Can someone read this sayagaki?

[Christian]

Hi, i bought a Tanto that has a sayagaki that I cannot read. It is very worn in some parts but maybe someone can still read it. Thank you in advance! 

[Ray Singer]

(zaimei) Yamashiro no kuni Rai Kunitoshi 

 

Hon'a + Kao 

[DirkO]

Supposedly Hon'ami Kokyu.

[DoTanuki yokai]

Can we see some pictures of the blade ? 
Thanks

[Christian]

Hi, many thanks to the replies! Very interesting facts. And yes, here some pictures of the blade. The Tanto is not in good state and it would be interesting if it is worth a restoration. 

[Rivkin]

I would start by submitting it for papers. I am not at all knowledgeable on Kunitoshi's signature and I am not crazy about this nakago, but the sugata is more or less within the possible (though not of the most distinctive type) and also what little is seen of the work (second image) is very strong. I would check if boshi looks correct though (can't see).

I would have doubts if its Kunitoshi, but it is within the realm of theoretically plausible and even if its judged as gimei I personally would strongly consider going with this blade as a restoration project. 

[Ray Singer]

There are many examples available online to compare. Rai Kunitoshi signed with a mei of 3 (or very occasionally more) kanji. 

 

[Jean]

Late Darcy wrote something on the subject. There are two distinctive mei. A niji mei (Kunitoshi) and Sanji mei (Rai Kunitoshi), there are theories that it is the same smith. Niji mei work is wilder than the sanji mei one. I have seen quite a number of tanto signed. 
There are always  3-4 Juyo tanto signed at DTI. I have a doubt, but unfortunately  the blade is out of polish
Here are a few links to read carefully 

 

https://nihonto.com/niji-kunitoshi-二字国俊/

 

https://markussesko.com/2016/01/ (very interesting)

[Ray Singer]

I may be mistaken then as I thought there was just one tanto with a mei of Kunitoshi (for Niji Kunitoshi). I will check tonight when I return home to see if I can find others documented.

[Rivkin]

One more option:

Its been quite a while and I can't find the photograph so I am not sure about the details (!) - but I think I had at one point nijimei Kunitoshi tanto which papered NBTHK with an explicit statement it was Muromachi period's. The problem I don't remember it might have been Kunimitsu or Kuniyuki - what I do remember it was a top Rai name and the signature was clearly styled after the "real one", but still the shinsa did not want to reject the notion Muromachi's smith might have had the same name as well. 

[Jean]

Ray,

 

All the tanto I saw at DTI were sanji mei, I have never seen a niji mei tanto.

[Ray Singer]

I may be misremembering, but I thought that Hisashi Saito posted a video describing a showing a nijimei example (being the only known Niji Kunitoshi tanto). I can't find it in a quick search, and perhaps someone else here can confirm and post. 

[Jussi Ekholm]

I think there are 2 authenticated signed tanto by Niji Kunitoshi. Most famous is Jūyō Bunkazai and Meibutsu Aizen Kunitoshi (and I believe for long time this has been commonly known as the only signed one) but more recently there has been second one that passed Jūyō 61 and Tokubetsu Jūyō 25.

[SteveM]

The only verified one seems to be the Aizen Myō-ō mentioned in the link in Jean's post. *

There is a second one found in Kyōtō recently, and that may be the one mentioned in Jussi's post above. 

I'll put both here for reference. (No photos of the recent one, only an oshigata. It is 21.3cm)

 

 

 

 

[SteveM]

* Having trouble editing, but obviously if the oshigata above is the one that Jussi mentions (passing Juyo 61) it goes without saying that this should be considered verified as well.

[Jussi Ekholm]

Here is a picture of the other one.

[Christian]

Hi all, thank you very much for your answers! I appreciate this very much! Even if I don't think I have a real Kunitoshi here I will show it to the local nihonto club and will think about a restoration. It's a nice piece and I like it very much.