Expensive fraud

[Tom Darling]

Personally, I've never seen an  ubu Tadayoshi or Tadahiros that were mumei. This is a first for me (o-suriage) Tadayoshi?  Just as an afterthought, are all the mumei  Masamune or Sadamune blades that are in Tokyo Museums and shrines authentic?

 

 

Tom D.

[Rivkin]

I feel it depends on definition of authentic. Most Ieyasu-period appraisals to this name were not and will not be publically re-evaluated. Around third of Masamunes from Ieyasu collection are not polished, very many from similar period collections are burned. There are many Masamune that look substantially different in period or craftsmanship from what one expects with circa 1330 Soshu. This includes probably the second most important Masamune - Fudo Masamune.

 

Are many of those Edo period pieces - no.

 

Kirill R.

[Alex A]

Horimono running full length of blade, through nakago, no mei, multiple ana. Im just seeing o-suriage. 

[Hoshi]

It’s on purpose that it looks O-suriage. It’s an elaborate dress up.

 

Signature filed off, nakago aged and altered in shape, bo-hi extended and fake mekugi Ana.

 

Also just to make it clear again the seller is perfectly reputable. This dress up was performed way back, probably 19th century but who knows.

[Alex A]

Hi Chris,

 

Its very difficult from images for me to make a factual opinion (and with my knowledge and resources), let alone not having the resources the NBTHK have plus they had it in hand. They will have reference material concerning Tadayoshi 1st early works that we will never see, containing a number of Suriage/mumei blades and blades of all lengths.

 

Some thoughts.

 

In his early days he copied works of great masters. Jigane was a mix of itame/mokume/masame. My eyes bad, but think I see masame too.

 

If it was signed?, im struggling to know why in the 1800,s someone would file the mei off and go to such lengths as to extend horimono (he was well known as an excellent smith). He wasn't one for carving bo-hi etc himself, im assuming this was carved at a later date from when the blade was first made, we will never know when as its impossible to tell for sure, looks old and consistent to age with my eyes though.

 

Also, cant say for sure with the ana, see all kinds of variations on old swords.

 

Sometimes blades turn up that don't fit into one of our categories, so for me, exception to the rule, (rule) applies. As said, if NBTHK say Tadayoshi suriage (with their resources) then for me, that's what it is.(assuming papers are legit and verified)