Yamashiro no kami Fujiwara Genjirou Kunikane

[Heringsdorf]

Hello,

I was looking at a katana which is signed and dated.

Could anyone please help me with analyzing if this is an authentic signature or a gimei.

Also I couldn't find to much on this smith.

Thank you.

Signature: Osyu-koku Sendai-jyu Yamashiro no kami Fujiwara Genjirou Kunikane

 

Thank you.

 

 

Max.

[takakage]

Hi,

 

genjiro is the sandai

 

http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/KUN307

 

A oshigata of him in the fujishiro and an other in the nihonto koza too.

 

I find your nakago blade very strange, deep rust , taganes......

 

Such swords are often listed on e bay by some "nice sellers"

[Kronos]

Some good information from another thread:

 

Dr Bleed had some interesting info here: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8998&p=74626

There are a great many bad Kunikane signatures out there, largely because the Kunikane 1 successfully started a long line of smiths that survived and was supported by the Date family. There were 14 generations in the main line. They practiced the style of the founder and enjoyed official support. The middle generations produced mumei swords that went right into the armory of the Date family. (Sendai meikan lists NO legitmate signatures from the 4th to 10th generations.) After the Meiji Restoration those unsigned swords were sold to an antiques dealer - apparently in Sendai - who had them signed --- mainly with the Master's name. Dealers refer to these as "Sendai Atobori." They can be viewed as "school"swords, but those "after signatures" are being removed nowadays. That is, they are being treated like "gimei."

 

Brian