Bought as Chinese fake but wondering. Nakano Eizo ?

[Forte]

[Ron M]

It is definitely a Chinese sword. Period

[Brian]

Very fake.

[Bruce Pennington]

My google translate says:

Chinese - "O Eizo"

Japanese - "Nakano Eizo"

 

Could we get a shot of the whole rig & blade for curiosity sake?  Plus, I file some of these for future discussions.

[Kiipu]

中野Ｘ三

Not sure on the third character.

[BANGBANGSAN]

3 hours ago, Kiipu said:

中野Ｘ三

Not sure on the third character.

@BANGBANGSAN

中野栄三

 

 

[Kiipu]

中野栄三 Nakano Eizō.

Nakano is the family name or last name while Eizō is the first name.

[Forte]

Have more photos. Figured it for Chinese, but wondered if he maybe signed with own civilian name and continued post war. Never saw the number 38 before or any number in that location.

Thank you all so much. It was exhausting even searching for, but thrilling to find what might be his name.

Yes the photos are not oriented correctly.

[Forte]

[lonely panet]

37 more fakes out there

[Mister Gunto]

That Bo-Hi is a dead giveaway. Definitely not Japanese make. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Another sign is the proportion of the nakago size to the blade size:

[Forte]

Per Bruce’s requests to document all this as we search for the Honjo.  Here are a few more undeserving photos.

 

Thank you all for allowing me to exhibit my abounding ignorance.

 

Truly the one I saw on Wake Island, found in the New Matt’s area sends the most chills down my spine.

 

Thank you,

[Forte]

[Forte]

[Forte]

[John C]

Richard:

The mounts are trying to be Navy type 97. Not sure if they real. Saya parts might be legit, though the tassel probably not.

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

Well, it's a real character, alrighty!  Like John said, the tassel is clearly wrong/fake.  The tsuba/seppa set is made for a sword with leather-covered wooden saya, or this sword originally had a leather cover that is now missing.  But there would normally be the remnants of a leather wrap on the tsuka where the snap strap was attached.  

 

You photos, except one, are too blurry to judge the fittings.  Can we get some close-up, clear shots of metal fittings?  Also, I don't see a photo of the bare blade without habaki, showing the machi (notches where nakago meets blade) alignment.  Maybe I asked for that on another thread, but don't remember.

[Forte]

[Forte]

[Forte]

[Forte]

[Forte]

Thank you again. 

[Brian]

Visible "Damascus" pattern like this is almost 95% sure to be a Chinese fake. Combined with the angled end of the nakago, and poorly rounded edge fuller, I'm reasonably confident in calling this a Chinese fake.

[Brian]

Actually...looking at the wrap and fittings, I'm 100% sure this is a fake. Sorry.

[Forte]

Thank you again. No worries. It is one more to most likely chop off the list. I’m going to deduce where the finest ones are.  No disrespect but we are at a fine time to discover  whereabouts,  as  descendants open their Grandfather’s closets in  all corners of the lower 48, Hawaii and Alaska.  My belief is that they will be in the wrong fittings. Let’s all hope that the smelter did not toss them in the furnace.

 

many thanks, always a thrill.

[Bruce Pennington]

Brian summarized it pretty well.  The Japanese did not use damascus steel.  The fittings are the best replication I've ever seen for these kind of fakes, but like Brian pointed out the ito (fabric wrap) material and the direction of the folds is classic Chinese.