Help with identification will provide as many pics as possible

[rpgamerx]

Hello, so I recieved a katana from my grandfather after he passed away although was aware of the blade beforehand, I can't quite remember if it was given to him by a family member or friend of the family after the war i had sent pictures to a store or collector in Japan in 2016 however they may not have neccessarily been high quality enough for him to really identfy it only that it appeared to be a real sword dating 300-400 years back it appears to be unsigned or the tang is too rusty to really see it im not neccessarily looking to sell it as it has become a bit of a family treasure if only i could get more information about it or pointed in the right direction for authenticating it and learning about its history if possible, i know it is not a factory made blade and am fairly certain it is not a can carbon paper and a pencil or anything like that be taken to the tang to see if a signature arises from it or would it be better just to wait til i can get it to a professional? There is unfortunately a chip at the tip but i was informed it does not appear so bad as to cause to much concern for restoring it if there are any other specific images anyone would like feel free to ask

[Stephen]

Close ups would be a good start.

Then measure from tip to munemachi.

Photos of hada if you can capture it.

Pic without habaki will help to. 

So we can see Hamachi.

Well go from there

[rpgamerx]

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[Mark S.]

I’m going to go out on a limb with a few things.  Gut reaction based on small Sori (curve of blade) is kanbun era or thereabouts.  Due to condition, almost impossible to give a guess on school.  Hamachi area seems pretty intact and there might be enough meat for a polish, but without being able to see any boshi in the kissaki, not sure if there is enough so it can be re-shaped without boshi disappearing.  This blade would take a lot of work and not sure if economically wise… but if for sentimental reasons, $$$ isn’t always everything.  Just be sure you understand that you may never get your money back should you decide to sell.  

[DoTanuki yokai]

Maybe I’m far too optimistic but what I see is an Osuriage Nanbokucho Sugata. 

[French nihonto]

I don't know why. I have a little Tegai feeling on some pictures? 

[Stephen]

Toby good job on doing what I ask for.

IMHO definitely worth restoration. 

You'll do your Gpa proud when done.

I've seen worse tips saved, try to capture where the hamon runs out in the boshi.

Your not worried about getting $$$$ back

It will take years you've been patient this long another so another 4 or 5 will pass.

Saya restoration by John T

Polish by Ted T

 my recommendations 

 

The full Monty no cost concernd would be to send to Robert H in Japan for everything. 

 

May we see Tsuba and what fittings it has.

 

There is a fellow in Texas that ran the San Antonio show not sure if he's still around to give you a in hand look

 

I didn't expect this due diligence from you, when I snapped at you last night....bit grumpy when I'm drifting off to sleep. My bad

 

Good job hope I'm around in 3 or 4 years to see end result. 

 

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Tobin,

Here is a care and handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.or...ord-characteristics/

None of us can tell you much for certain working from just pictures; the sword needs to be seen in hand by someone knowledgeable and honest before you'll have a better understanding of what this is. The next Japanese sword show in the US is Las Vegas in January; if you can attend you'll learn a bunch.

Resist all encouragement to have the sword restored before you know a whole lot more about this sword in particular and Nihonto in general. Restoration does nothing to preserve the sword - a fine coat of machine oil on the blade above the tang will do that - and you don't know enough yet to understand what you would be up to. Restoration, if appropriate, can wait.

If you have a dozen questions you'd like answered feel free to call. I'm no authority but I've been at this for 40 years and will answer all I can.

Cheers,  Grey 218-340-1001 central time

[Stephen]

Of course Grey is correct, I was going on Toby thoughts of having restored. 

Grey was it Mike Q that ran SA Texas show, what would be wrong with having him look at in hand???

Toby I was just trying to give you options. 

 

[rpgamerx]

Well i am at work for the next 12 hours so any more pictures have to wait but I am really just hoping that it still is in good enough condition that something can be learned about its history etc before any restoration attempts however restoration is eventually in the cards for me i assume it would cost several thousand however i am not terribly concerned about that at the moment more about just keeping it in as decent shape as possible until that point without damaging anything that could help to truly identify it.

[rpgamerx]

Selling it is not in the cards for me what so ever nor do i plan to in the future will likely pass down in my family but preserving it and caring for it is a must for me

[rpgamerx]

If its history can be figured out and there are modern day surviving family members of this blades original owners a transfer may be in the cards if potential said surviving family is interested

[Geraint]

Dear Tobin.

 

An honourable intention but not one which you will be able to pursue.  There are no identifying marks and tracing any living family will be impossible.  Add to that few families are interested in such returns.

 

Better to do the other thing, keep it safe and eventually restore it for your family.

 

All the best.

[Rivkin]

Greatly shortened, straight, wide with little to no taper and o-kissaki is either Nambokucho, Tensho or shinshinto.

Often kasane helps to resolve whichever it is.

Its unlikely to be Yamashiro, so suguha can be interpreted as Yamato (Tegai?) though its a stretch guess.

I am a bit concerned that the steel here appears to be very clean and uniform which tends to be associated with later work so I would not disregard the possibility of shinshinto.

One of the cases where seeing it in hand would help, maybe one shot where the details of work on the blade are visible (if there is such fragment of the blade) would also help.