be greatly appreciated. Johan

I'd like to rekindle my enthusiasm after hearing the bad news, Brian. How can I do that - well, by summarising what I have learnt: You do acknowledge it's a Japanese sword, and if made by a Japanese smith, it must be true-blue nihonto. The hamon is suguha, even if not pure. You acknowledge "old", but advise me to assume gimei. The fact that you say "Assume gimei" is to my understanding a major turnaround. I've read the Cutting Edge blog on gimei, where it states gimei swords bear a fake signature. I'm asking myself what signs or clues are there on this nakago that suggests fake. Are there enough indications to warrant apprehension on that issue? The date (if genuine) interprets as 1680. Do I really need to dismiss that date? Please understand I'm not questioning anything you or anyone else have said, and I'm truly grateful for all the comments and advice I have received so far, it's just that I need now to metaphorically wrap up the package for what it is. If the blade were properly in polish and the hada and hamon better observable, would that have made the sword not gimei? I willingly accept that somewhere along the line of years from then till now, someone has inexpertly treated the blade. Please correct me in what I have tried above to summarise. With great respect and appreciation. Johan

Of course you are right, Micah! I lost myself there. Thanks for sharing. Johan

If you can allow me to be mischievous for a moment; I would like to think that those little papers were scraps taken from something the smith himself perhaps had written. I even imagine that I see a face there, one in profile and one from the front (half a face)! There may have been a drawing or two on the paper. The other scribblings could be olden-day Japanese characters. Anyone recognize a kanji or two among them? Please share with me! Johan

We all know and appreciate that the blade of a Japanese sword is the "soul of the samurai" and the soul of the whole blade-plus-koshirae combination. The blade is all important, it is said, even more than the inscriptions on the nakago. So I have read in various works. So here goes; I would like to post a few pics of the blade to round off this thread, which has been to me a truly great learning experience. I'd love to hear your comments on the blade with its hamon and hada. I've tried to take the best pics I am able. I have been led to believe that a straight hamon is an older type and a more difficult one to create. Please correct me if I have said anything which does not hold up. I know very little about identifying hada. Please advise. Johan

Stephen and Jean, thank you for your straightforward evaluation on all points; I would not have wanted it differently. I have gratefully taken note of all you have said and will consider all. I plan to show a pic of the koiguchi here, as soon as I get to it. Very interesting indeed is the information I got from the previous owner via the friend who helped negotiate the deal for me. Seems the owner had decided some time ago that the sloppy ito needed to be replaced. Some person did the rewrapping, and lucky for me he returned the old binding to the owner, as well as a bundle of stiff, thin paper strips. All this was given to me. The ito scraps seem under close inspection to be leather, coloured black on the outside. They look very old. I separated the many thin paper strips down to individual papers and found that some 18 of them actually has Japanese kanji or drawings on them. Please see the pic which I will post. So I am assailed by the notion that at least the tsuka plus same plus ito (before rewrapping) had been with the blade from the beginning, as well as the paper strips, which clearly had been between the ito and the same, because they were embossed by the knobbly same texture.

Brian, I'll put up some pics of the two kozukas and one kogai I have, soon. Concerning the tsuba, dis ook seker al manier waarop 'n mens 'n boggerop kan beskryf! Too bad one cannot just turn back the time and undo the damage. Concerning the blade, as I said the blade is being discussed in the Nihonto section under "Lucky Dragon on Tang". I apologize once again if I should have kept to one board. But what about the saya itself and that wonderful lacquer job it has? Any possibility that it had been with the blade all along and has been spared the ravages besides the fittings which then seems to be later additions? And who is Gus and Adrian? Johan

Steve and you others who have responded, I want to gratefully say: coming on to this forum is a great experience. I have searched the internet and gone though borrowed samurai sword books, but nothing beats making contact with you guys. I'm new at nihonto; I have three (katana, waki and tanto), as well as one relatively high-end Longquan reproduction, and one shin-gunto Type 98. The pic below will show the signature side of the nakago. My own "research" has brought me to believe that the katana was made by Nobuyoshi (2nd gen). He was permitted to use the chrysanthemum 16 petal emblem, and was honoured by the title kami (lord) of Shinano Province. His clan name is Fujiwara. Now please forgive me for spouting all this info as if I know it all. Before meeting up with you guys on this forum I had been on my own, and all I was able to do was dig, dig, dig. This is what I have come up with. You might agree I've got it right, but please feel free to shoot me down if I'm imagining things! An important question, please: the second-last kanji is RAI. That means "trustworthy", if I am not mistaken. Why does this signature include the RAI when other mei of the same smith does not. I see that his brother Echizen has on occasion also added RAI to his signature. Please help out, I'll be so grateful. Johan

Jean, before posting the pictures, I need to explain why I have not shown the blade. I'm inexperienced and new in this forum and I believed I must ask blade questions on the dedicated Nihonto board and koshirae questions on this general Nihonto-related board. On that board I've started with "Lucky dragon on tang" and am in the process of posting pics of the signature and date mei. Please advise if I'm getting it wrong. So far the discussion there has got my blade as Edo 1680. I still have to show pics that it's made by Nobuyoshi and enquire whether I am still on track. Johan

Thank you, Steve. Would you or anyone else please explain to me what the purpose or significance might be of the adding of a phrase like "lucky day" to a nakago date? Surely the smith must have added it with good reason, or even just habit like with a good luck exclamation. I'd really like to know. Johan

Here's the blade into the picture. I'll take some more pics at better angles and put them up. Thanks so far, guys. Johan

Jean and Stephen have cast a gloomy shadow over the saya with its makie, prayer papers and other parts of the koshirae. The thing is, rather the truth be known than to live in a fool's paradise! So bring it on, I say. I had believed the embellishments to be silver, and of an appropriate age suiting the katana. I must say, the saya lacquerwork is truly beautiful and I had wondered how such an old saya could have remained so neat. The previous owner merely said he had always thought the sword and its mounting had been made at the same time. The tsuba is silver, according to a friend dealing in silver and gold, and I see it is signed as well. I'll put up some more pics. (And no hard feelings from my side, Stephen and Jean!) Johan

Thank you, Geraint and Steve. Of course you are right about the pics. It seems I was overly worried I would not master the technology, but it's easy, so here goes. If I am correct with my interpretation, the date inscription reads: ENPO ERA, EIGHTH YEAR, EIGHTH MONTH, LUCKY, DRAGON. Which makes me think it means: Made in the Enpo era (starting 1673) plus 8 years (=1681) in the eighth month (August, or perhaps "after the summer solstice") and then the mysterious two kanji which I guessed is 'lucky' and 'dragon'. Please help! Johan

John, Chris & Brian, thank you. Perhaps more suggestions as to the "flowers" will come in, as it seems a positive ID has not yet been made. While the prayer papers have been mentioned, I might as well post pics of the kashira and kojiri as well. Any comments you have on them will be appreciated. This is great, to at last be communicating with folks with shared nihonto interests! Johan

I would like to know if this decoration on my sword's saya is indeed a flower, as a friend reckoned it to be a dragonfly. The blade is circa 1680, but I don't know if the saya can be that old. Perhaps members know it as a common decoration and can tell me what it represents. There are five of them in total. I can just feel the slightly raised design as I move over it with a finger. It's not metal, I don't think. Please advise. Johan.

Good day all. I'm new here and apologize beforehand if I mess up my thread due to inexperience. I hope to get up to speed ASAP. I have a Japanese nihonto sword with an Edo era date on the nakago, and the last two kanji characters are confusing me. They are the kanji for "lucky dragon". I would be pleased to know if other date inscriptions on sword tangs also have these closing kanji. I might have to learn how to post pics if more information is required of me. Please help me out with this dragon thing. Thanks. Johan