Is this supposedly TH paper Wakizashi from Ebay legit?

[Ziyistudio]

I found this late Edo period sword on Ebay that is signed by Sanjo Munechika (三条宗近). I know Sanjo Munechika as a very famous smith from the Heian period, but couldn't find anything about this "late Edo Sanjo Munechika". I'm kind of confused and wonder if this sword is legit. Someone please educate me on this, would really appreciate any feedback.

here is the Ebay link:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/314058081007

 

 

[Shugyosha]

Hi ZZ,

The paper looks correct and there are references to a smith signing this way in the late Edo period on the internet. 
 

https://art.thewalters.org/detail/8128//

 

Im away from my books so can’t be more precise. No doubt someone else will chip in. 

[Alex A]

There was a late Edo Smith , according to Markus index p418

 

Bunka 1804 to 1818  Yamato 

 

Mikasa Sanroku Ju Sanjo Kokaji Munechika

[Alex A]

Just to add, very little on this smith, as is sometimes the case so not much comparisons.

 

Id be wary.

 

 

[Ziyistudio]

11 hours ago, Shugyosha said:

Hi ZZ,

The paper looks correct and there are references to a smith signing this way in the late Edo period on the internet. 
 

https://art.thewalters.org/detail/8128//

 

Im away from my books so can’t be more precise. No doubt someone else will chip in. 

Thanx a lot, that's the same guy! The signiture calligraphy from ur reference does resemble the ebay one but those characters are etched slightly differently. I'm no expert though, I guess it's legit? But the ebay one was made before the smith was given permission to use the mon marking?

[Ziyistudio]

9 hours ago, Alex A said:

Just to add, very little on this smith, as is sometimes the case so not much comparisons.

 

Id be wary.

 

 

You are right. The offer the seller gave was attractive though... I need to be calm lol. Do people generally shy away from smith with very little information? I'm a newbie newbie

[SteveM]

I wouldn't compare the signature on the wakizashi to the signature on the kogatana. They are two very different things. Kogatana are often signed as an homage to a famous smith, rather than signed by that smith's own hand. Its likely that the kogatana is meant to refer to the famous Sanjō Munechika, and not the one from Edo/Meiji. 

 

Regarding the wakizashi, it already has authentication papers by the NBTHK, so I don't think you have to worry about it being a fake. 

There are some other papered examples here

https://www.e-sword.jp/katana/1410-1077.htm

https://www.e-sword.jp/wakisashi/1910-2055.htm

[Alex A]

Hi, better staying away from Ebay

 

Check out the dealers listed here

 

Just for comparison, look at other swords of similar price

https://www.aoijapan.com/japaneseswords/wakizashi/

 

Places like Aoi will varify the papers are genuine

 

[Alex A]

1 hour ago, Ziyistudio said:

You are right. The offer the seller gave was attractive though... I need to be calm lol. Do people generally shy away from smith with very little information? I'm a newbie newbie

 

You will find blades by better smiths for the same money, smiths where you can find out lots of information.

 

Ebay not a good place to shop when your a newbie.

 

Plenty of posts about books on here, buy a few introductory books and read them before you spend any money.

 

 

Cheers

[Ken-Hawaii]

Ziyi, the mei is the LAST thing to examine. The sugata is the first, & it tells us that this blade was late Shinto or early Shinshinto. It's signed tachi-mei, which is unusual. Yakidashi show the blade is ubu, but the ana sren't as smoothly cut as are most blades in that era.

 

Good advice to stay away from eBay until you have lots more experience.

[Alex A]

Il be honest, my niggle is how a relatively unknown smith from the late Edo period can obtain TH  on what looks to be a pretty average blade.

 

Hence why i would want confirmation from NBTHK before buying.

 

Had a quick look at the Sho-shin site at the rankings yesterday and this particular smith i could not see there either

 

Not enough info.

 

Good to be cautious

[Ziyistudio]

23 hours ago, Alex A said:

 

You will find blades by better smiths for the same money, smiths where you can find out lots of information.

 

Ebay not a good place to shop when your a newbie.

 

Plenty of posts about books on here, buy a few introductory books and read them before you spend any money.

 

 

Cheers

Good point! Do you have recommended beginner books in English? Thx a lot

[Alex A]

Hello

 

Some beginner books you will find on the internet for possibly less than a tenner.

 

The Samurai sword, a handbook

The Sword of Japan

 

A bit of knowledge goes a long way in this game.

 

Lots more books after that, a few more being 

Facts and Fundamentals

The Connoisseur's book of Japanese swords

Craft of the Japanese sword

 

And so on. 

 

Ps, some good online sword sites where can learn, obviously here and others like

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

http://www.sho-shin.com/smith.htm

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/information.html

[Ziyistudio]

11 hours ago, Alex A said:

Hello

 

Some beginner books you will find on the internet for possibly less than a tenner.

 

The Samurai sword, a handbook

The Sword of Japan

 

A bit of knowledge goes a long way in this game.

 

Lots more books after that, a few more being 

Facts and Fundamentals

The Connoisseur's book of Japanese swords

Craft of the Japanese sword

 

And so on. 

 

Ps, some good online sword sites where can learn, obviously here and others like

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

http://www.sho-shin.com/smith.htm

http://www.ksky.ne.jp/~sumie99/information.html

thx a lot! took a screenshot lol. Just bought my first book!

[Nihonto Chicken]

Dare I say it again?  "The first thousand dollars you spend on nihonto should for books."    

[Shugyosha]

Well perhaps a bit less on books and the balance on travel to arms fairs, museums, sword club meetings etc. 
 

Getting your hands and eyes on as many (ideally good quality) blades as you can in addition to book study can’t be overvalued. 

[Surfson]

Did you buy it?  Looks like it has been sold. 

[Seth]

On 8/7/2022 at 3:59 PM, Ziyistudio said:

Good point! Do you have recommended beginner books in English? Thx a lot

 

This helped me tremendously! A LOT of good information and the recommended books were and are worth every penny. 

 

http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/faq.html