badkarma11 Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 Hello All, I would like to determine the pedigree of a Gunto sword that I have inherited. My grandfather, an Army surgeon, was given the sword by a grateful patient who had procured it as a war trophy. My father inherited it and now it's passed to me. I have attached a couple of pictures but I have many more. Thanks in advance. 'karma 6 Quote
16k Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 Ohhhh! That is nice! Not a Gunto I think but a Tachi. Blade is probably older. You need to past more. Naked blade without any mountings, close ups of the tempered line and tang, dimensions. I think you have something valuable here. 3 Quote
Grey Doffin Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 Hi, name please so we know how to address you, Here is a care and handling brochure: http://nbthk-ab.org/cleaning-maintenance.php You'll be doing yourself and the sword a big favor if you take a few minutes to read it. Congrats; your sword looks nice. Grey 4 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Posted June 10, 2020 Thank you 16K and Grey. My name is Alex. I will read the primer and then remove the Tsuka so that I can expose the tang. I will then take a picture and post it. 2 Quote
Bazza Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 Alex, on the surface very, very nice. I think you are very fortunate to inherit this sword. I'm going to s-t-r-e-t-c-h my neck out and say you have an itomaki-no-tachi koshirae from the Edo period (obvious) with a blade that may be a Shimosaka katana of the Yasutsugu line (a wild guess). Very much looking forward to your nakago reveal. BaZZa. 4 Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted June 10, 2020 Report Posted June 10, 2020 My mind instantly jumped to Yasutsugu as well Bazz, a good glass of scotch each if we are right! 3 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Report Posted June 10, 2020 The total sword length is approx 89cm from the tip of the blade to the base of the handle. Thanks for your responses, my Aussie brethren 2 Quote
16k Posted June 12, 2020 Report Posted June 12, 2020 Beautiful, but not what we need to identify your sword further! Quote
Grey Doffin Posted June 12, 2020 Report Posted June 12, 2020 Hi Alex, If you need advice for removing the handle or any other questions, feel free to call and I'll see if I can talk you through it. Grey 218-726-0395 central time 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted June 12, 2020 Report Posted June 12, 2020 The measurement needed is called the "sori". Here is a picture of where it's measured: This is found here: http://japaneseswordindex.com/measure.htm 1 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Report Posted June 13, 2020 Thanks Grey, I got it. I have removed the handle. The brass pin had been replaced by a wooden one at some point, unless it was never brass.. Bruce, The length of the nagasa is approx 25.5 inches (64 and change cm) The nakago was rather rusted but here are the pictures that I could get: These are all on one side of the nakago These are the other side: Quote
SteveM Posted June 13, 2020 Report Posted June 13, 2020 Yes, looks like Nobukuni (信国). Need a clearer picture, but for sure its Nobu~ 2 Quote
16k Posted June 13, 2020 Report Posted June 13, 2020 +1. If Shoshin, that’s a great sword. I’d like to see more of the blade. The yasurime fit. I think you should ask for this to me moved into the general section so that people not interested in military sword (which this is not) could give a look at it. 4 Quote
lonely panet Posted June 13, 2020 Report Posted June 13, 2020 If your using that wire brush to clean a nihonto in any form, you gonna get toasted. It's a big no no 1 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Report Posted June 13, 2020 Here are clearer pictures (I hope) Moderators, Admins, could you move this post to the General section and remove the reference to 'Gunto' in the thread title? Quote
Ganko Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 It is Nobukuni, he was also known for doing horimono on his blades. There is more than one generation, they are all pretty well thought of. 1 Quote
16k Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 So, technically speaking, we have a katana in Tachi mountings. Can you please post pics of the completely bare blade in its entirety and closeups of the temper line? Quote
Surfson Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 Alex, I agree that it is a Nobukuni. The early important members of the school worked from the mid 1300s until the early 1400s. Yours looks like it is signed "katana mei", which would probably make it one of the ones that worked in Oei, or early in the 1400s. It looks like it may have some pitch or tar on the handle obscuring the mei. If it turns out to be a genuine Nobukuni, and I think it likely is based on the horimono and shape etc., then the blade is worth many thousands of dollars. The mounts also have considerable value and my guess, which others may argue with, is that the whole sword, as it is, is worth at least in the $5-10,000 range. Even though you didn't ask, most people that come here with an inherited sword want to know, even if they plan to keep it as an heirloom and just want to know for insurance purposes. Please follow the protocols that Grey sent you for the proper care of this important piece of art and history. Was your grandfather in the Australian or US military? 5 Quote
Katsujinken Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 That’s a fine piece of history in surprisingly good condition. Take good care of it so that it can last another 600 years. :-) 2 Quote
SAS Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 Please keep that wire brush and any other "cleaners" away from the sword! 1 Quote
16k Posted June 14, 2020 Report Posted June 14, 2020 Robert, weren’t the Nobokuni line known for producing more Katana than Tachi? I agree that it looks genuine and Alex, you are a lucky, lucky guy. Many among us would like to own a genuine Nobokuni! 1 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Report Posted June 14, 2020 On 6/14/2020 at 6:18 PM, SAS said: Please keep that wire brush and any other "cleaners" away from the sword! The wire brush just happened to be near where I took the picture. No worries! 1 Quote
Surfson Posted June 15, 2020 Report Posted June 15, 2020 Jean-Pierre, I can't tell you the relative proportion made by the various members of the line, and am assuming that the transition from nambokucho to muromachi led to shorter blades and more katana mei. Mine long Nobukuni, which was made by Saemonojo, is tachi mei. 2 Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted June 16, 2020 Report Posted June 16, 2020 Alex, you have a nice blade, Please read https://to-ken.uk/resources/sword%20etiquette.html to understand how to handle & preserve it. Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Report Posted June 16, 2020 On 6/16/2020 at 3:05 AM, Ken-Hawaii said: Alex, you have a nice blade, Please read https://to-ken.uk/resources/sword%20etiquette.html to understand how to handle & preserve it. Thank you Ken. That link doesn't work but I have another from a post above. Quote
Brian Posted June 16, 2020 Report Posted June 16, 2020 Hover over the link. You'll easily see the extra character at the end added accidentally in the paste.Just copy...fix and enter. https://to-ken.uk/resources/sword%20etiquette.html 1 Quote
badkarma11 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Report Posted June 16, 2020 Thank you Brian. So, it appears that I have a katana length blade but with a tachi style (two kurigata) scabbard? There is a single mekugi and multiple seppa (two small ones above the habaki, a larger one, the tsuba, another large one, another small one and then the fuchi. The tsuba and seppa are loose when the blade has been drawn. Am I missing something (another seppa perhaps) or is the mekugi in the wrong hole in the nakago? Thanks in advance. I find all of this fascinating. Alex Quote
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