Help, please!

[hxv]

Hi,

 

I am having a very hard time with this mei. Please help! I think I am seeing:

 

Tanshu Ju Moto(?) Masamune Saku.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Gabriel L]

--DELETED--

[hxv]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Thank you! That is a tough one for me. I still don't see Mihara, but see only Hara. What am I missing? Your guidance is much appreciated.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Gabriel L]

Hi Gabriel,

 

Thank you! That is a tough one for me. I still don't see Mihara, but see only Hara. What am I missing? Your guidance is much appreciated.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

Haha sorry I actually edited out that post but you saw it... I have gotten way too used to posting on sites that let you delete messages.

 

I realized after the fact I had made a mistake, I skipped a kanji in my mind. I am researching now.

 

Sorry! Not my finest moment.

[hxv]

Thank you Gabriel. This one has got me stumped.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[k morita]

Hi,

Maybe good sword.

The signature says "Yoshu-ju Minamoto no Yoshimune saku".

Real name is Takahashi Yoshimune Tokutaro (1897-1946).

[hxv]

Thank you Morita-san. Gendaito, then? This sword belongs to a friend who asks me to help with mei translation, which proved too tough for me

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Gabriel L]

Hi,

Maybe good sword.

The signature says "Yoshu-ju Minamoto no Yoshimune saku".

Real name is Takahashi Yoshimune.

 

Argh, I was about to post Yoshimune!

 

You are too fast for me Morita-san.

 

This is not a good night for me... that's my cue to sleep, I think.

—G.

[k morita]

Hi

Gabriel san,

I was excited for a while, seeing the signature of this sword、because this smith was one of highest ranking swordsmiths at that time.

:D

[cabowen]

Yoshimune was the elder brother of Sadatsugu, who would become the first Ningen Kokuho after the war.

 

Yoshimune was a senior smith during the war and from what I have been told, spent more time buying and selling swords than actually making them. His earlier work is often very nice but many of the blades with his name made later are of highly varying quality, due to many daisaku by students. I have also heard that the better later blades were probably made by his younger brother.

 

I have seen many Yoshimune blades; usually they are done in Bizen style or Soden Bizen.

 

Japan is a seniority based culture. I have to think that if Yoshimune was a young smith during the war his reputation would not be quite as high.

[hxv]

I have asked my friend for pictures of the blade, not just of the nakago. When I get them, I'll post them here for your enjoyment.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[Stephen]

Morita san, seen this on a sellers list. Think this is same smith?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/STRONG-WW2-GEND ... 050wt_2148

[Brian]

Judging by the yasurime and the mei...the original one in this thread looks very different to the eBay one..which looks legit.

 

Brian

[cabowen]

Yes, both Takahashi Yoshimune. He has several students and as mentioned, later in the war, lots of daisaku...

[hxv]

As promised, my friend sent me his sword. I just received it this afternoon and set up some quick shots for you. The sword is signed tachi mei, hira zukuri, 28.75" nagasa, ubu ha. Unfortunately, someone has "cleaned" the nakago and the blade with steel wool. The nakago is not too badly damaged as it still retains its patina. The blade is all scratchy, though, making it very hard to photograph. Even with the blade in hand, I have to turn it at a very specific angle (to avoid light reflections from the scratches) to see activities in the hamon. There is some pitting, but all very shallow and will polish out. No cracks, no hagire, no lamination openings, and no chips. The boshi is intact on both sides. Overall, I think the sword is in good shape but will require polish and new shirasaya. I have communicated the cost of restoration to my friend, and I think he is in shock Anyhow, the sword is nioi deki with lots of long, showy kinsuji. I can't see the hada because of its bad state of polish/lack thereof. The boshi has hints of hakikakke, but I can't photograph it because of the polish. I will try to play with the lighting tomorrow when I have a little more time. Any/all comments are appreciated.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[hxv]

One more pic

 

Hoanh

[kusunokimasahige]

Quick question. Judging from the images, would this be considerd a " tired" blade ?

 

 

KM

[hxv]

Henk-Jan,

 

My understanding is that a tired blade will have shintetsu showing through, lamination openings and other flaws showing, or rough hada (unless the sword was intentionally forged with O-hada). I don't think this blade is tired, but simple has a bad case of being "cleaned up" with steel wool/sand paper.

 

Hoanh

[John A Stuart]

Actually the pitting would concern me. It is quite deep. John

[runagmc]

The pitting does look deep, but from what I can see, I would be hopeful that it could be polished out... also, I think maybe the closeups make it look deeper than it really is. Only Hoahn can tell us for sure...

 

As for the sword being tired, if it's "ubu-ba", that would mean it's been polished little, and shouldn't be tired.

 

The shape being hira-zukuri is interesting...

[hxv]

John,

 

The macro lens makes the pitting look much worse than they are. I am just about to pack up the sword and send it back to my friend. I am going to recommend that he sends the sword to either Bob Benson or Takeo Seki for their opinion regarding the pitting and overall chances of having a good polish. Does anyone have Takeo Seki's email?

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

Edit: Adam made my point about the pitting. The macro lens is like a poor man's microscope.

[runagmc]

Hoahn, any pics of the kissaki... I would like to see the shape. If you can't get one, don't worry about it.

 

Also, this sword is one of those cases where some use of uchiko might help bring out the steel qualities that are being hid by the uneven scratches... although, if it's being sent for evaluation by a togishi, there's really no point.

[hxv]

Adam,

 

Here is a pic of the kissaki. Since it's my friend's sword, I am reluctant to do anything other than to wipe it down with alcohol to clean up any residue. Do you have Takeo Seki's email? For Gendaito, Takeo would be a good choice. Am I correct?

 

Regards,

Hoanh