Good Sword or Piece of Junk

[James]

Here's a sword I just recently picked up.

It's in transit from the US so all I can give at the moment is a few photos.

My hope is that someone may be able to tell me straight off if I've bought a piece of junk here.

I don't think it is a low grade factory sword simply due to it's tsurikomi.

 

Anyway, I'm a novice so other opinions would be helpful.

 

 

 

 

[Brian]

Hmm....that is going to be interesting. It is not a regular military pattern blade. Looks like a nagamaki style blade?

I look forward to the nakago pics when you get it.

 

Brian

[pcfarrar]

It doesn't seem to have a screw mekugi which is usually not a good sign as it means the bottom of the nakago has a screwthread. More than likely a factory made blade I'd say, the majority (but not all) of old blades in this style of mount have a mekugi.

 

Very interesting sword though, certainly not junk...

[k morita]

I believe that this sword looks like Murata-to that copies a famous old sword"Mukade-giri-maru".

But "Hi" oh this sword is Koshi-hi.

"Hi" of Mukade-giri-maru is Naginata-hi.

 

See below link " Mukade-giri-maru"

http://www.h4.dion.ne.jp/~t-ohmura/gunto_112.htm

 

Thanks

[James]

Thanks Morita-san, but I'm quietly hoping it will be another one of these: :D

[Guest reinhard]

According to Fuller & Gregory (p.66, plate 87), this could be the mounting of a police sword dating from Meiji-period. One would not expect a quality blade in this case.

 

reinhard

[Guest reinhard]

James,

 

If you find a copy of the "Kogarasu-maru" by a famous ShinShinTo-smith as Gassan Sadakatsu in a mounting like yours, I'll be the first one to congratulate. It is not very likely though. Good luck anyway.

 

reinhard

[k morita]

Mukade-Giri-Maru

[Guest reinhard]

Thank you Morita-san, for the very interesting link to Murata-To and the Mukade-giri maru. Things like that you don't find easily in the "western wide web" . (A tiny mistake on the page: Taisho 8th year is 1919, not 1933). Murata-To would very well fit the mounting (police sabre or civil-officer's sword during Meiji/Taisho-era). I'm looking forward to see the nakago.

 

reinhard

[Baka Gaijin]

Good Morning,

There is an example with a screw threaded nakago on this site.

 

http://www.japanesesword.com/

 

REF: Item: 1005gunto8

 

Malcolm