Need help to identify a Katana Signed: "Kagemitsu”

[Zhanguowarrior]

Hi,

 I am new to Japanese sword, need your help identifying this Katana I recently bought:

Katana in shirasaya.  Signed: "Kagemitsu."

 

Nagasa: 64.7 cm.  Sori: 1.9 cm.

 

Moto-haba: 2.7 cm.  Saki-haba: 1.8 cm.

Moto-gasane: 0.6 cm.  Saki-gasane: 0.4 cm

 

Do you think this is made by the famous 長船（おさふね）景光?

 Thanks for any opinions or comments!

[Jean]

Tony,
 

Without searching very far, the answer is in the price you paid for it and in the kanteisho level (certificate level) you got. No certificate, it must be presumed gimei. Low price, it cannot be a Rembrandt.

[Utopianarian]

I know by that wooden floor and notorious purple rug you bought it from komonjo on eBay out of Berkeley California. He knows what he is selling so no lost National Treasures there… the guy passes tons of swords and found the perfect schtick selling an endless pipeline of gimei blades with big names chiseled on them on eBay and not giving much in regards to description. Some advice: in the future not only study the blade but kantei the seller as well..

[Zhanguowarrior]

Thank you guys

[reinhard]

Hi Tony,

 

In this case the answer is particularly simple.

The mei is on the sashi omote, i.e. the blade is signed as a katana.

Famous Kagemitsu in Osafune never did that.

His DaiTo are always signed as tachi, i.e. on the haki omote.

 

There were many minor smiths signing "Kagemitsu" during later periods though.

The torokusho wrapped around the saya does not give detailed information, for it doesn't have to.

It is just a paper legalizing the ownership as long as the blade is in Japan.

It should never have left Japan.

 

reinhard

 

 

 

 

[Brian]

Indeed, sometimes the answer is as simple as that.

[mecox]

There were many generations of Kagemitsu in Kaga (Ishikawa) from early koto and well into shinto.  Early ones include 4-5 Juyo blades. Most signed tachi-mei but were some kata-mei.

Summarised and examples here:  

 

[Jacques]

Nihonto meikan lists 18 Kagemitsu; among them some minor smiths signing that way (niji mei) in Muromachi jidai . I suspect this blade being a Komonjo one, that means big red flag.