Strange Signature / Hizen No Kuni Yoshihiro

[Katsujinken]

A friend bought a blade for not a whole lot of money at a charity auction a long time ago. It's either a big wakizashi or short katana – it is right on the edge.

 

Looking at the mei, I see Hizen no Kuni Yoshihiro. The signature is katana-mei.

 

But I'm a bit stumped, because the only Yoshihiro I can find that signs with five characters like this apparently uses a different character for the "yoshi" and is from the late 19th century right before Meiji.

 

I found a Hizen Yoshihiro that does use these same characters for Yoshihiro who worked in the early Edo period, but his signature is hizen kuni ju ise daijo fujiwara yoshihiro – not the simple five character signature you see here.

 

Which leads to me ask: might this signature be gimei?

[ROKUJURO]

It can't help with the authentification, but I think I see a deep crack just under the TSUBA.

[Bazza]

I think NOT Hizento.

 

BaZZa.

[Katsujinken]

I think NOT Hizento.

 

BaZZa.

I'm leaning that way too, but the Keio period Yoshihiro signed 肥前國義廣... so... gimei?

[Bazza]

Well, given that the -ZEN kanji is improperly formed for a Hizento I would say gimei...

 

BaZZa.

[Katsujinken]

Well, given that the -ZEN kanji is improperly formed for a Hizento I would say gimei...

 

BaZZa.

Yes, I see that extra stroke in the top-middle of the character. So I guess the next step in any case is figure out how old the blade is, even if the mei is false. Haven't seen it in person yet, but will keep folks posted if this continues to be interesting.

 

Thanks Bazza.

[Katsujinken]

Actually, check out this gendaito: http://www.katana.giheiya.com/shouhin_list/japanese_sword/iaiyoushinken/01-1344.html

 

"Swordsmith Hizen no Kuni Yoshihiro 肥前國吉廣, real name Fukuda Yoshikazu was born in 1934 and learned under the famed swordsmith Miyairi Akihira who was an intangible national treasure and Mukansaka."

 

The style of the strokes are not all the same though, to be fair. Thoughts?

[SwordGuyJoe]

It's gimei hizento, not Gendaito.

[Katsujinken]

It's gimei hizento, not Gendaito.

So you mean the signature is gimei, but the blade is shinto? Someone trying to pass this off as Tadayoshi school at the time or perhaps the mei was added later?

[SwordGuyJoe]

Not sure about Shinto, but certainly not gendai.

[Katsujinken]

Not sure about Shinto, but certainly not gendai.

Gotcha. I'll get more photos (and hopefully some time in person with the blade) and will keep you posted. Thanks Joe!

[Guido]

Sooooo, what about the HIZEN CODE?

 

 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Sooooo, what about the HIZEN CODE?

 

 

Lol!!!

[Brian]

Bad Guido!
In the corner for you!

[Gunome]

Would be good to see the rest of the blade