Aggressive Shin-Shinto O-Katana

[Big Jimp]

Posting this somewhat in reference to an earlier post where I had meant to add additional context and images, but a vacation lead to me losing track of time.

 

Here is my O-katana. It’s an aggressive shinshinto piece, signed Fujiwara Kiyondo and dated 8th month Bunkyū 2. The sword is not papered and the mei is not proven, this blade was discovered in poor condition gunto koshirae at an estate sale.

 

It measures 38.25 inches overall with a 29.2” nagasa. Width of 1.4” at hamachi and 0.88” at yokote, though the yokote is obscured. I believe, based on the placement of the mekugi-ana and other clear indicators that the nakago is not ubu (though I am an amateur). There is around 2cm of ububa on the blade.

 

What little of the hamon is visible is quite pleasing to the eye and I am queued with a few togishi. I am more interested than anything in polish for study and preservation of the sword, which seems to have lived a somewhat difficult life. 

 

 

[Big Jimp]

More images will follow as total size restrictions come with each post

[Big Jimp]

[Big Jimp]

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Jim, a rather intriguing sword. Certainly worth having a professional Togishi inspect it. Do you have pictures of the old Gunto mounts?

[Big Jimp]

Additional information that I forgot to add in the initial post: the blade, as expected, is thickest at the shinogi, slightly more than 1/4 inch at the hamachi, gradually narrowing out and then coming back to around to an almost bulbous feeling 1/4” at the kissaki, quite well balanced. From the yokote, the kissaki is a hair shy of 3”

[Big Jimp]

9 minutes ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Hi Jim, a rather intriguing sword. Certainly worth having a professional Togishi inspect it. Do you have pictures of the old Gunto mounts?

I do not have photos of the gunto mounts on hand. Though, it was a rusty metal saya in generally poor condition and the bare wood of the tsuka with gunto fuchikashira, with around 1/2” of ito at the bottom holding the kashira on, tied in makidome. 

[Rivkin]

unfortunately studying the signature is best with the photo taken strictly from above, full frame filled, otherwise distortions are making everything appear gimei.

So It does appear gimei but maybe only at this angle.

[Baba Yaga]

Analyzing a sword is best done by hand NOT with photos, Analyzing is also BEST done by someone who is competent in a "sword club" in person.  Find a sword club!!! 

[Matsunoki]

James, can you provide closeups of the kissaki area? Does the hamon run off the end? The boshi looks a bit perilous and perhaps the kissaki has been heavily reduced as result of a chip? That might explain the absence of a yokote. Difficult from these pics. 

[French nihonto]

The geometry of the kissaki seems a little strange compared to the rest of the blade. I have the impression that the blade has been shortened by the kissaki. 

[Big Jimp]

Hi all,

 

I’m inclined to agree that the blade has been shortened and I too feel that the boshi/kissaki geometry seems perilous. I think though, that shortening has occurred both at the kissaki and the hamachi. I’ll have to take a photo under better lighting conditions tomorrow but here is a closeup of the kissaki that I snapped yesterday evening. There is a faint hamon present at the kissaki but it appears somewhat thinned out. Though mei legitimacy would be nice, I’m certainly no treasure hunter and am more concerned with a polish of the blade for preservation and study. I will add, that in-person, the blade appears rather wide and thick, delightfully so to the knowledgeable eyes that I’ve shown it to. 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Jim

[Brian]

Boshi is still there though.

[Paz]

Sorry @Big Jimp to  bring this topic  back up again but we did we get anywhere with knowing if this was genuine kiyondo ? Out of interest for shinshinto works. Thanks 

 

 

[Jacques D.]

A papered Kiyondo  with the same mei

 

https://www.touken-world.jp/search/22350/