Mark

that may be a possibility but i look to the Nihonto Meikan as the best source, there have been a number of revisions and i would think they would have corrected most major mistakes. Certainly is an interesting research project any other comments/opinions appreciated

it is genuine. they usually sell in the $350-600 range but sometimes bring more

I was thinking the same, that he was no one special, but then why does the Meikan give him a "superior" rating? and using the Kikumon was not that common

i agree, but the Nihonto Meikan and others show 2 generations, first (fujiwara) who was student of Kaneyasu and second (minamoto) who was student of the first along with Echigo Kami Kanesada. Yamanaka newsletters show 2 generations andso do several other books quick pictures added

I have a sword signed (kiku) Iga (no) kami Minamoto Kanemichi 包道 Reseaching this smith is interesting. There seems conflicting information. This is not the Mishina smith, he is Osaka Shinto. Many books show one generation, others show 2 (first used Fujiwara, second used Minamoto). So i think there were 2 generations and mine is the second. Hawley's and Toko Taikan rate him as mediocre, Fujishiro has him as chusaku (not sure if the reference is second of if Fujishiro thinks one generation). Shinto Taikan has the maker who used Minamoto listed but seems to say first gen. yet the Nihonto Meikan, lists 2 generations has him (2nd) as "superior" (has doubled triangle). He also had permission to use the Kikumon on his tang (page 75 Tomei Soran). Has anyone else researched this maker or know about him? It seems strange that the Nihonto Meikan rates him well and he uses a Kiku yet other references mix him and his father/teacher or seem to consider him mediocre. Thanks!

thanks, appreciate the help

Thanks Chris, i think you posted while i was relpying. Is there any special reason they are "of note", does it mean they are superior, or something related to history, or made a blade that was given a special ranking? It seems some of the smiths with this are not well known

Thanks! sorry, i knew that. I was asking about the "double" symbols, when there is a sqare inside a square or circle inside a circle etc

Can some explain the Nihonto Meikan's usage of double symbols (square, triange etc.) for some smiths? I understand it means there is something of note about that maker but i do not understand the exact meaning. Thanks!

Alan sword belongs to a person who asked me to help with identification, i did not take a picture of the blade when i examined it. It is 29 5/8" suguha that has soft nioguchi, it has a few slight ware'.

Morita san, Thank you. I find this type of script very hard to translate, i appreciate the assistance.

they are all real, or genuine. none (obviously the 2 NCO) appear to be anything special

BiShu Osafune Norimitsu (upside down - i had to twist my neck)

Moriyama san thank you for the help. I do see this maker has used Sendai and Shiraishi (according to Hawley's) maybe Shiraishi is a possibility, the kanji seem similar

Thanks to all for the help. i have tried to make it bigger as requested, i added pictures in 2 parts, hope that helps. I appreciate all the assisitance, it was a puzzle to me.

Chris thanks. i thought of Tsugutoshi but i could not get Toshi out of the kanji, it did not seem to have the right strokes. sword did not looks like Tsunatoshi type work, it was not chogi or Bizen style, it has a soft suguha with sunagashi... thanks again, i have trouble with the grass script

can someone help with this mei please. blade is Shinshinto dated in the 1860's, i think maybe Musashi and possibly Tsugunobu or Tsuguhiro saku but i do not find anyone using those kanji at the tims so guess i probably missed the traslation. Thanks!

sword looks interesting. The blade is a few hundred years old. If you decide to have it restored it will be expensice (to do it right, and that is the only way we recommend), probably $3000-4000. If the sword has sentimental value and you want to spend that we can help with some good craftsmen to do the work. If you are not going to restor it best to keep a light cost of oil on the blade to help stop it getting worse. Where are you located? maybe you are near a local club that could offer assistance

i think this is a Showa era gendai with a "big name"

sorry, modern chinese fake, check the "fake swords" link above

does not look like anything i have seen on a Japanese sword. could this be Chinese?

sword is "put together", the fitting on the end of the handle belongs on the end of a scabbard. hard to say if it was done recently or in 1946 but i would think it is recent. the blade is antique

Uda Kunimitsu, the samller writing is the blade length

i recall at a Chicago show, maybe 15 years ago i traded a Masamune for 2 Rai blades, i forget the Rai smiths but it was an intersting trade

looks oil tempered to me, Showato not gendito