new sword

[jeeplover]

could I get a translation and some info on the sword smith please if better picture is needed will post.

[jeeplover]

here are more pictures

[jeeplover]

here we go this is the best picture of the mei I can get

[Stephen]

Fujiwara Yoshinaga saku

[jeeplover]

about how old is the sword?

[jeeplover]

did a quick search on here is this the same smith? viewtopic.php?f=3&t=9621&p=79675&hilit=Fujiwara+Yoshinaga+saku#p79675

[Stephen]

older than i, and im so old i remember when the dead sea was sick.

 

id say its Kazuuchimono or mass produced blade

[jeeplover]

so is it hand made then? I found it at a pawn shop and paid 80 dollars for it . did I do good

[hxv]

Yes, it is a nihonto - antique, hand-made, water-quenched the traditional way...the works. For $80, you did very, very well. What to do with it now is another issue entirely.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[jeeplover]

this is only the second sword I own. figured for 80 could not go wrong unless it was total fake. I hate to ask because I know opinions vary but what do you estimate it is worth?

[hxv]

Depending on the length of the cutting edge, the price will vary. I would guess ~$400 (wakizashi) or ~$700 (katana).

 

Hoanh

[jeeplover]

the blade is 26 inches long so that would be a katana right? would I be able to find period hardware for this sword as it sits now it is a naked blade? it being a nihonto it is at least 150 years old right? thank you all very much for your comments it is very helpful and very educational.

[hxv]

Keith,

 

Yes, at that length, it's katana-size. The blade already has a shirasaya, e.g., the wood storage case shown in the picture. Personally, I wouldn't sink anymore money into the sword. If you did, you wouldn't recover additional money spent when it's time to sell. My advice is to clean the blade (not the tang) with isopropyl alcohol to get rid of any residue and to keep the blade form rusting away and enjoy it for what it is. When it's time to sell, you would make a handsome profit and use the proceed to buy some books on nihonto.

 

Regards.

Hoanh

[jeeplover]

could someone please direct me to where I could get a new shirasaya made ? the one currently on this sword is in bad shape.

[hxv]

Keith,

 

There are couple of recommendations I think seasoned members of this board will approve: John Tirado and Brian Tschernega. Brian charges $650 for katana shirasaya and John charges $500. These prices are as of three weeks ago, so they are current. Just drop them an email, they will give you shipping instructions and time estimates - anywhere from 3 to 6 months.

 

John Tirado: john@sayashi.com

Brian: habaki73@comcast.net

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[jeeplover]

thank you very much

[Nobody]

The correct smith's name is Fujiwara Toshinaga (藤原歳長).

[jeeplover]

not much about him. so what year do you estimate it was made? how old is this sword? thank you

[jeeplover]

what I am finding is 1650. is this correct

[hxv]

Keith,

 

If you wish to research the sword, search on the web to see papered, signed swords by the same smith. Then, look at the signatures on your sword versus the known, papered examples to see if the kanji strokes, placement of the kanji relative to the mekugi ana, nakagojiri, yasurime, and nakago shape are consistent.

 

Sometimes, you will encounter 'gimei,' meaning although the sword is genuine nihonto, the signature is false. I have no way of knowing if this is the case with your sword since I have not done the research. It's standard due diligence whenever one contemplates buying a signed sword. I strongly recommend this exercise. For me, it's very fun and I learn more about the sword smith in the process. Along the way, you will most likely read about the smith and how his works are ranked and what kind of prices his swords, papered and restored, will fetch. It will give you tools to make an informed decision regarding how you might want to proceed with your sword. It takes time and patience, but is extremely rewarding.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[jeeplover]

this is all that comes up

 

http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/TOS287

[jeeplover]

this is what comes up on the site.

 

 

search.php?keywords=Fujiwara+Toshinaga&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search

 

 

I wish I had better reference material but I don't. thank you guys for all of your help.

[John A Stuart]

Those are inches? It doesn't look like inches. If they are, the mei is unnaturally truncated. If those are centimeters, for a wakizashi the mei could be correctly shorter and be any of a group of smiths early shinto and on. Two groups, Yamashiro/Mutsu and Musashi/Edo. John

[jeeplover]

they are inches . I am not sure what you are saying could you please explain in laymen's terms this is my second sword my first was easy to research but this one I am not understanding is it old or what is the sword smith not who it says? thank you for your help

[John A Stuart]

OK, inches. On a katana I expect to see for these smiths of the shinto period, Mutsu no Kami Fujiwara or Musashi no Kami Fujiwara or Iwami no Kami Fujiwara; Toshinaga. Typically these longer signatures are shortened when by the same smith on wakizashi. It just seems a little odd, not unheard of. $80, great find regardless. John

[jeeplover]

please have patients here .let me see if I understand what is being said . sword made in the Shinto period 1600-1764 typically have a longer mei. so my sord is a Shinto period sword with a short mei which makes it unusual?

[Jean]

Exact

[jeeplover]

wow thank you did not expect the sword to be 400 years old thank you all so much for all of your help

[jeeplover]

with the name/mei shortened it is impossible to tie this sword to one smith right? why would they have done this?

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

please have patients here .let me see if I understand what is being said . sword made in the Shinto period 1600-1764 typically have a longer mei. so my sord is a Shinto period sword with a short mei which makes it unusual?

 

Long mei can be seen from Muromachi even Nanbokucho era. What is more typical of Shinto Era is the mention of an honorary title (no Kami, no Suke etc.) even if you can find a late koto sword with a mei having an honorary title inscribed on it.

 

 

Edit... Spelling mistakes.