trying to get information on inherited Katana

[Matting2]

Quote

 

I received this sword from my parents estate. They were given 2 swords from a friend that was a WW2 army vet. around 45 years ago when I was a small child. they were kept in the closet all of those years and I am trying to get some information on the older one. The second sword is a mass production sword from WW2. the older sword is obviously more than that and I would like to get some information on the sword or its sword smith for my new family heirloom. It appears to be made from Shigimasa but there are no other markings on the tang

[Matting2]

[Matting2]

[Matting2]

[DTM72]

重正 Looks like Shigemasa

I am unable to find any matches for this signature. The blade appears to be older than WWII and the signature does NOT match the WWII smith Ikkansai Shigemasa. That being said, this looks to be an authentic Nihonto. Unfortunately, I personally cannot find a match to this particular smith. The tsuka (handle) has a sarute (d-ring) that was added, and not a normal configuration for this style of handle. There is a blue/brown tassel is company grade officer tassel affixed to the sarute. This would be found on a military issue gunto, not a civilian type sword like yours. The iron tsuba appears to be Edo period and the saya (scabbard) appears to be WWII. Need a better pic of the saya to tell you more. It also arrears theat the ashi (suspension ring) is upside down. WWII gunto were made to be worn in the style of tachi, which is edge down. I am guessing someone flipped the ashi to mount the sword edge up, as a katana should be.

Need better pics of the blade, close-up) to give you a better idea of what you have.

[Geraint]

Dear Mark.

 

As Dan says this one seems to read Shigemasa and it is not a WWII sword but rather earlier.  It is in civil mounts which have been adapted for use in the war by the addition of a loo for the tassel and a ring to the scabbard to suspend the sword from, it may have originally had a leather combat cover.  

 

The fittings are quite nice and the condition of the blade looks fairly good given it's history since the war.  Resist the urge to clean anything, just keep the blade lightly oiled.

 

If you measure from the tip to the notch on the back of the blade where the metal collar sits what length do you get?

 

All the best.

[Surfson]

There are nine Shigemasa smiths listed in Markus Sesko's bood Swordsmiths of Japan.  Some are in Bizen, others are in Seki, Bingo, Sagami....

[Surfson]

It looks like a legitimate samurai blade to me by the way, and the mounts were once very nice.

 

[DTM72]

6 minutes ago, Geraint said:

Resist the urge to clean anything, just keep the blade lightly oiled.

 

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE follow the above information!

[Matting2]

Thank you all for the advice. No worries about me doing any of the work. It will all be professionally done. My father told me years ago, 45 or so, to never touch the blade. I listened. It is in fairly good shape but I would like to have it polished and restored to the level that it deserves. I will lightly oil the blade with mineral oil tonight. Should this be applied to the tang as well or just the blade. I am ignorant to the world of Nihonto but respectful of what I have been blessed to receive it and will that treat it as it should be treated. Unfortunately my father never knew what he was in possession of. 

[b.hennick]

Only if you see active red rust should you put oil on the tang. 

[Matting2]

Thank you. It is all dark black rust. Nothing that looks active

[Matting2]

There are nine Shigemasa smiths listed in Markus Sesko's bood Swordsmiths of Japan.  Some are in Bizen, others are in Seki, Bingo, Sagami....

 

is there a way to determine which one it was? The only thing on the Tang is the name. I have checked both sides.  I feel like a kid with 5 bucks in a candy store. This is so exciting. I really do appreciate all of the help and information.

[Geraint]

Hi Mark.

 

Better pictures as mentioned in the other thread might give us some chance of getting this to at least a time period.  In the end, if you really want to know more then you will have to go down the route of professional restoration and what is called shinsa, a panel of Japanese experts inspect the sword and attribute it, (if you are very fortunate!), to a specific smith.  In the case of your sword they are likely to only give a confirmation of the smith and the period in which it was made.

 

Take it slow, time is on your side and you have started on a journey with no end so enjoy the ride.

 

All the best.

[FZ1]

If you can post some pictures showing any details of the blade, the people on here are really good at providing the region it was made and possible dates.  The more detail and definition you can get, the better info they can give you. 

 

Also, if you provide a picture of the whole blade (without the fittings) from square-on, it will help them because the shape of the blade provides a lot of info about location/date.

 

Note, I say "they" because I'm new to this too, and in awe of the fact that they can give so much info just from photos!

 

Jon

 

 

Edit:  Geraint beat me to it! 

 

[Matting2]

Is the Shinsa done in Japan or is there any place in the US that it is done. Again, sorry for the ignorance but I am only a week into this. 

[ChrisW]

NBTHK Shinsa is only done in Japan, far as I know. There is NTHK Shinsa which is done state-side, but it is seen as less... desirable? Its hard to explain the politics of it all. Its like comparing PSA card grading to any other service. You would be better served to seek NBTHK as they have more knowledge and prestige in doing it. There are agents stateside who can broker Shinsa for you, but only after the blade is made presentable (polished).

[Matting2]

[Matting2]

[Matting2]

The black stuff near the tip is something on the blade not rust. You guys told me not to clean it. I hope these help with the Shigimasa mystery and thank you again for all of the incredible help.  I will post pics of the other sword tomorrow

 

[Matting2]

Almost forgot the most important one

[Matting2]

Almost forgot the most important one

[Matting2]

A few of the 2nd sword as well. Mass production WW2

[Matting2]

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[Matting2]

We're a lot of these war era ones unsigned? I thought that the ones that weren't stamped has a painted signature on the Tang. On this one there is nothing. 

 

[Matting2]

The hamon on the 2nd katana is very straight.

 

[Brian]

Painted kanji on the nakago is just rack/arsenal numbers, nothing to do with signatures. Most with painted characters are showato from experience.

[Matting2]

Thank you. So does this one look like what I thought it was? 

[Bruce Pennington]

Unsigned blades are fairly common.  Less common, I think, during WWII than prior years, but not unheard of.  I've never read anything factual as to why this happened, but there are many reasonable ideas about it.  Time crunch demands could explain it.  I also recently read that smiths could get more money from the private market for their blades than they could from the army.  The article stated that a registered smith would put a false name on blades sold the shops to avoid being spotted by Army officials.  To me, a mumei blade would achieve the same purpose.