o-suriage Nakago stamp on Kamakura era katana

[Lewis B]

Don't think I've seen a mark like this stamped on the nakago of a Kamakura era katana. Was this something that was done when the sword was shortened? What does it say?

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

It's a Gaku-mei, when the Suriage was performed the original section was cut out and added to the new Nakago. Can obviously be done deceptively as well.

[Ray Singer]

This specific example looks to read Hidezane. 

[Lewis B]

36 minutes ago, Ray Singer said:

This specific example looks to read Hidezane. 

Yes, thats the attribution

[ROKUJURO]

When a lot of the 'old' NAKAGO was cut off, the MEI was lost. This GAKU-MEI was a way to preserve it with the blade. In other cases when the NAKAGO was not so much shortened, the section with the MEI could be folded over (= ORIKAESHI MEI) and appeared upside-down.

[Jussi Ekholm]

It is very interesting item. NBTHK has attributed that sword to Ko-Bizen Hidezane, and Tanobe has written sayagaki for it. Nihontō Meikan lists him as c. Middle Kamakura period smith. This is actually the only sword that I have seen from Ko-Bizen Hidezane anywhere.

 

Hidezane is extremely rare signature in old swords. I know 1 signed tachi of Senjuin Hidezane and the smith I haven't seen mentioned in any smith references. I think he would also be a Kamakura period smith.

[dkirkpatrick]

Always thought it was strange that gaku mei and orikeshi mei occurred implying value in preserving the smith’s identity, yet most osuriage didn’t get this treatment or even bother to re-write the smiths name.  Also, I’ve always found it strange that it was considered a better solution to file the taper of a nakago and drill a new ana to make it fit an existing tsuka.  Surely there we enough talented folks doing tsuka-maki that a new one that fit perfectly could be made expeditiously.  Just my long held musings.

 

Doug