An unknown chisa-katana?

[Dave-V]

I'm Internet-trained on this so please be patient with me.  My father-in-law brought back from WWII what I believe is a chisa-katana; I have measured the nagasa at 20 7/8 inches (53.0225cm) and the nakago at 5 7/8 inches (14.9225 cm).  He also collected knives and smaller blades in the years after WWII but this is one he brought back with him from his service around 1945 or shortly afterwards before he was deployed home. 

 

The blade has sat in his house since then so I know it is at least 75 years old but I don't have any details about how he acquired it (and he has unfortunately passed away).  I've been told the signature is "Tamba no kami Yoshimichi" but I've also heard there were also fakes and I have no idea how to authenticate it.  I am not looking to sell the blade, just understand more about its history.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  

 

Given the limits of the forum's attachment file sizes I have posted a few pictures here but I have more on a Google Drive at this link.  

[mywei]

Yes you are correct about the signature

You could look for authenticated examples of the mei on the internet and compare to yours

 

Afaik the workmanship of Osaka shinto can be fairly characteristic so you could compare examples you find to your own

 

 

[SteveM]

2 hours ago, Dave-V said:

My father-in-law brought back from WWII what I believe is a chisa-katana

 

I think we'd just call this a wakizashi. 

If authentic, this would be a good candidate for a professional polish. Don't be tempted to polish it yourself, as these things need to be handled by people who understand what they are working with - people who have been trained to polish antique Japanese swords. (Youtube is full of people ruining Japanese swords...check on this site for people who can advise how to go about finding a polisher). 

[Dave-V]

Mywei, SteveM, thank you both.  From browsing the forum it looks like next year’s Chicago show may be my best next step since I live just outside Chicago.  

 

Would it be better to have it polished (and yes thank you I’ll definitely take the existing advice on finding a polisher) before the show or after?  If the consensus at the show was that it was NOT genuine then it would save me the cost of polishing; but from my browse of the forum so far it looks like polishing may help in that decision.  

 

Mywei I also see discussion about Osaka vs Kyoto shinto and the characters do fit Osaka better based on my nearly 20 minutes now of expertise in the matter so thanks for the pointer there and I’ll have to search more on that too.  

 

[SteveM]

I wouldn't be in a rush to polish it. I would have someone more knowledgeable look at it first. Polishing is a bit of a commitment both in terms of money and time, so you would want to be fairly certain that: a) the signature isn't a forgery, and b) there aren't any problems with the sword that would only worsen (or be further revealed) by a polishing. Sometimes these things are unavoidable, and you can't tell if there are any flaws until you get it polished. But by having an expert look at it close up you might get some confidence that the few thousand dollars you are about to spend on a polish will be money well spent. 

 

And yes, some people do get swords polished even though it may not be a financially wise move. But keep your powder dry for now. The smith (or, this group, I should say) is a well-known group, and they made good, distinctive swords. Hopefully you can get some good advice. (Better close-up pictures of the tip and the "machi" area might help others chime in as well). 

 

 

[Dave-V]

1 hour ago, SteveM said:

(Better close-up pictures of the tip and the "machi" area might help others chime in as well). 

 

 

Thanks.  Let me know of course if I'm not capturing the right stuff or the light is wrong.

 

There is a hamon visible in the right light, which from my reading it looks like polishing would help bring out, though it's not apparent in these pictures.

[Dave-V]

A follow up on this old post and a question below - perhaps a bit heretical but I thought I'd ask.  

 

I brought this wakizashi to the Chicago sword show in April (and my compliments Mark Jones on what looked like a great event even from a layman's perspective!).  Consensus from the 3-4 people who looked at it was it was likely genuine, Osaka shinto (someone said "Period 4"?) and worth polishing and submitting to a shinsa, so I got Woody Hall's contact info at the show and he agreed to look at it / polish it.  

 

He also felt it was a genuine Yoshimichi but unfortunately he discovered a hagiri on the blade (pictures).   From his comments and searching this forum I understand what that means and that the blade won't be papered or have collector value.  We'll still keep it in the family and as a piece of history.  

 

From my searches in this forum I probably should have asked Mr. Hall to make a window on the blade to bring out the hamon, but I didn't think of it while he had the sword.  I do understand that in its condition it's not worth bothering an expert polisher not to mention not worth $100 and up an inch.  It still would be nice to have it in better condition.

 

Are there "polishers-in-training" that practice on swords that won't get papered, or a different polishing option that I could look at?  I completely understand why those aren't usually good options, but the sword is no longer "in that market" and not a candidate any longer for the top experts so I'm looking for other options to restore it to a better condition. 

[SteveM]

Enjoy it as it is, for what it is. When you start to consider "budget" polishing options, you take a step into dangerous territory, filled with people who don't know what they are doing, taking power tools or dangerously abrasive materials to irreplaceable antiques.

 

I sympathize with you, and I understand the desire to get the thing looking as good as possible even with the hagire, but honestly its best to enjoy it in its current state. 

 

Well, either that or bite the bullet and get Woody to polish it even though it has a flaw.