Help with info and translation on my newest gunto

[JohnWB]

I picked this up today at the Wannamaker show and was hoping to get some help on the translation.  I will post more pics of the fittings in a reply to this post. The family mon appears to be the Watanabe family Crest.  The tag said "Watanabe Bosh Family Crest", but I cant find any info on the "Bosh" part of that.  The blade is unusually straight, but I have not measured the sori.  The tassel looks like new, but it appears legit to me and a few others I showed it to. The nakago has a nice dark color and appears several hundred years old to me, but I am definitely not an expert and would appreciate any help with approximate age and translation of the mei.

 

What are your thoughts on the sword and tassel, and I would greatly appreciate any help on the translation of the mei.  Thank you!

[JohnWB]

More pics.

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

祐定作 Sukesada Saku?

 

Re: "The family mon appears to be the Watanabe family Crest.  The tag said "Watanabe Bosh Family Crest", but I cant find any info on the "Bosh" part of that."
 

Bosh is a spelling mistake for Boshi. Boshi is a reading of 星, normally Hoshi, a star. Japanese stars were traditionally rounded, not five or six pointed. Kamon or Mon is a family crest.  So that means the "Watanabe 'stars' mon". 

[lonely panet]

whats not to like,  ubu but with machi-mori.  suguha hamon nice gunto mounts +A

[JohnWB]

  On 4/6/2024 at 3:58 AM, lonely panet said:

whats not to like,  ubu but with machi-mori.  suguha hamon nice gunto mounts +A

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@lonely panet I am extremely happy with the sword, but my ignorance is shining through, what is machi-mori?

 

Thank you @Bugyotsuji for the translation help!

 

Anyone have any idea which Sukesada signed with a 3 kanji mei?  All of the signatures I can find are longer signatures except for the very early ones.

[Bruce Pennington]

The tassel is either something right out of box, never used (I have one like that), or a modern reproduction.  John, @PNSSHOGUN, is the guy to ask.

[lonely panet]

  On 4/6/2024 at 11:46 AM, JohnWB said:

@lonely panet I am extremely happy with the sword, but my ignorance is shining through, what is machi-mori?

 

Thank you @Bugyotsuji for the translation help!

 

Anyone have any idea which Sukesada signed with a 3 kanji mei?  All of the signatures I can find are longer signatures except for the very early ones.

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sukesada was approx 60 smiths that worked in the  Bizen osafune group. witha  long range of dating timelines.  rarrowing it down will be very very hard. oddly enough it appears to be a kanbun area blade with a meduim kissaki and almost no sori.  so many possiblities...... a kanbun sukeda?? after the great flood osafune was wiped out so if a smith rebuilt ans continied to work?? or gimei? or not a bizen sukesada.. 

more educated peaple can offer more.

 

machi mori probably incorrect saying is the moving up of the hamachi and munemachi to allow a longer nakago,  so going from a short bizen style nakago " 1 hand" to 2 hands 

[JohnWB]

Thank you for all of the help guys.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.  I'm always trying to learn more, and I feel like this sword has a lot to teach.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Tassel is authentic, in very good condition.

[dwmc]

  On 4/6/2024 at 9:31 PM, lonely panet said:

machi mori probably incorrect saying is the moving up of the hamachi and munemachi to allow a longer nakago,  so going from a short bizen style nakago " 1 hand" to 2 hands 

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Fairly close Fish. I think the procedure is actually called "Machi-Okuri" rather!