Mei Help :)

[Salvatori Moretto]

Just picked this up, it was going for such a relatively low price, mounted in some weird americanized mounting, but something about it just screamed save me Seller didnt have pictures od the nakago originally but sent them to me just an hour before auction close and I didnt have time to have it looked at. Sword hasnt come in yet but I would like to see if you guys could help me figure out what I just got myself into.

The picture with the mei I had to alter slightly so the mei could be seen as it was very hard to see. the picture of the other side of the nakago was left un altered to better show better the patina.

All lines look crisp, nakago looks well shaped and as if some time went into it, bo-hi looks well done, and I can see where the notches are for the habaki yet it does not have one at the moment. I can also see glimpses of the hamon in areas as well.

I'm looking to eventually do a full polish, habaki, and shirasaya on it if it warrants it. 

I love when I find something like this listed on ebay with a description of "Vintage Antique Sword," means I have a chance at getting it without much bidding competition :D 

Any and all help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[Peter Bleed]

crappy picture, but look for something like Tashiro, something  no kami.Minamoto  Kane kuni saku

Peter

[Salvatori Moretto]

When I get it in hand I can take better pictures, the guy who sold it to me didnt really know what he was trying to capture in the picture :/

Thanks for the starting info! :D

[Shugyosha]

According to the kanji pages, only Yamato and Ousumi provinces begin with the kanji 大. So that might give you a clue as to the province but I got rather less than Peter so unless and until you can get a better photo...

 

Best,

John

[Ray Singer]

My guess is Tashiro Yamato (no) Kami Minamoto Kanenobu Saku

 

Best regards,

Ray

[Salvatori Moretto]

http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/KAN1813

This was the closet to that name I could find, do you think this is it possibly?

Any if so, according to the smith or what you see here, was he well known? was he putting out good work? I'm fairly new and still don't quite grasp the rating systems sometimes from Hawley and the others.

Thanks

[Shugyosha]

According to the Nihonto compendium in the research section above, this is the only smith with the title Yamato kami signing Kanenobu, so if everyone has guessed rightly (no disrespect intended) it has a pretty good chance of being correct.

 

A 15 point rating from Hawley indicates, I believe, average skill but it isn't always cut and dried. Have a look at this article on sword smith ratings:

 

 http://nihonto.ca/ratings.html

 

Kind regards,

[Peter Bleed]

That was fun. Ray nailed it and I should have gotten the Yamato John got. But, like I said, that was fun!

P