PalmParrot Posted January 3, 2018 Report Posted January 3, 2018 First, thanks in advance for any help. Just started looking into two swords I inherited and am amazed at the spirit of the community of sword collectors. Grandpa was Seabee and collected two swords in WWII. They were well cared for and in good polish. They are not gunto, I'm quite sure, from what I have seen looking online at swords and fittings. Sword 1 is Wakizashi with fairly clear mei. I was able to figure out 6 of the 7 characters myself, thanks to all the very helpful websites around, but I am stumped on the 6th. I can tell that it is not certain characters but have not been able to match any complete mei in the databases available. Sword feels heavy, like it may have been cut down, straight hamon, not able to characterize boshi. Sword 2 is beautiful mumei Katana, will post pictures later. I'm not going to tell the characters I translated so you can enjoy the delight in arriving at the answer like I did. Just need that 6th character. Enjoy Quote
John A Stuart Posted January 3, 2018 Report Posted January 3, 2018 Hoshu Takada ju Shigeyuki. John 4 Quote
Geraint Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 Dear Cameron. Welcome. (Please add your name to your posts as we all do.) If your translation agrees with John then congratulations on your efforts. If not then don't worry, at least you gave it a go and will get better as you go along. Hoshu is a shortened form of the province name which is Bungo and there is a wealth of information about Bungo Takada swords available. Don't get depressed by the general ranking they are given, it's the sword in hand that counts. I'm sure I am not alone in wanting to see pictures please. And now the health warning. Two swords with precious family history have started you on something which might grow into a serious condition involving much learning, a bewildering variety of obscure Japanese terms, travel to far flung places to look at swords, hours in museums and online and numerous other symptoms. We all have it and few of us would willingly give it up! Enjoy. All the best. 1 Quote
Grey Doffin Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 Hi Cameron, A care & etiquette brochure: important stuff everybody with a Japanese sword needs to know. http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm Grey Quote
PalmParrot Posted January 4, 2018 Author Report Posted January 4, 2018 Thank you John, that was fast. I searched and found other mei with the shige character and now it is an obvious match. Amazing how it just pops out at you. I understand now that the mei is the last thing you should look at. Very interested in learning the rest so I can get to know the mumei katana. Is there an antidote to this new obsession I have? Cameron Larson Quote
Geraint Posted January 4, 2018 Report Posted January 4, 2018 Dear Cameron. Quote Is there an antidote to this new obsession I have? None, just practice this phrase, "Hello, my names Cameron and I'm a nihontophile." It's a fascinating journey, all the more so because you never reach the end. All the best. 2 Quote
PalmParrot Posted May 4, 2018 Author Report Posted May 4, 2018 Chicago Shinsa declared it the Kanbun Shigeyuki Other mumei sword was declared Eiroku Fuyuhiro which is pretty darn amazing. Cameron Larson Quote
UnoKubi Posted May 4, 2018 Report Posted May 4, 2018 Well damn... Congratulations on jumping right off the deep end! :-D Quote
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