bglbrth Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 I am new to this forum but not new to the swords. I watched years ago in the 70s when my father would buy them at the gun shows and work with the Japanese buyers to get them back home. He found many great swords back then and I was taken in by the beauty of them. I am now 48 and my father has long since passed. I was at an estate sale and this sword came out of the attic. It brought back great memories and I had to own it. The blade length is just under 24 inches. Any help will be greatly appreciated. please see the attached photos Quote
CSM101 Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 Hizen Kuni ju Tadahiro. The signature seems to be good. But please try to post bigger photos. Uwe G. Quote
bglbrth Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Posted November 13, 2013 Thank you for your response. I have larger pictures but am limited to the size I can pot. I will try again. Hope these help...I do have more of course. Thank you all again in advance. Does anyone think this sword is worthy of sending it off to get papers. I know its an expensive process and I am not sure of the value of this sword. Quote
bglbrth Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Posted November 13, 2013 After looking online at SOOOOO many different images could this be a Masahiro dai-mei for Shodai Tadahiro? Sorry if I am way off. I am such a novice. Quote
takakage Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 Hi, I'm sorry but i don't have a good feeling about the nakago and the mei.... :? The nakago looks like a bizen yokoyama. Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 Please be so kind as to sign your posts with your first name. Those are the rules on NMB. I am sorry but I cannot comment on your sword. I like the habaki very much though KM Quote
bglbrth Posted November 13, 2013 Author Report Posted November 13, 2013 Thank you for your attention and I apologize about the first name. I thought that when I signed up it referenced that it would auto sign for me. Eric Quote
J Reid Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 Seems to be signed katana mei.. Hizen smiths usually signed tachi mei. Nice find, regardless. Edit: There were multiple generations of hizen tadahiro (7?). However I am personally not aware of any that would have ever signed katana mei. I would assume this is gimei. It is a nice sword though and probably worth whatever you paid for it. Quote
Bazza Posted November 13, 2013 Report Posted November 13, 2013 THE TSUBA - THE TSUBA - who knows what about the tsuba??? I nearly fell over when I saw it as I had an almost identical tsuba decades ago also with fukurin. I always wondered about it. I have read of larger pre-Edo tsuba being reduced in size and fitted with a fukurin that gave the design a cramped look. The katakiri dragon with kebori detail was very interesting. Inevitably it had to go to afford something else, but I've never forgotten it. BaZZa. EDIT: Shishi, not dragon... Quote
bglbrth Posted November 14, 2013 Author Report Posted November 14, 2013 THANK YOU SO MUCH for ALL of your input!! what an awesome group of collectors and a HUGE wealth of knowledge! If you come up with any other thoughts PLEASE let me know. I would like to try to get some sort of value of it for insurance if anyone has any thoughts? If it is indeed not an original I would assume that the value is greatly reduced. Eric Quote
J Reid Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 $1200-$2000? Depending... What is the nagasa? Gimei swords are valued on the quality of the blade, polish, age, and condition.. Signatures can be removed, and koshirae replaced by shirasaya. Quote
runagmc Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 Roughly, above 60cm would have been considered a katana, and in the Hizen Tadayoshi school, katana are (in most cases)signed on the ura ("tachi-mei"). Under 60cm would be considered a wakizashi and signed on the omote ("katana-mei"). 24 inches would be right around the blurry point between wakizashi and katana, so in theory that COULD explain the mei. However, I agree the nakago doesn't look like any of the Hizen Tadayoshi school I have seen. The sword looks like it could be well made though, so if you have the chance to show it to someone knowledgeable, it would be a good idea... Quote
Brian Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 Jacques, Once again, a stament without a shred of evidence, proof or reasoning. Probably even correct. But without any further elaboration, who cares to take notice. :? Brian Quote
Dr Fox Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 Jacques As 'a man of few words' you are among the best. I salute you. Quote
Stephen Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 Great tsuba, fantastic habaki, blade looks good, don't worry about the mei, some with papers are gemei found out later....its a numbers game....enjoy a nice piece of history and true Nihonto. Quote
Jacques Posted November 14, 2013 Report Posted November 14, 2013 Hi, Look at the style of engraving and at kanji Kuni and Tada, it's enough Quote
bglbrth Posted November 16, 2013 Author Report Posted November 16, 2013 Again I must say..you guys and possibly girls are amazing with your wealth of info and thank you so much for sharing. I feel honored and also feel like I have become a project for you. I will use the flour method in the signature as suggested and post more images. I would also like to know, when I measure the blade length which has been in question. Do I measure from the point straight across or do i follow the top or bottom edge of the blade? Thank you again Eric Quote
Grey Doffin Posted November 16, 2013 Report Posted November 16, 2013 Eric, Fron the tip of the kissaki to the notch at the back (mune machi) in a straight line. Grey Quote
Jacques Posted November 16, 2013 Report Posted November 16, 2013 Hi, Quote I will use the flour method in the signature as suggested and post more images Flour method is a bad method because it hides many things which are important to see in a mei. Unless having the sword in hand a large clear and good photography is the best. Quote
runagmc Posted November 16, 2013 Report Posted November 16, 2013 Quote Flour method is a bad method because it hides many things which are important to see in a mei. Unless having the sword in hand a large clear and good photography is the best. +1 for no flour, but clear pics w/ different light angles... Quote
bglbrth Posted November 16, 2013 Author Report Posted November 16, 2013 OK...the measure of the blade is 24.5 or 62.23cm if that sheds some new light. Eric Quote
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