M Ubertini

Hey all, Would this be considered jifu on a nambokucho Naoe Shizu blade? Haven’t studied this in a while.

Hey all, Trying to translate this sagakagi. It says Shizu and something about the school of Masamune. Any help would be appreciated. While the attribution was for Shizu, it received Naoe Shizu from the NTHK. TIA

Hey all, So recently picked up a Sue-Sa school katana from Ray which is lovely. What I’ve noticed which is different from many other nihonto I’ve owned is the proliferation of the Ji-nie/ara-nie concentrated in the monouchi area on the Ura and omote compared to the rest of the blade. Is this specific to the Sa school, do other schools do this or is this generally meant to have a harder cutting area compared to the rest of the blade? I’ve owned many sue-soshu nihonto but haven’t seen this in that style.

Well. The hakogaki for one. Then the forging second. Then the design.

Man on bridge?

Hey all, i picked up this Yagyu tsuba with hakogaki from Sato Kanzan. I’m trying to understand the design. Any thoughts?

Hi again, I'm posting a little different view of the mei in different light. Could it be Kanemoto? The tanto sugata is posted as well. Very tight itame mixed with masame toward the mune, nie deki. Seems soshu influence, so maybe early Mino? Slightly saki-zori leaning to muzori. Nakago is kiri. Boshi is jizo and hakkake. Thanks, Matt

I'm Pretty sure the tanto is early Mino if that helps. Seems like last kanji consensus is "Moto"

hmmm..what is this kanji?

Hisa is def the last kanji. Still don't know about the first grrrr. Thanks so far! Matthew

Hello All, This might be a tough translation as the mei is quite worn. I took 2 pics, one natural and the other with a little powder to get into any grooves. Def koto. Thoughts? Thanks in advance! Matthew

It's interesting in the fact that is choji midare. Needs a polish.

Hi all, Please translate this mei. I believe it to be gendai bizen. http://postimage.org/image/l1mmh846f/ Thanks, Matt

Sorry. Try this. http://postimage.org/gallery/a31jbuus/

Hey there! A friend asked me to get this translated. Thanks un advance. http://postimage.org/image/eeu6g5ik3 http://postimage.org/image/ynhk1vhv7/

Thanks guys.

Hi! Here is the tanto I had for a long time that I sent for shinsa in old polish that was Oei, mumei and received Tokubetsu. Same school originally attributed to the katana. So it is possible as long as the sword is Ubu and from an important school such as this one. http://www.nihontoantiques.com/fss507.htm In regards to why this was attributed to Nagato Akikuni, consulting the Nihonto Koza and seeing a few examples, 2 katana, 1 wak and 1 tanto, I can see where Tanobe sensei would draw the conclusion. The Hamon generally hoso-sugu with shallow notare, itame with nagare and masame and O-Hada. Tons of Ji-nie. All examples I saw were on point to my little knowledge. When I bought this sword, I thought it was obvious Sa school, O-suriage and late Kamakura or Nanbokucho, but Tanobe said it was ubu. That makes sense due to the fact that this would make this an uchikatana, deep sori with short nakago exemplified by nakago of this particular smith and others of this time period. Anyway just my thoughts. Matt

Good point, however, my previous tanto was mumei and Oei and received Tokubetsu. Attributed to same school (Hirado Sa), so thinking that the added info from Tanobe would help. Also, there are Juyo blades by this smith from Oei or later, but signed.

Erik, Thank you. My sword originally had Tokubetsu Kicho papers from the NBTHK before the blue papers came started. Even though it was mumei and attributed to the Hirado Sa group, i thought it would go Toku Hozon in a heart beat since I had a previous Hirado Sa tanto that i recently parted with that Tanobe sensei gave TH and the sword was excellent. When this sword only got Hozon I was a little disappointed thinking that maybe it was because the nakago was short, or not in a better polish and they just confirmed the attribution. When it returned with the sayagaki from Tanobe with different kanji from Hirado Sa, I needed to find out what it said and the result Shodai Akikuni. So, I am going to re-submit it for Toku Hozon shinsa in a couple of years and we'll see what happens. They can't argue with Tanobe sensei Matt

Here is a photo of the Nagato no Kuni Akikuni. This was before the touch up polish before I sent it to the NBTHK. Thought? http://postimage.org/image/pb7vqs3eb/ Matt

I will post some pics as soon as I get back home. Interesting sword! As for the generations of Sa YasuYoshi and Akikuni, the Nihonto Koza recognizes at most 2 generations of Akikuni, the second being the son of Shodai Akikuni, however, it was noted that there could be just one and no real distinction was made between the two. The first Akikuni learned from Sa Yasuyoshi, the son of Samonji, but was the son of Nidai Sa Yasuyoshi. The Koza also has plenty of oshigata for Akikuni, which none are earlier than Oei, contraditicting the earlier dates stated previously, so the info from Shoshin may be on the money. The Nihonto Koza also had an Shodai Akikuni, Juyo Bunkazai shown. On another note I found an Oei Akikuni on this website, http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0806/member_frame_sword.htm Pretty much just like mine. You'll see later.

Tanobe Sensei has this smith as son of Yasuyoshi on the sayagaki. That puts him as a sai-jo saku smith, however, Tanobe also puts the nengo to Oei, which based on my research is 3rd generation. Still Jo-saku. Would the sayagaki infer this is first generation?

Interesting. The NBTHK attributed it to the Hirado Sa group, then Tanobe Sensei brought it down to the smith level after the fact. Does this happen often?

Hello, Can anyone translate this Sayagaki? Thanks in advance, Matt http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/40/img1515ej.jpg/