Yokoyama ????? Mei

[cwata45]

Hi y'all,

 

My name is Chad Watanabe, I'm new to the nihonto message board and I have found a new appreciation for all of those who provide help and assistance as well as teach. My father found this blade at a garage sale and I'd like to just find out more about it.

 

What I've translated so far is Yokoyama Taikan Nijuro. I've had a problem with the last 4 characters. Does anyone know what it is? Also, I've tried to look up the smith and I can't find him in Hawley's or other texts. Does anyone know who this is? Looks like a late sword, maybe shinshinto or gendai blade.

 

Thanks in advance

[cabowen]

We can't really do anything for you without photos.

[cwata45]

Sorry Chris, I tried to upload the pictures on my computer and it didn't upload, just waiting to get home to try again....I apologize for that. When I previewed the submittal it did showed the, idk what went wrong.

[cwata45]

Updated with pics! Thanks in advance.

[hxv]

Chad,

 

Looking at the poorly shaped nakago and the inscription on the tang, I would guess it's a Chinese fake.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Nobody]

I agree with Hoanh. That seems to be a Chinese fake. Japanese do not use the 4th kanji 覌 as a simplified form of 観.

[cwata45]

Koichi,

 

What would they use that 4th character as in Japanese btw, I was trying to find it and I couldn't find the kanji anywhere, is that strictly a chinese character?

[John A Stuart]

観 look, ie. 観る to view. That hanzi 覌 (Man. guan; Jap. miru or kan) appears in Chinese meaning look, AFAIK; and 観 is an old kanji, in Japanese it is now 观 John

.

[cwata45]

Thanks Hoahn, Koichi and John, so basically no chance that that mei is relatively close to being a real mei? What would be the real translation to make it seem right? The chinese character thing for the 4th character seems like pretty good evidence of a fake though.

[hxv]

Chad,

 

Here is a link in this forum on what to look for with regard to fake swords.

http://jssus.org/nkp/fake_japanese_swords.html

Besides the literal inscription itself and the poorly shaped nakago, the way the kanji is marked on the nakago is another telltale sign. On true nihonto, the mei is chiseled onto the nakago. No metal is actually removed in this chiseling process. One can clearly see the high ridges from the valleys in the kanji as metal is "pushed" out of the way with the chisel. When the mei is inscribed with a dremel tool, metal is actually removed and one does not see these characteristic high ridges in the kanji. I don't know if I am making it clear or am just rambling on, but do take a look at various mei examples on this forum and you will see what I mean. Hope this helps in some small way.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[cwata45]

Thanks alot Hoahn!

[Nobody]

...........

and 観 is an old kanji, in Japanese it is now 观

In Japan, currently we use 観, and never use 观.

[John A Stuart]

OK, bad etymological dictionary. John