Old warhorse

[tokashikibob]

  Here's a auction buy that comes from a mega collectors estate that is being parceled out.   A NMB member did the write up for the piece and attributed it to Sukeyoshi, do you agree?  

   Blade was pretty dirty when it came in but shows some detail after clean up and in a nice morning son.   Really nice early family blade that in all likehood saw Port Arthur or the Tsushima straight waters

[tokashikibob]

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[Shamsy]

Hi Bob 

 

What is the rectangular section in the nakago? Some sort of repair?

[Tensho]

4 minutes ago, Shamsy said:

Hi Bob 

 

What is the rectangular section in the nakago? Some sort of repair?

Blade is O-Suriage. Original mei inlaid in nakago is my guess. 

[tokashikibob]

Hi Shamsy,   how have you been? If you look at inlaid mei which I think is called Gakumei it also has a ana which would make this nakago a 5 holer.  She's a old gal but still looks good kinda like Raquel Welsh.    If the mei is SukeYoshi then it could be a Ichimonji school piece which would be nice.   Wish I had a coupon for a polish!

 

[Shamsy]

Thanks, I have read about mei being 'folded back' onto the nakago when the nakago is shortened, I don't recall hearing about them being inlaid. A great bit of information with an example.

[Bruce Pennington]

I love these warblades.  Westernized kyu fittings, but blended with traditional Japanese blade.  A true emblem of the times of Japan's transition to 'modern' military warfare.

[SteveM]

I'm seeing 助重 (Sukeshige).

[DTM72]

GAKU MEI - 額銘 - original signature inlaid in a cut-off (o-suriage) tang

[Jussi Ekholm]

Steve has great eyes and skill in reading. I am only confident on 2nd character being Shige (重) can't see first one clearly.

[tokashikibob]

   Gents got around to looking at it today with my kanji sheet and Steve M is correct,  definitely SukeShige.   Might have even been a tsuku there at one time.   You don't find these really old blades often in military koshirae that is for sure.