Help Identifying a sword

[Ilovekatana]

I recently bought a new wakizashi and would like some help identifying it(Or at the very least a clue). Since I am currently waiting for it to ship out of Japan I only have the pictures from the seller. 

[ChrisW]

You bought a blade out of Japan and didn't take time to research it fully? That's a bit of a gamble, don't you think?

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/28/2024 at 9:42 PM, ChrisW said:

You bought a blade out of Japan and didn't take time to research it fully? That's a bit of a gamble, don't you think?

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Fair enough. I mostly bought it because I like how it looked. I do know at least what the signature said which was sagami kuni junin masahiro saku. But other than that as a relative newbie(This is my second sword) I have very little knowledge on how to identify swords.

[Rivkin]

It looks like a good late Muromachi o tanto or ko waki.

I don't want to read the signature since Japanese is frankly a bit difficult for me. Don't know how I would kantei it otherwise - its sort of Soshu in terms of notare hamon and nakago but most Sagami schools have longer kaeri at the time and a little bit wider hamon.

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/28/2024 at 10:10 PM, Rivkin said:

It looks like a good late Muromachi o tanto or ko waki.

I don't want to read the signature since Japanese is frankly a bit difficult for me. Don't know how I would kantei it otherwise - its sort of Soshu in terms of notare hamon and nakago but most Sagami schools have longer kaeri at the time and a little bit wider hamon.

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Interesting. It was being sold as being a late nanbokucho sword.  

[Rivkin]

Unlikely. There are some similarly styled Nobukuni's and Yamamura's from this period, but there are many differences... There was one generation of Masahiro who did similar things, but again I don't get the feeling for this period's steel. In theory - can be, but the shape is a bit off (too long, too large sori), hamon is bit too nioi etc. etc.. But like I said I have issues understanding this work. Stylewise very close to Nobukuni, but the nakago is not a typical one then. Otherwise it sort of Masahiro, but then kaeri is off.
I guess no papers?

It always helps being given the original link. A lot of beginners feel like they managed to get a super deal and they don't want to burn their secret supplier, but its usually not true.

 

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/29/2024 at 12:32 AM, Rivkin said:

Unlikely. There are some similarly styled Nobukuni's and Yamamura's from this period, but there are many differences... There was one generation of Masahiro who did similar things, but again I don't get the feeling for this period's steel. In theory - can be, but the shape is a bit off (too long, too large sori), hamon is bit too nioi etc. etc.. But like I said I have issues understanding this work. Stylewise very close to Nobukuni, but the nakago is not a typical one then. Otherwise it sort of Masahiro, but then kaeri is off.
I guess no papers?

It always helps being given the original link. A lot of beginners feel like they managed to get a super deal and they don't want to burn their secret supplier, but its usually not true.

 

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Here is a link to where I bought it from https://www.jauce.com/auction/x1122072219 . I do plan on submitting it for shinsa when I have the chance.

[Rivkin]

Ok that clarifies things a bit. Very straight bo utsuri, very weak hamon but high contrast jigane, this is circa 1510-1550. 

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:02 AM, Rivkin said:

Ok that clarifies things a bit. Very straight bo utsuri, very weak hamon but high contrast jigane, this is circa 1510-1550. 

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Thank you for the help. I take the sword is likely a gimei?

[Bugyotsuji]

Looks like:

相模国住人正廣作

Sagami no Kuni Junin Masahiro Saku

 

[Jacques]

I'll always wonder why we buy something without knowing what it is.

[Jacques]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:12 AM, Ilovekatanas said:

Thank you for the help. I take the sword is likely a gimei?

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Don't believe everything you hear, there's no Bo utsuri in Soshu den

[Jussi Ekholm]

Well 76,000 yen isn't really too much, and I agree with you that I like the shape and size of the wakizashi. Like Kirill I would think possibly late Muromachi for the sword.

 

I have not seen an example by Nanbokuchō or even early Muromachi Masahiro having this signature. I feel 相州住正広 Sōshū jū Masahiro is the most common signature.

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/29/2024 at 2:41 PM, Jussi Ekholm said:

Well 76,000 yen isn't really too much, and I agree with you that I like the shape and size of the wakizashi. Like Kirill I would think possibly late Muromachi for the sword.

 

I have not seen an example by Nanbokuchō or even early Muromachi Masahiro having this signature. I feel 相州住正広 Sōshū jū Masahiro is the most common signature.

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According to this article here http://nihonto-museu...blog/soshu-tsunahiro apperently the first generation Soshu Tsunahiro signed like that minus the 作 at the end.

Edited January 29, 2024 by Ilovekatanas

[Jacques]

According the Nihonto meikan sandai Masahiro and shodai Tsunahiro used that signature (Sagami no kuni junin Masahiro)  sandai Masahiro worked during OEI (1394/1428).

[Rivkin]

  On 1/29/2024 at 1:12 AM, Ilovekatanas said:

Thank you for the help. I take the sword is likely a gimei?

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For me its much harder to judge signatures compared to blades. On the one hand it does not look badly written and does look like a koto signature. On the other hand Sagami signatures tend to be bolder, with larger kanji, somewhat lower and at least with a bit more towards the center placement. They are also often faked. The work is not the most typical Masahiro but within roughly the same style. I think the possibility it papers is 50/50.

[Ilovekatana]

  On 1/29/2024 at 7:47 PM, Rivkin said:

 

For me its much harder to judge signatures compared to blades. On the one hand it does not look badly written and does look like a koto signature. On the other hand Sagami signatures tend to be bolder, with larger kanji, somewhat lower and at least with a bit more towards the center placement. They are also often faked. The work is not the most typical Masahiro but within roughly the same style. I think the possibility it papers is 50/50.

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Once again thank you for the info. That at least gives me some hope.

[Jacques]

I can't find an oshigata of Tsunahiro signing Masahiro but below a good example of his mei. the whole style is different so i have some doubt on the validity. No oshigata from the sandai Masahiro, who was a minor smith, found.