Kazunori Gendaito - Quality Question

[Bazza]

I have a katana that has been nickel plated so nothing can be seen in the blade.  The photos below show the signature and date.  The kanji is very elegantly rendered, which indicates to me that the blade is likely to be of good to high quality.

 

 

 

Does anybody have, or has seen, a sword by this smith KAZUNORI and can comment on the quality.  It is fortunate that the tang hasn’t been messed with.  The signature reads:

 

SANYÔ MAYUMI SAN ROKU JÛ FUJIWARA KAZUNORI KORE o SAKU

 

KÔKI NISEN ROPPYAKU NI NEN GO GATSU KICHI ?  (May 1942)  (EDIT: I cannot read the last character)

 

Researching this blade I found a competition sword by this same smith KAZUNORI made in 1936 commissioned for a certain Michio Yuzawa.  Below are the photos I found on the web on a dealer’s site that have since disappeared.  The signature on the sword is almost the same as the sword above:

 

三陽真弓山麓藤原一則謹造之

SANYÔ MAYUMI SAN ROKU FUJIWARA KAZUNORI KIN KORE o SAKU

 

and dated 昭和十一年八月十日(August 1936)

 

The complete uramei is:

贈内務次官湯沢三千男殿昭和十一年八月十日参木晋七郎

 

Below are photos of the tang and one of the hada.  Although low resolution these photos immediately suggested to me that this swordsmith KAZUNORI is a smith of repute.

 

What I am seeking is opinions on whether or not my nickel plated blade is worth polishing.

 

Best regards,

Barry Thomas

(aka BaZZa)

 

(EDIT: There is a bigger story to these swords that I'll cover in another post)

 

 

 

[BIG]

Hi Barry,

 

this looks good...

 

http://www.katana.giheiya.com/shouhin_list/japanese_sword/iaiyoushinken/01-1272.html

 

Best Regards

[Peter Bleed]

Barry,

Like everyone else, I await the "bigger story."

But for now I will simply relate a story I was told years ago about blades that have been nickle plated. A person who knew a lot about such things said that it was possible to simply "unplate" these swords. That is, outfits who know how to "plate" can undo the process. In addition to saying that this should be easy, my source said ti would also be - dare I say it - cheap!

Best of luck!

Peter

[Stephen]

Just be sure to tell the plating co. not to immerse  the nakago, it will remove all patina.

[Stephen]

PS I love the quality of the cut of the mei, reminds me the quality of this, done by same hand?

 

http://sanmei.com/Pictures/Sword/O114832_S2177_PUP1.jpg  i hope you can enlarge the mei

[Bazza]

Thank you all for your comments.  I’m still hoping someone “out there” has actually seen a Kazunori and comment on the quality.

 

@ BIG - Peter Reusch

That KAZUNORI is not the same smith.  Your link shows a Seki Showato

 

@Peter Bleed and others

Thanks for the comments about the problems of stripping electroplated steel.  This was discussed in the following thread:

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/8034-removing-chrome-plating/

 

@Stephen C

The similarity in kanji style is very interesting, but I can make no intelligent or analytical comment about it.

 

The “bigger story” will take some  little while to put together.

 

BaZZa.

[george trotter]

Barry san,

I can't give you any feedback on likely value/reputation etc but I'm sure you have checked him out to the extent that he is a known gendaitosho RJT (Slough p.81). He is listed in Japanese sources as 1 mil yen...this is the standard rating for most gendaitosho. Of course we all know that the one maker can have good days and ordinary days. You would not know which yours is until it was restored.

If the standard RJT blade was valued at $3000 US (not sure if I'm right), then yours could end up at this value or more if it was one of his good days.

It will always be a "gut feeling" decision I think. The cost of restoration might see you at least break even (depending on what you already paid for it), or it might turn out to be a real "good day" gem... this is quite likely as it is already a bit superior as it is a private commission.

 

Be very particular about de-plating...stand over them and make sure they do exactly as you say...don't leave it with them to dip in acid while they go and have a long lunch (I had a blade ruined by trusting them once).

 

Hope this helps,

[manfrommagnum]

I would not polish it unless the plating has made it dull on the cutting edge. Unfortunately, plating processing can alter the surface of the hamon, and even internal structure if they really f-ed up in the plating process. Electricity is not a sword's friend.