pcfarrar Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 I have a long wakizashi in good quality shin-gunto mounts signed Bishu Osafune .. (suriage). The blade has a suguha hamon with ashi, ko-nie in the habuchi, sunagashi, nijuba etc. The boshi has quite a long kaeri and goes past the yokote. The kasane of the blade is also quite thick and constant from kissaki to hamachi. It seems a bit too healthy to be koto, and hasn't had many polishes in its life at all. I wondered if it could be one of the Bizen Yokoyama shin-shinto smiths as I believe some did sign Bishu Osafune? Thanks, Peter Quote
Mark Green Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 Hi Peter, Your sword looks very much like one I have with the Bizen OF Sukesada mei. I have been told it was shinto, made by Bizen smiths that survived the flood and moved somewhere and set up shop. Many still signed Bizen. But I do not know any of this for sure. Mine has all the same attributes that yours does, and a great flame boshi. It is very nice reguardless. Mark G Quote
Ted Tenold Posted September 22, 2009 Report Posted September 22, 2009 It seems a bit too healthy to be koto, and hasn't had many polishes in its life at all. I wondered if it could be one of the Bizen Yokoyama shin-shinto smiths as I believe some did sign Bishu Osafune? Peter, The "Bishu" portion differs in strike than the "Osafune" portion. It looks to me to be by different hand and tool. The placement is also odd with a curious spacing between them. Also none of the mei looks anything like the Shinto or Shinshinto Yokoyama smiths which used a robust tagane and bold strikes. Mark's example is what I'd expect along the line of Shinto style mei and the Shinshinto were even bolder for the most part. I'd venture this one is gimei. Quote
pcfarrar Posted September 22, 2009 Author Report Posted September 22, 2009 I agree the "Osa" kanjii is certainy different to the bishu. Any thoughts on how old this sword might be? The suguha hamon has plentiful activity and it also has choji shaped ashi in the monouchi. The nagasa is just over 22". Quote
Mark Green Posted September 22, 2009 Report Posted September 22, 2009 It looks like it may have been a short Katana for a while. Looks shinto to me. Mark Quote
Ted Tenold Posted September 22, 2009 Report Posted September 22, 2009 I think I'd go Sue-Koto on it, but I wouldn't see early Shinto as out of the question. Without it in hand.... Some of the late koto can be thick and beefy feeling, but that long kaeri is seen in some shinto works. Quote
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