Naokatsu? Can't read the rest...Please help

[Leatherdog]

Hello,

This is my first post here...Great site!

 

I've translated this mei as "Shoji Jiro Taro Fujiwara Naokatsu." I haven't had any luck on the inscription on the opposite side of the nakago. Can anyone else read it? I hope it will provide some insight as to whether the signature is genuine or suspect. I bought this sword from a militaria dealer at a gun show who made no claims about the signature, and I didn't recognize it myself until I got home and began to research the blade. I'd love to hear everyone's opinion as to whether they think it is really a Naokatsu or not. I can post additional photos and information if it'll help.

 

I saw the other post about Naokatsu blades, and, while very interesting, it didn't help me reach a conclusion about my sword.

 

Nagasa: 27.5 in

 

Sori: 2.1cm

Motokasane: 7mm

Sakikasane: 5mm

Motohaba: 3.2cm

Sakihaba: 2.2cm

Kissaki: 4cm

 

I'm a pretty low-level student, so please be patient with me if I use the wrong terminology.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Leatherdog]

More pics

[Nobody]

Hi,

 

This is my guess for the inscription on the opposite side.

 

 

於越後水原 (Oite Echigo Mizuhara) = at Mizuhara in Echigo

However, I do not know if Naokatsu actually lived in Echigo or not.

 

[Brian]

I haven't had a chance to compare the mei or workmanship yet, but I found an excellent article on Naokatsu in an old online NCJSC newsletter here: http://www.ncjsc.org/ncjsc-oct-2001.pdf

(There are also some excellent articles on other subjects there)

 

I wonder how many of these old NCJSC newsletters are online?

 

Brian

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

My guess for the mei:

 

 

Shoji Jiro Taro Fujiwara Naokatsu

 

 

 

 

EDIT/

Oups, I've not seen you have already translated the signature, however some thing seems wrong to my eyes, the location, on all oshigatas i've seen, the mei is inscribed onto the ura for the katana.

[Stephen]

Nice find for a gun show, (i never see anything anymore ) +27" Nagasa, crisp clean lines, nice activity hope it turns out good at a shinsa, may i ask what area the gun show was in and what mounts it came with.

[Leatherdog]

Stephen,

 

It was at one of the big gun shows in Tulsa OK last October...I was at the Field Artillery school at Ft Sill for about five months, and drove up to the Tulsa shows whenever I could. That particular trip was productive...I bought this blade and a spectacular 30" (!) Shinshinto Katana (mumei) with a 4" kissaki from the same guy. You don't want know how much the 30" blade was... :D

 

 

As for the "Naokatsu" (I hope I can remove the " " one of these days

 

It is in Kai-Gunto mounts, with a tassel in great condition. Leather-covered plain wooden saya.

[Leatherdog]

Jacques,

 

Now that you mention it, I haven't seen an oshigata for a katana that wasn't signed katana-mei...

The information I've dug up on Naokatsu states that he lived in Edo as well, which doesn't support the signature being genuine. With the blade in hand, I agree that it is inscribed "Oite Echizen Mizuhara" (Thanks "Nobody")

 

The question is, if Naokatsu didn't forge this blade, who did? If it was Kajihei, would he not have signed it appropriately and likely dated it as was common on Naokatsu's work? He certainly would have known how a Naokatsu should look. The "Nao" character on my blade is also missing the common ascending strike on the left, but I seen a couple of papered swords that used the same character I have. It seems that if the blade was faked, the faker (whoever they were) would have used the more common signature and style of mei, and would have done so because that's what would look familiar to a potential buyer. What are the odds that it's just an un-characteristic work actually done by Naokatsu - I've read that it was quite common for him (and other smiths of the time) to work outside of his style dependent upon what the customer wanted...Do you think he traveled from Edo to do a "house call" for a customer in Echizen

 

Of course, even then, why would he change his signature?

 

The yasurimei are also faded, and the nakago looks older than shinshinto to me...this raises the question of "older than Naokatsu, or made to look older by Naokatsu?"

 

I don't have anywhere near the experience or knowledge to make claims...just enough to ask a few questions and play devil's advocate...and get myself progressively more confused.

 

Please keep the opinions coming!

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

About the nakago look, some are more or less well conserved and it is not an absolute standard

 

Can you post some close-up of the mei please?

[Leatherdog]

Closeups of the mei as requested...

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

In my opinion, it is a gimei, this mei seems weak and there are many differences in regard of the shoshin mei.

 

More if you look with attention at the kanji "ro" 郎 wich is engraved two times, you will see they are not identical although they are on the genuine mei..