Long wakizashi - school/age?

[flemming7x64]

Greetings again on the forum!

In the hope of not be pesting your tolerant and helpful souls, it is my hope that you may have an idea about the origin of my newly bought wakizashi, since I´m unfortunately merely a novice. However spent a decent sum of money on this blade and hope to learn more. If someone could spare a moment, I´d be really greatful. This is - to my mind - my own little "treasure":

It´s a long wakizashi, probably Edo period. The blade is unfortunately unsigned.

The condition of hada and ha are very good though there though “wounds of age” can be spotted.

The blade is 66.4cm in full length, temper part 52.1cm. Including the (new) shirosaya 74.5cm, full length.

More measurements can easily be provided.

 

Thank you for your kind help, time and first of all patience.

 

- Flemming

Added August 3rd:

As stated I´m pretty much of a novice and wil try to give you some answers to your questions to the best of my(limited)knowledge as will I mail some hopefully much better photos that might give a better clue.

1) "The Wound of Age" is a very small "crack" or "scar" - or what the terminology might be on one of the sides, coming on the blade just after the habaki - cannot spot any other damage to my naked eye anywhere, no garins/spots!

2) Hamon and hada stand perfectly clear/clean, hamon I believe is "sugu", perhaps with a little "notare" a couple of places, but very small.

3) Nakago seems totally untouched to my eye.

4) Weight: 472 grams

[Geraint]

Dear Flemming.

 

I think it will be very hard for anyone to suggest anything given the quality of your photographs. So far we have a mumei wakizashi in shirasaya, possibly machi okuri though I would guess the nakago jiri is original. What does your charming phrase, "wounds of age" indicate? Are we talking about grain openings, rust, kirikomi or something else?

 

If you can see the hamon detail and the hada what are they? What about the boshi?

 

I would suggest that you try to do an oshigata of your sword, the discipline of trying to see and draw the detail of the hamon is instructive even if you are not pleased with the results. If you have the Connoisseurs Book you might try to narrow things down from the details, I have to admit that this is much harder than it seems as the features are rarely as obvious as one would wish.

 

I know you were hoping for more than this but without good pictures any guess would be just that,a guess.

 

By the way, the last image is the torokusho which indicates the sword came from Japan, did the dealer have any suggestions to make about it?

 

All the best.