$10 Garage sale find. Looks like an OLD blade. Opinions wanted!

[DaveM4P99]

Hi all! Been a while since I posted. Posting this for a friend who got it for $10 at a garage sale.

 

Shape looks nice to my untrained eyes. Obviously in rough shape though.

 

What do you experts think??

 

Any help appreciated!

 

https://i.imgur.com/hQuRy7N.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/kms9Oiu.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/p2XkSff.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/NO1q0yk.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/Ccku0u2.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/2z8MIzA.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/3x0Hllb.jpeg

 

[DaveM4P99]

Pics attached.

 

[ChrisW]

For $10, he got a real antique Japanese sword which is something I can say I haven't done yet! Well done.

You'll have to wait for those more experienced than I to make a judgement about its manufacture, but it looks ubu (original length).

[DaveM4P99]

  On 2/9/2023 at 7:19 PM, ChrisW said:

For $10, he got a real antique Japanese sword which is something I can say I haven't done yet! Well done.

You'll have to wait for those more experienced than I to make a judgement about its manufacture, but it looks ubu (original length).

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Thanks Chris!

 

And the Ubu determination is due to the shape of the tang? It doesn't look like it was shortened?

[ChrisW]

Shape of the nakago, relative closeness of the mekugi-ana seems like suriage would be unnecessary. I would get that blade coated in some choji oil or mineral oil asap. Maybe even a light amount on the nakago on some of the red rust spots.

Red rust = bad.  Black rust = good (it is stable and doesn't degrade the metal as fast + used to date the blade).

Don't let him try to do anything else to 'fix' the blade. That is best left to professionals.

[Rivkin]

Hard to be certain but probably the end of Muromachi or early shinto waki. Shapewise they can be more or less the same from 1530 to 1680, but the nakago has a bit of late Muromachi feeling.

[DaveM4P99]

  On 2/10/2023 at 12:33 AM, Rivkin said:

Hard to be certain but probably the end of Muromachi or early shinto waki. Shapewise they can be more or less the same from 1530 to 1680, but the nakago has a bit of late Muromachi feeling.

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Thank you Rivkin!

 

So leaning towards quite an old blade here huh?

 

We look forward to more info! 

[ChrisW]

I think your next step would be having your friend find someone close to whom he can take the blade to and get an in-hand opinion. Pictures online can only show so much detail. If you're in the Indiana area, I can help. If not, there's plenty of members on either coast to ask as well!

 

[DaveM4P99]

  On 2/10/2023 at 2:08 AM, ChrisW said:

I think your next step would be having your friend find someone close to whom he can take the blade to and get an in-hand opinion. Pictures online can only show so much detail. If you're in the Indiana area, I can help. If not, there's plenty of members on either coast to ask as well!

 

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Thanks Chris. He's in Texas I believe.

[ChrisW]

There should be some members in the area. If not, the Chicago sword show is coming up!

[Ken-Hawaii]

Looks wakizashi length, but dimensions would be helpful.

[NewB]

Looks like a sue mihara nakago to my newbie eyes

 

 

j

[DaveM4P99]

  On 2/10/2023 at 3:58 AM, Ken-Hawaii said:

Looks wakizashi length, but dimensions would be helpful.

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Here are some dimensions! Thanks to everyone so far.

 

 

 

 

[DaveM4P99]

Any other ideas? So far we are thinking early 1500s? I know it's tough to guess with just pictures though.

[Ed Harbulak]

In the above photo of the mune, is that a mitsu mune we are looking at?

[NewB]

It is what I initially thought also

 

J

[DaveM4P99]

So a Mitsumuni (three sided mune) is known to be a characteristic of Yamashiro den or Soshu den?