Help with Mei.

[denkav]

Any Help is appreciated.[ url][/url]

[Stephen]

Kane the second looks to be a form of mune....? MR. Moriyama is that right?

[sencho]

second one looks like Kage....

 

and the first looks like FISH !!!! ha ha ha... (MU ???)... or is that GYO... = (nothing)...

 

this is why I find it hard to string a coherent sentence together... that and the sochu...

 

Cheers

[Bungo]

the Kapitasn is right........it's Kanekage.

" kane " does resemble fish ( in Chinese ).................

 

milt THE ronin

[Stephen]

kanekage

[denkav]

Thank you all for your help. I've had this Katana for many years. It has always been somewhat of a mystery to me. Is it possible the Mei is Chinese ? When I showed this blade at my Dojo years ago, Sensei would only say it was " old style Kanji ". Niether he or any other of the Japanese students could offer a interpertation. This appears to be a most certainly very well made Nihonto. It is mounted in very nicely made ( I think ) old Edo period Koshirae. The Tsuka too, is " non-standard " as it has no Same panels or wrap, but high quality silk Ito over what appears to be a silk covering. I have seen many of the Chinese fakes as shown on Ebay, and can only say this is definitely not one of those. Still I am puzzled by the Mei, the apparent lack of Yasurime, and the lack of Same on the Tsuka.