Tachi , I saw on a post and want to help

[dimitri]

hello there is someone I know who has just discovered this tachi, it would have been in his family for at least 150 years. Who can tell me more, the signature is splendid and in gold. there are also lots of kamon on the saya, tsuba, tsuja, it's really amazing!
thank you I think he has a nice surprise in his family.

 

[dimitri]

[Ray Singer]

This is a kinzoganmei to Sadamune. Can you show more photos of the sword? Sadamune is a famous smith, the mainline successor to Soshu Masamune, and for this reason we often see attributions to this smith (often on swords that are not actually by Sadamune). It still may be something nice regardless, would be good to see more photos to assist further. Your Facebook screenshots are not showing.

 

[dimitri]

[dimitri]

I don't know what happened, here are all the photos, I hope they display correctly.
thanks in advance.

[Brian]

Gimei or not...looks like a serious candidate for a full polish and shinsa. Logic says it's probably gimei, but the shape and sori look promising for something decent.

[Matsunoki]

Looks a “semi” Kogarasu Maru sugata but with a different kissaki. I really like the shape and the nakago. Tachi koshirae  is interesting….kamon are all the same and not the usual kirimon.

[Ray Singer]

If this sword has been in his family for 150 years, it may have been brought out of Japan by a descendant visiting during the Meiji period, or purchased as an export item in Europe at that time. 

[dimitri]

yes in his family since 1900.1901.

[ROKUJURO]

Dimitri,

please tell him NEVER to lay the naked blade on a hard stone floor! Even if the blade is not in good shape, more damage might occur!

[dimitri]

I know but the photos were taken this weekend. I told him.

[Mark S.]

I know it is a minor point, but even the habaki was tailored to fit the hi on the blade.  Someone thought highly of this blade.  

[John C]

Looks as if the mon on the saya were once gilded as well.

John C.

[dimitri]

indeed, here is another photo for the Kamon.

[Tom Darling]

It's certainly impressive, awe inspiring. Send it directly to the NBTHK. You'll never know until you do it. Good luck.

[Tom Darling]

Could someone ID the mon?

[dimitri]

it seems to be the Oi Clan but not sure. There may also be the Akiyama Clan. kind of weird.

[Ian B3HR2UH]

Why would you send an out of polish blade to the NBTHK , when the blade is so obviously not by Sadamune ? Just a waste of money .

Ian Brooks

[PNSSHOGUN]

Astute advice, send it to a qualified Togishi first to see if it is viable for further restoration & appraisal.

[dimitri]

Thank you very much for your advice. 

I repeated all the advice and advice to my friend, He thanks for all this attention and even if it is not a blade of great value, for him it is a blade of great emotional value, the memory of his grandfather.

[uwe]

I found a tachi in nice mounts with the same “mei” in a museum storage room lately.

 

Can share some (blurry) pics if interested…

[dimitri]

Oh yes!

[uwe]

Here you go...

 

[uwe]

  On 4/18/2023 at 7:44 PM, dimitri said:

it seems to be the Oi Clan but not sure. There may also be the Akiyama Clan. kind of weird.

Expand  

The mon is called "Maru ni matsukawabishi". Ogawa is a possibility. For the other families I've to dig a bit....

[SteveM]

Mon is maru ni matsukawabishi (丸に松皮菱). The list of names associated with this mon is long. 

All the names at the bottom of this page are associated with this mon. 

https://yasumusic71.wixsite.com/gosenzosama/matukawabisi

 

Edit: Uwe beat me to it. 

 

[Matsunoki]

  On 4/19/2023 at 3:37 PM, uwe said:

Here you go...

Expand  

Hmmmmm……any pics of the blade and koshirae? Quite a coincidence.

Rather makes you wonder if these are  “Meiji productions”  albeit impressive looking swords with (probably) older blades (as Ray mentioned)

Many thanks.

[uwe]

I don't dare to show the blade beause it was mistreated by an &%?§ . Anyway my idea is to convince the museum to have it restored the next years.

The blade itself seems to be o-suriage, with some age and remnants of hada and hamon under the habaki. Astonishingly also mountet in a similar "itomaki no tachi" koshirae, like the example above...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dimitri]

Thank you for the photos, there are similarities apart from the kamon.
here is the count of the number of kamon.
55 kamon on the scabbard
16 on the handle
16 on guard.
Total 87
Is there a meaning?

other photos.

[Tom Darling]

My recommendation was to clarified if Sadamune has a chance of being shoshin without a polish. If the mei is gimei it will be removed and placed shinsa. Also the koshirae can be judged at the same time. Is the hamon visible?   Can you see hamon in the kissaki.  Cheers

[dimitri]

he makes me ask for the hamon.