Help authenticating sword and signature

[charlieboy]

Greetings. I am hoping somebody may be willing to authenticate this sword and identify the signature and age.

[Seth]

I might be wrong, and I am sure someone will correct me swiftly if that's the case, but I do not believe this is of Japanese origin. Seems very crude and the mei and habaki look way off. Can you slide the habaki off the blade? 

[Ron M]

I second what Seth states. I agree on his thoughts and also add that, with very few exceptions, a Japanese smith would never finish a tang (nakago) like this 

[ROKUJURO]

Second KANJI is KAWA (= river), but as stated above, not Japanese. Probably very recently made.

Charles, the first photo is upside-down which does not help us in reading. In any case, we cannot provide authentications on the forum, this has to be done by a SHINSA committee. They first look at the blade and its features, and then at the signature.
 

[Bugyotsuji]

枝川

Edagawa

(For what it's worth.)

[Bruce Pennington]

For what it's worth, I find no WWII smiths that use "川" in thier mei.  There are lots of smiths with gawa in their real name, but not in the mei.  It is found in location names.  Edogawa is a ward in the Tokyo area, but I don't know if they spell it the same way.

[ROKUJURO]

Charles,

even if your sword had no signature at all, it would easily be recognizable as non-Japanese.

[Bencld]

It’s not a willy jeep spring is it ? Made to trick some sucker out of their money during the war !!

[charlieboy]

On 2/20/2024 at 12:56 PM, Seth said:

I might be wrong, and I am sure someone will correct me swiftly if that's the case, but I do not believe this is of Japanese origin. Seems very crude and the mei and habaki look way off. Can you slide the habaki off the blade? 

Hi Seth. I've tried getting it off, using boiling water to expand it, but have had no luck.  Seems to me, whichever way I look at it, the blade is not of Japanese origin.  I am now trying to find out if it was an 'island made' sword and, if so, for whom and when.  I appreciate your reply!!

[charlieboy]

11 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

Charles,

even if your sword had no signature at all, it would easily be recognizable as non-Japanese.

Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it.

[charlieboy]

19 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

枝川

Edagawa

(For what it's worth.)

Thanks Piers.  I appreciate it!

[Seth]

12 hours ago, charlieboy said:

Hi Seth. I've tried getting it off, using boiling water to expand it, but have had no luck.  Seems to me, whichever way I look at it, the blade is not of Japanese origin.  I am now trying to find out if it was an 'island made' sword and, if so, for whom and when.  I appreciate your reply!!

Charlie, if you can’t get it off that’s a bad sign and typical from what I have personally seen with many Chinese swords. I swear they put them on with hammers, it’s all mass produced one size fits all. Could be wrong though just my thoughts. 

[2devnul]

On 2/21/2024 at 7:28 PM, Seth said:

Charlie, if you can’t get it off that’s a bad sign and typical from what I have personally seen with many Chinese swords. I swear they put them on with hammers, it’s all mass produced one size fits all. Could be wrong though just my thoughts. 

 

They 'glue' it, I mean Tsuka on Nakago. 

 

@charlieboy

Total newbie here, but I would also vote for Chinese fake. 

[Paz]

Correct me of I'm wrong. But I see no characteristics of a Japanese sword, par the shape.