I Need Some Help For A Wakizashi

[Kojima]

Hi, i need some help and i'm here . i live in France and i started a tiny collection of Japanese sword ( tantô, gunto... ) 

 

i have this wakizashi. it is not in great condition ( i bought it in this bad condition ).

i'm looking for some informations... the hamon is almost invisible, it seems to be suguha ( i'm not sure ).

blade is Hira, mune is maru ( i'm sure is the original shape ) 

but polish is very bad and it seems the former owner do some bad thing with very fine sand paper... i see some hada 

 

 

I would like know how old is it

 

what is this inscription on the tsuka ?

 

and if you have any others informations, i take.

 

Thanks and sorry for my bad english

 

 

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3914.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3919.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3916.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3915.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3920.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3928.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3917.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3924.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3922.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3921.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3918.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3925.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3926.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3923.jpg

[paulb]

good morning

I am sorry there is not much that can be said about the sword in this condition. The shape is indicative of late koto but that style has also been copied in later generations so I think you can say it is no ealier than Nambokucho but may be much later. Without being able to see any detail in the blade it really is guess work

First thing that I noticed was the condition of the nakago which looks very dry and pitted. To me it suggests the blade may have been fire damaged which may also explain why there is so little evidence of the hamon (could also be previous owners work with sandpaper that obscured this). The nakago also appears to have had some other damage in its life.

From the pictures I also doubt it is hira zukuri there looks to be a very low and much rubbed down shinogi running the length of the blade but that may be the lighting

Sorry not too much help but it may give you a starting point.

BTW there is nothing wrong with your English

[Jean]

As Paul said, I am quite sure this sword was shinogi zukuri, could be late Muromachi. The nakago has suffered and been modified, look at the hamachi and the munemachi. Not much more to say.

[Kojima]

To me it suggests the blade may have been fire damaged which may also explain why there is so little evidence of the hamon (could also be previous owners work with sandpaper that obscured this). The nakago also appears to have had some other damage in its life.

From the pictures I also doubt it is hira zukuri there looks to be a very low and much rubbed down shinogi running the length of the blade but that may be the lighting

Sorry not too much help but it may give you a starting point.

BTW there is nothing wrong with your English

Thx for your answers

 

for the shape i have this design :

 

that mune :

 

i'm pretty sure is the bad lighting

no traces of zukuri on nagako

 

if the blade was burned on fire, it was possible to be twisted with hand ? i can't

 

here some new pics ( other face etc ) :

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3929.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3931.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_3930.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_4011.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_4010.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_4012.jpg

 

http://i86.servimg.com/u/f86/12/36/39/59/img_4013.jpg

[O-Yumi]

    Does anyone else notice the "notches" filed into the nakago in the second pick under the 7and 8 inch marks on the tape? Just wondering as I have a wak with similar notches and would like to hear other's opinions on what they may be? Would a samurai put notches on his tang like you hear gunman of the old west to represent "dead men"?     John

[Brian]

Nope.

Probably when assembling fittings to keep them all together. Nothing to do with any use in action.