Verification please

[Slowpoke]

I’ve recently acquired the sword and I’m only a beginner with really no knowledge of true nihonto swords. I’m not needing a  value of the sword but only to know is it a real nihonto blade. The mounts are shin gunto type  98. The tusksa is in decent shape for its age.

the Bo-hi runs all the way down to the end of the tang. That is the part I wonder about most. The signature seems to run into the bo-hi.  Right below the peg hole there is a tiny flower stamped in if you zoom in on the tang picture you can see it. Thanks. for all input good,or bad. This post is not for financial gain it’s my personal sword not for sale

Edited April 19, 2024 by Slowpoke
Not for commercial sell or profit gain added 1 comment

[Brian]

The hi seems to have been extended at a later date to run through the nakago.
I wonder if they weren't trying to hide an arsenal stamp? Seems to be genuine Japanese though, although I can't guess at age yet.

[Slowpoke]

Right below the peg hole there is a tiny flower stamped in if you zoom in on the tang picture you can see it 

[ROKUJURO]

Jounior,

these photos do not tell much. From the looks of the NAKAGO, the blade might indeed be an older one. 
 

In case you would like to have more input, it would help to post photos in the correct orientation:
 

-  NAKAGO photos with tip (KISSAKI) pointing upwards

-- no hardware on the blade

-  photos taken directly from above

-  close-ups of NAKAGO, KISSAKI, HADA, HAMON....
-  with light from the side

-  well focused

-  against a dark background to get a good contrast

-  presented as cut-out so nothing is distracting from the item

[Bruce Pennington]

  On 4/19/2024 at 4:34 PM, Slowpoke said:

Right below the peg hole there is a tiny flower stamped in if you zoom in on the tang picture you can see it 

Expand  

That's quite unusual!  Don't know if it's a stamp or a mark, maybe, of a clamp when they added the bohi?  Unusual location if it's a stamp, though.  Those are normally seen above the ana or at the jiri.

 

[Slowpoke]

I will try to put better pictures up when time permits. These are from the seller that were sent. The sword is supposed to be 17th century. But I don’t know if that is true or not. But  I don’t care that much it’s the best I could afford. 

[Rivkin]

Its hard to say because the signature has been purposefully (very harsh transition from nothing to deep strokes still visible) erased, and it was done in a rather careless fashion.

Yes its real nihonto most likely, but its also unlikely something of premier quality or value.

[Scogg]

Looking forward to more pictures.

To Brians point - The crude erasure of the signature is suspicious.

 

The only reasons I can imagine is that:
1. This was done to erase a false signature (gimei).

2. Or done to hide an arsenal stamp so it could be sold as a nihonto rather than an arsenal showato.

3. Or that it was done to mislead someone into thinking it's an o-suriage older blade refitted for the war. 
4. Maybe I'm missing a possible scenario.

I think the arsenal stamp scenario is most likely, but hopefully better pictures will tell the whole story.

Per usual, I'm inclined to agree with Kirill, as he's much more knowledgeable than I. 

All the best, and welcome to the forum!
Cheers,
-Sam