Interesting Sword Up For Discussion

[J Reid]

Hey guys! I have an interesting blade up for discussion. A friend has asked me for assistance in doing some research on the sword in question. It's a late muromachi/early Edo period wakizashi with a very European sugata. This is the story:

 

"it was sold to me as Koto, the expert from the token told me that he thought it was gimei (I think so )

also that he thought it was shinshinto, and made to look older !!!, and also that the kissaki had been reshaped.

( it certainly looks that way ) ..He said he thought it was Nata and used in the tea ceremony Etc.

I was a little taken back by all this after all he is the expert... Same day I met a polisher, I asked him to polish to 2 blades in the picture. While polishing the lower blade he noticed that the hamon went all around the kissaki, and also back around the cut away section. So this meant that the blade was forged as we see it, and the kissaki had not been re shaped.

As he had never seen this before, he took it to another expert, this man is the curator of the Leeds Armoury, Japanese section.

He said that the sword was indeed Koto, made in the muromachi period mid 16C by the Japanese sect who embraced the European culture, dressed as the European's and forged their sword's as they imagined the western swords would look like.

He sent me a print out of a tapestry, that hangs in Kobe city museum, in which mounted westerners displayed swords with similar cut away tips. He also said that it was rare, and that the did not have one in the armoury / museum.

I have searched the internet for info. but can not find any references."

 

IMO This may be a rare example of a nihonto commissioned by a European foreigner (Portuguese?) while visiting Japan. Not used by any samurai. What are your thoughts? I'm at a dead end for any further info here.

[J Reid]

Tapestry

[Jussi Ekholm]

Interesting piece, would be nice to see more of it. Can't really say anything based on one pic and not having any measurements.

 

You might want to check out late cusped falchions, messers, storta etc. Those specialized in European swords of c. 1500 to 1600 could give you more accurate info. I can see how it's easy to think it has European influence but it seems very short to be a European sword. I have couple hangers from c.1600 to 1650 in my European sword books that bear some resemblance and length is similar but they are "hunting swords". I can hit up a pic of them tomorrow. So if it's European style sword made to Europe I'd think of a small hunting sword that was carried by nobility on hunting games. Made for an European nobility in Japan when they heard about good Japanese swords?

 

I don't know Chinese swords well enough but I think there are some Chinese swords that have slight resemblance to this (well as well as to European falchions, messers etc.). Here is an image that shows some various dao tip types. There are dozens and dozens of variations and it would need someone in the know of Chinese weapons to say which type might have this cusped tip. I only know the names of the couple most typical sword types and even within them there is a huge variation on sword specs.

 

 

[J Reid]

Jussi,

I didn't even consider a Chinese dao. I'll look in that direction. Thanks for the tip!

[Shugyosha]

It might be a long shot but could this be an example of Satsuma Age? 

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/13303-satsuma-age/

 

Best,

John

[Dave R]

Quote  "Same day I met a polisher, I asked him to polish to 2 blades in the picture. While polishing the lower blade he noticed that the hamon went all around the kissaki, and also back around the cut away section. So this meant that the blade was forged as we see it, and the kissaki had not been re shaped.
As he had never seen this before, he took it to another expert, this man is the curator of the Leeds Armoury, Japanese section.
He said that the sword was indeed Koto, made in the muromachi period mid 16C by the Japanese sect who embraced the European culture, dressed as the European's and forged their sword's as they imagined the western swords would look like."

So probably not Satsuma Age.

[Shugyosha]

It might be a long shot but... 

 

So yes Dave, you're probably right.

[Brian]

The hi is badly cut, and based on what I can see in the pic presented, I'm not convinced there is a clear and deliberate hamon going around that kissaki and along the cutout.

Convince me.

[J Reid]

Hey! Sorry for the delay.. So the first picture is of the hamon going around the kissaki. The second is the nakago signed "sadamune". My friend said he had a few people take a look and all agree on gimei. I can agree with that! Looks to be O-suriage (so would have been longer, Jussi)

 

This sword was just polished by the current owner and the polisher (I don't know who polished it) was the one who informed him that this sword was made this way. Everyone who saw it before it was polished thought for sure it had been reshaped. I'm personally still a bit in awe at the whole thing myself.

[Brian]

I see hadori. I'm still not convinced the hamon does not run off the kissaki and this is not just a bad example of an attempt at satsuma age.

I could be wrong, but this is what I see...

 

 

[Darcy]

Soshu Sadamune signature! 

 

I think Brian is right. This is a busted sword. Someone tried to make the best of it.