shinto wakizashi?

[hobnails]

Hi guys i have a wakizashi signed Fujiwara kunimasa i think it could be

shinto-shinshinto but not sure there are a couple of smiths who signed their blades with

a aoi mon any help would much appreciated

 

regards

Chris H

[Shugyosha]

Hi Chris,

 

I think it's one of these guys who worked in the Shinto period, from Markus Sesko's book:

 

KUNIMASA (国正), 2nd gen., Genroku (元禄, 1688-1704), Musashi – “Kunimasa” (国正), first name Jinnojō (甚之丞), he was employed by the bakufu and carved sometimes an aoi crest onto his tangs, he works in the style of the 1st gen. Kunimasa

 

KUNIMASA (国正), 3rd gen., Kyōhō (享保, 1716-1736), Musashi – “Kunimasa” (国正), Fujiwara Kunimasa” (藤原国正), “Hōjōji Echizen no Kami Kunimasa” (法城寺越前守国正), first name Genbei (源兵衛), he worked for the bakufu, suguha or suguha with gunome-ashi in ko-nie-deki with broad nioiguchi

 

KUNIMASA (国正), 4th gen., Kanpō (寛保, 1741-1744), Musashi – “Kunimasa” (国正), Fujiwara Kunimasa” (藤原国正), first name Tōgorō (藤五郎), he is also listed with the first name Gensuke (源助) and signed in early years with Mitsumasa (光正), it is said that he too carved an aoi crest onto his tangs, there exists the theory that the Kunimasa smiths only applied this aoi crest to blades which were ordered by the bakufu

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello, I've not looked, but would be suspicious of this crest being an add on until otherwise confirmed.

[hobnails]

Thanks for your replies i don't think its the 2nd gen Kunimasa as i found one of his mei online

and there's some discrepancies, haven't found any oshigata of the 3rd an 4th gen kunimasa

but i am starting to think Franco's right its probably gimei

 

regards

Chris H

[Shugyosha]

Hi Chris,

 

There's a niji mei of the second generation in Toko Taikan and a similar mei in Kanzan's Shinto Oshigata Dictionary - even taking into account that it looks like someone had cleaned up the tang, neither look like the caligraphy on your sword, though the nakago jiri fits with the school.

 

Sorry, I managed to overlook this entry in Markus Sesko's book which I guess might also be a possibility:

 

KUNIMASA (国正), 7th gen., Kaei (嘉永, 1848-1854), Musashi – “Fujiwara Kunimasa” (藤原国正), Hōjōji school, first name Tamesuke (為助), he worked for the bakufu and carved also an aoi crest onto his tangs, dense ko-itame which tends to muji or also an itame-nagare, bō-utsuri can appear, the hamon is a chū-suguha or a gunome-chōji-midare in ko-nie-deki with a compact nioiguchi, the bōshi is chū-maru or a somewhat tapering midare-komi, sujikai-yasurime, also with keshō, he always signed with a yoji-mei

 

It's a bit of an odd one - for me your blade looks like it has some quality about it and the jigane does look (to me anyway) to be in keeping with the school and based on that I would be reluctant to dismiss it as gimei without a good look around. 

[SAS]

I would wonder why the aoi crest is carved onto the tang as well as applied as horimono on the same blade......things that make me go hmmmm.

[Shugyosha]

  On 5/12/2019 at 10:12 PM, SAS said:

I would wonder why the aoi crest is carved onto the tang as well as applied as horimono on the same blade......things that make me go hmmmm.

 

I agree - also it seems like the quality of the horimono is poor compared to the workmanship of the blade itself unless it has been affected by polishing. I'm guessing that its a later add-on and someone, probably outside of Japan, decided to pimp their blade.

[EdWolf]

I agree with Steve and John,

The crest on the blade is not executed very well, I don’t think it caused by polishing the blade. The crest on the blade is not the same as on the tang. I don’t know how to call it but on the tang the small carving is attached to the heart shaped object and on the blade it’s attached to the inner circle.

See attached image.

Best regards, Ed

[hobnails]

Many thanks again guys for your help i agree with what you guys have suggested

the aoi carved on the blade does look suspect, i suspect i will never no for sure

unless i submit for shinsa which is unlikely to happen

 

regards

Chris H