Translation assistance on Chinese Auction (?)

[SwordGuyJoe]

Can someone please help on this? This is an active auction listed in China (http://cgi.ebay.com/Japanese-sword-kata ... 920wt_1167), so I have my doubts in the first place. The blade looks the part, but not too sure on the signature. Looks to be modern and not an antique either way. Here is the mei:

 

 

Looks a little unsteady, but I would appreciate some assistance in translating and opinions. If this should be moved to the auctions page, please feel free to do so.

[Nobody]

FYI;

The attached picture shows a genuine mei of So Tsutomu (宗勉). The answer may be obvious.

 

Ref. http://www.seiyudo.com/WA-08041.htm

[Bazza]

Koichi san's image of So Tsutomu compared to the "China" auction sword nakago shows how difficult it is to do yasurime artfully.

 

Regards,

Barry Thomas.

[Stephen]

I just wonder if its a liget auction. id pay that price just to see the work done, if their getting that close were going to be in trouble soon.

 

edit ....well not that price it was 99 when i first looked at it.

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

I also saw this sword on ebay. XXth century sword, deep sori... I didn't tried to translate the mei.

Althought it looks to be an interessing sword I didn't watched it because seller is in china and had only 29 trades. :?

 

Sebastien

[Jean]

The nakago is the tell tale (shinogi, yasurime)

[Brian]

The topic of this seller comes up here every time he lists an item on eBay. Take a look through past China sword discussions, and let's not discuss every time he lists an item please. Just rehashing the same stuff.

These are high end repros obviously, and it has been suggested maybe even by Japanese smiths working in China to get around the limits in Japan. I doubt it, but the Chinese certainly have the technology to produce high end forged swords. I don't know the overall truth, but he has some customers in the Nihonto community. Take that as you will.

 

Brian

[firebee1976]

Repros like this certainly makes me understand why everybody's so skeptical of the new people, such as me, that are getting involved in the Nihonto community. This also makes me understand why the market's so depressed. It's kind of hard to buy or sell items when stuff like this is out there. :?

[SwordGuyJoe]

When you say repro, are you saying a modern Japanese smith copying the style of an old master or are you implying that this is a Chinese fake of a modern Japanese smith copying an old master. I read the write up on this smith in Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths" and this blade looks to be legit.

[Brian]

It's made in China. High level, but not by the smith it claims to be by.

 

Brian

[reinhard]

I read the write up on this smith in Modern Japanese Swords and Swordsmiths" and this blade looks to be legit.

 

Have a look at this one more time.

 

reinhard

[SwordGuyJoe]

As I posted in my initial post, I thought the mei to be a bit shaky. When saying the blade looks to be legit, I was speaking to the shape, forging pattern, etc - it is the same as described in the book for the a style So Tsutomo. I definitely believe the group when they say it is a reproduction, mainly based on the mei being so unsteady.