Help with this sword please

[Dean1981]

Afternoon all and a very happy new year to you, 

 

I was given this sword which is in amazing condition a year ago by a friend. The blade has a beautiful Hamon and blade with an equally beautiful saya.
the colours are strong and it’s been kept in its bag and stored correctly. 

The tang is not signed but has the file marks for being hand forged I’m told,

 

Could I please have some opinions on this sword and a rough price as I will be putting it up for sale, also if anyone is interested please feel free to contact me 

 

thanks in advance 

 

D

[Dean1981]

The saya really is beautiful 

[Dean1981]

Just to add there are no nicks in the blade and it’s been oiled and looked after, no rust 

[Stephen]

Nice clean outfit. Bet it was a desk jockey sword. Would like to more shots of nakago and see end looks cut off?

File marks look off too.

[Dean1981]

Nice clean outfit. Bet it was a desk jockey sword. Would like to more shots of nakago and see end looks cut off?

File marks look off too.

Of course

 

I’ll get you More photos

[Bruce Pennington]

Could we see a picture of the whole nakago (tang) with the handguard and fittings removed?

 

I have a navy blade with similar file marks (a little better, but not much) and I have another navy blade with the end of the nakago roughly cut off. That one is a late-war, unsigned blade. I assumed it was a rush-job.

 

Your fittings are really top-quality. Maybe some nihonto guys can comment on the hamon - I've heard the black line in it means oil quenched?

[PNSSHOGUN]

Yes, looks like an oil quenched one.

[Dean1981]

Here are the photos requested

[Dean1981]

So my Questions are:

 

Are oil quenched blades still made in the traditional sense

 

What would a sword like this sell for as I would like to put it up for sale

 

Yours

Dean

[paulb]

Hi Dean,

Oil quenched swords are not considered traditionally made. Many different techniques and manufacturing methods were employed during the war ranging from fully traditionally made such as those made by the Yasukuni smiths to those that were produced from bar steel. Oil quenched blades often had a degree of hand finishing.

 

There is a market for this type of sword and I will leave it to those with more specialist experience to give you an estimate. However it's appeal will be to the militaria collectors rather than those interested in traditionally made swords.

[Bruce Pennington]

Dean,

 

(sorry, we were typing at the same time!)

I'm attaching a chart showing the NINE different ways blades were made. The simple answer to your question is that a lot of work can go into a blade, making an attractive hamon, etc, but if it was oil quenched, then we don't say "traditionally made." Even blades that were water-quenched, but used non-Japanese steel don't qualify for the label "traditionally made."

 

Overall, your gunto on today's market will sell in the $900-1,200 USD range, depending upon your marketing skills, location, and buyer.

[Dean1981]

Hi Dean,

Oil quenched swords are not considered traditionally made. Many different techniques and manufacturing methods were employed during the war ranging from fully traditionally made such as those made by the Yasukuni smiths to those that were produced from bar steel. Oil quenched blades often had a degree of hand finishing.

 

There is a market for this type of sword and I will leave it to those with more specialist experience to give you an estimate. However it's appeal will be to the militaria collectors rather than those interested in traditionally made swords.

 

 

Dean,

 

(sorry, we were typing at the same time!)

I'm attaching a chart showing the NINE different ways blades were made. The simple answer to your question is that a lot of work can go into a blade, making an attractive hamon, etc, but if it was oil quenched, then we don't say "traditionally made." Even blades that were water-quenched, but used non-Japanese steel don't qualify for the label "traditionally made."

 

Overall, your gunto on today's market will sell in the $900-1,200 USD range, depending upon your marketing skills, location, and buyer.

IMG_1120.JPG

 

 

Thankyou PaulB and Bruce amazing information as always 

 

 

yours

 

Dean

[SAS]

No signature, no stamp, bad yasurime, strange hamon, strange polish, pristine gunto koshirae.....hmmmm. I am no expert, but if i were offered this I would assume it was a replica and pay accordingly, or pass.

[16k]

No signature, no stamp, bad yasurime, strange hamon, strange polish, pristine gunto koshirae.....hmmmm. I am no expert, but if i were offered this I would assume it was a replica and pay accordingly, or pass.

 

Steve, I don’t think this is a replica. My very first sword was like that. No stamp, unsigned,nakago rather we’ll finished but with this kind of yasurime, typical Seki oil tempered Hamon, and still, it was 100%genuine. I figured that it was made before stamps became compulsory (1937 if I remember well) but I guess I’ll never know for sure. I sonder if some escaped the stamping procedure for whatever reason.

[Austus]

Is it the camera angle, or is that kissaki very blunt? Looks like the hamon runs off the edge. Also looks like the tang has been cleaned. The tsuba is still partly gilded; and, yeah, that ito is really clean. Strange combination of qualities; but I say it's real, for whatever that's worth. And that's probably worth about 2 cents. On a good day. 

[Dave R]

Have a look over at Mr Komiya's information. Late war they were struggling to the point where I doubt they bothered with stamps signatures or yasurimei any more. It also highlights how many blades and fittings were made in small workshops, with little uniformity in production.

[WilBru5]

For thoughts on quenched navy blades read this article by Mr. Komiya

 http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/ideal-geometry-cutting-performance-715257/?highlight=geometry

[brannow]

The gunto that started the thread is an original sword but it has been heavily acid etched by an armature polisher and it does not look like it has been neutralized.

[IJASWORDS]

Bill, I have seen similar looking acid etched swords for sale, but what do you mean by neutralized? 

[brannow]

When something is etched with acid it needs to be neutralized or the acid will keep eating at the metal.