Kunimoto (or Woolworth)?

[Cuirassier]

Compliments of the season to everyone.

I hope you all are staying safe and well, that life will get back to normal, safely, soon.

 

I bought a katana as a punt.
Will not ruin my year if it is nothing.

Have really struggled with the mei, so have low expectations (but high hopes as always).

 

Anyone? Kunimoto (saku)?

 

[Mark S.]

Kinda looks like...

 

Nobu or Nori

Shiro

Saku

 

But not sure it makes sense?  Also, the first character seems 'differently cut' than the second and third, but it could just be lighting or trick of photography.

 

 

 

[SteveM]

Would be better to look at the sword itself, rather than this one section of the nakago.

It could be a real Japanese sword, with a fake signature.

This bit, in isolation, looks slightly suspicious. 囗氏作 (something-uji-saku). 

[Bazza]

Woolworths??

 

BaZZa.

[mecox]

maybe KUNI UJI SAKU......useful to see the whole nakago.    Older sword?   with a creeping tateware?

[Cuirassier]

Looks real enough to me, but......

 

[Cuirassier]

And it is big (28 3/4 inch Nagasa)

[Toryu2020]

I'd be inclined toward 重氏 Shigeuji...

-t

[dkirkpatrick]

It looks like a pretty decently forged shin-shinto sword and a legit rig, however the nakago patina  feels a little off (cleaned or something?) and the mei looks like it was carved by someone who never held a chisel and feels like it was added (to my eyes anyway).  Interesting.

 

Doug

[Cuirassier]

Hi Guys.
Happy New Year; I hope 2021 sees the end of the covid curse for everyone.

 

Seller (to me) says his grandfather brought it back to the UK at the end of WW2. I hear this a LOT (everyone says their Chinese shop swords are antique family hand downs). But the tsuba got me, as it is one of the type of those recognized by Richard Fuller for civilian swords for military use). I wish I could pot more photos, but have reached the limit. Of real interest (to me) is the sword knot that came with it. Clearly original to the period, it is not a Japanese army sword knot as these have flat cord. This uses round substantial cord, but it is well made.

 

The same is same, and the furniture well made. But I agree, when I saw the mei I was puzzled and then, soon after, went "Oh s**t". But the blade is clearly well made, though probably oil tempered. It has a Choji-midare ha (cloves) type hamon in places (sorry, I am not good with the camera), which is not one of the easily etched / forgery hamons. Plus the blade is BIG. So the mei was added later, maybe it is an expression like "God made this"? I tried for ages to work it out and am glad, in a way, you all had problems with it too (thanks very much for trying).

 

I am certain the seller is legit in what he says. He said his gramp never ever talked about WW2, which I know many vets did not.

 

Death to covid, soon

[Bruce Pennington]

5 hours ago, Cuirassier said:

is the sword knot that came with it. Clearly original to the period, it is not a Japanese army sword knot as these have flat cord. This uses round substantial cord, but it is well made.

 

OK, no fair teasing!  If you can't post pics of it, PM me and I'll give you my email.  I'll post them.

 

5 hours ago, Cuirassier said:

Death to covid

Well said!

[Bruce Pennington]

Here's the full picture of the sword.  Mark, I was actually asking about he cord/tassel.  Have pictures of that?

[Bruce Pennington]

Here’s the cord. Maybe from a Swords bag?

[Cuirassier]

Thanks Bruce, Thomas, Doug, Steve, guys

I have at least worked something out, it is a itomaki-no-tachi; if you look close at the saya, the embellishments have been removed but you can see where they were.