Helping an older gent

[Shamsy]

Hello all,

 

By chance I met a gentleman who collected a lot of odds and ends as a youngster. One of these items was a Japanese sword. I mentioned that I know a great bunch of people who may be able to provide some additional information about it.

 

To me, it looks like a suriage tachi. The measurements provided; the sword is exactly 750mm overall and the tang is 152mm and 29mm wide.

 

Not a lot of rust on the nakago. It has a lovely looking tsuba and the remains of what was also likely a lovely saya, though sadly the lacquer is badly damaged.

 

I'm sure I could get more photos if necessary, but there are no nakago markings sadly.

 

As always, thank you to all our wonderfully knowledgeable members for their ongoing patience and assistance. 

[Ken-Hawaii]

There's something about the sugata that bothers me, Steve, but I can't put my finger on it (after 1/2 bottle of tasty Australian Shiraz). Does the blade fit in that saya?

[Shamsy]

I will ask, Ken. My understanding is the sword canes as is, no tsuka included.

[Gakusee]

Pity someone cleaned the nakago when they “ polished” the sword. From one of the top photos I think they even blurred the yokote line which has lost its crispness. 

[Brian]

  On 8/13/2020 at 3:24 AM, Shamsy said:

I mentioned that I know a great bunch of people who may be able to provide some additional information about it.

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But then you decided to settle for us instead....
🤣

[Shamsy]

Nah, you guys are great and I really do appreciate the help. It's not my area of expertise at all.

[Bruce Pennington]

Doesn't the flat sori speak of an era? (don't be shocked!  Just dipping a toe in the Nihonto water!)

[Shamsy]

  On 8/13/2020 at 5:37 AM, Ken-Hawaii said:

There's something about the sugata that bothers me, Steve, but I can't put my finger on it (after 1/2 bottle of tasty Australian Shiraz). Does the blade fit in that saya?

Expand  

 

Hi Ken,

 

Confirmed that the blade fits the saya nicely. Smooth in and out, snug but not overly tight.

[Surfson]

Bruce, yes the very straight shape can often mean it is from Kanbun era, relatively early in the shinto period.  The kissaki looks like it might have been repaired at some point.  

[Shamsy]

Thank you, Robert. Every little piece of information is useful. I understand photographs posted online are not exactly the preferred method, but I REALLY do appreciate it and so does the gentleman I'm relaying information to.

[RichardP]

Is the mune’s geometry off, or am I seeing things?

 

[Greg F]

I think the saya just looks more curved because of the missing laquer in the damaged area and it gives the look that wouldnt fit.

 

Greg

[dwmc]

I agree with Robert S. (Surfson) as the sword being Kanbun era. This is one of my swords which is very similar, not only in a extremely shallow sori, but notice the saya has a swirl pattern also. Even though the saya appears to have more curvature as in Steve's friends sword, mine and I suspect his fit quite nicely.

 

Dave M.

[Shamsy]

Thank you, Dave. I was prompted to do a little reading now that there are two suggestions about the period of forging. It fits pretty well. Your sword does best a number of similarities too, though I had thought the sword in question looked suriage. 

 

Kanbun-Shinto period (1658 -1683)

 

In this period, the centers of swordmaking were Edo and Osaka, and a new style of sword appeared. This sword has extremely little sori. 

[DoTanuki yokai]

I would not try to compare the blades sori with the saya sori because there is no rule about the wood at the mune or ha to be the same thickness.