Kantei opinion/request/challenge

[Yama Arashi]

In the vein of posts by other members, namely Rivkin; I'd like to submit this blade to the forum members for opinions/kantei request-challenge.

This sword is heading to shinsa to get a definitive answer - but in the interim, I am curious to see the opinions of members, and what swordsmith/era/school you think it might be attributed to.

Specifications:
Nagasa - 28.75" / 73cm
Motohaba - 1.24" / 3.15cm
Sakihaba - 1" / 2.55cm
Motokasane - .248" / .63cm
Gunome midare, nie-deki, very apparent sunagashi and kinsuji (perhaps inazuma / imozuru)
Midare-komi boshi

https://streamable.com/2znwpy


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rivkin]

Its much easier to run kantei than to answer it, and for me its also tougher to kantei Edo period blades.

Kambun to Genroku shinto. I want to say second generation Hizen Masahiro, but the work is clearly a bit different, have to look more for who was similar to him in style.

But then kissaki hints is a bit more towards shinshinto... need to think more.

[sabiji]

Pffffhhh, I don't know. From the feeling I would tend to the late Shinshinto, so in the Bakumatsu. Well, and from what I can see it looks Soshu-esque. Since the Soshu style came late in the Bizen influenced Shinshinto period through the Naotane and Kiyomaro schools, I would guess the sword to be in that environment.

[DoTanuki yokai]

It’s minamoto Masao ? 

[Yama Arashi]

I've been lurking a lot longer than participating, and it's always enjoyable seeing people extrapolate the steel as it were. People/you guys can be quite impressive with the ability to determine a tight time window based off of specific features. (Hence kantei of course, but most of what I've seen in here far exceeds my own ability with such.)

I posted this same sword a number of months back, and have had a few other well learned individuals look at it, including a professional togishi, and anyone that has sounded an opinion has pretty much sourced it to the same school/style and era. I'm not concerned with the value, and it will stay in my collection irrespective of what the consensus is; I'm more curious as to an official answer on quality, era and school , and have been seeking opinions without being blinded by the mei, so to speak.

The only question/doubt that has been raised, are whether the mei cut and nakago condition are almost *too good*. So it's heading off to shinsa, for what is hopefully a definitive answer. Frankly, even if the sword is to come back gimei, it won't bother me, as it's a ludicrously great piece in my opinion.

I own a small number of fantastic blades, including 3 hozon and 2 tokubetsu hozon, and this particular sword is still my favorite.

Here are a few other photos from the original source, better showing the jigane/hamon detail. 

[Yama Arashi]