Help to identify and date my first Wakizashi

[Mn-Glt]

Bonjour à tous, je suis nouveau sur le forum et j'ai besoin de votre aide pour identifier et dater mon tout premier Wakizashi. Je n'ai pas beaucoup d'informations à son sujet, si ce n'est qu'il est o-suriage, n'a pas de signature, mesure environ 57 cm ( 22 pouces ) et date, selon le vendeur, de la fin de la période Muromachi. Je pense aussi qu'avant son raccourcissement, le sabre devait être un katana en raison de sa longueur, mais cela reste une hypothèse de ma part et je ne suis pas un expert.
merci d'avance pour vos réponses. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John C]

A translation of the above:

"Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum and I need your help to identify and date my very first Wakizashi. I don't have much information about it, other than that it is o-suriage, has no signature, measures about 57 cm (22 inches) and dates, according to the seller, to the end of the Muromachi period. I also think that before it was shortened, the sword must have been a katana because of its length, but this remains a hypothesis on my part and I am not an expert. Thank you in advance for your answers."

 

John C.

[Mn-Glt]

It seems my computer accidentally translated my post into french while i was writing it. 

Thank you very much John C for correcting this unfortunate error. 

[Tohagi]

Hello,

Could you take a picture of the nakago from the mune side? Maybe give the thickness of the thickest part under the habaki ? 

best regards

Éric VD 

[Mn-Glt]

Yes absolutely ! The thickness of the thickest part under the habaki is 5mm ( 0.19 Inches ) and here are the pictures of the nakago from the mune side. 

[Tohagi]

Difficult to say...

5mm is not so much, there is almost no polishing bolt (renflement in french). Hada seems masame with loose grain...

Could be kazu-ichimono ( not a good news) or tired genuine (yamato-den?).

Middle or end muromachi is very possible to me.

Absolutely not sure at this point.

Best regards, 

Éric VD

[Mn-Glt]

Your answer is very interesting ! Indeed, I agree with you that it is difficult to know for sure which of the two hypotheses you mentioned is the most probable. I also noticed among the forging defects on the blade some sort of wrinkles which, according to my research, could be "shinae", the traces of a repaired bent blade. In addition, underneath the habaki there are bar-coded lines that seem to be the trace of an ancient polishing process (perhaps dating from the 2nd World War?). I was thinking that perhaps these new features could help a more precise identification. 
 

 

 

[Alex A]

Hello, yes, its a shortened Katana. Maybe shortened after damage, a crack maybe.

 

It could well be Koto

 

Obviously, the nakago is missing which would have been a great help.

 

The jigane to me looks like large itame with some nagare, rather than pure masame.

 

Here is a good link that will help you understand a little, even throws some schools in.

KANTEI 2 – JIGANE & JIHADA #2 | Markus Sesko

 

 

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

1 hour ago, Alex A said:

....Obviously, the nakago is missing which would have been a great help.....

Alex,

I am sure you meant to write MEI.

[Alex A]

Original nakago is what i meant, Jean

[Franco D]

My guess;

 

Shape + boshi + not polished down + nakago patina > Edo (probably Shinto) period sword

 

Regards