Info on a wakizashi

[Samcat]

Hello nihonto community I was looking for help as to who the maker on this waki was and ballpark how much it is worth I have a freind who believes it was made by the founder of the kanesada school I am not sure about this but it’s possibly if so would it be worth it to polish it? Thankyou guys Sam 

[Mark S.]

There were MANY Kanesada, so don’t assume it was one of the famous one(s) without further research and documentation.  Initial view of the blade looks a bit abused and tired, but without blade in hand (especially that of a trained polisher) it’s tough to say.  While not conclusive, a picture with the habaki off and the area just above and below the hamachi is sometimes helpful to see how polished down a blade is.  

[Samcat]

4 hours ago, Mark S. said:

There were MANY Kanesada, so don’t assume it was one of the famous one(s) without further research and documentation.  Initial view of the blade looks a bit abused and tired, but without blade in hand (especially that of a trained polisher) it’s tough to say.  While not conclusive, a picture with the habaki off and the area just above and below the hamachi is sometimes helpful to see how polished down a blade is.  

Will do

[Franco D]

5 hours ago, Samcat said:

if so would it be worth it to polish it?

 

 Suggested; first, one approach would be to first go to the books (like Fujishiro, Taikan) to compare to known/rated signatures. At the same time ask for opinions of other collectors. Second, if the mei looks probable/good, have a window opened and the submit the sword to shinsa. Thirdly, then, if all is good you can decide whether or not to have it polished.  

 

p.s. that one flaw may be too deep to take out. Which means making more decisions.

 

Regards

[Rivkin]

There is a visible lens/view distortion (by looking at the nakago), but generally it is either the end of Muromachi-Tensho, or Kambun shinto.

The writing where you place first kanji 2 inches up and then mash the remaining two on top of each other, the strokes of uneven depth indicate the person writing this most likely was not a professional. Same goes for placement - if you do bold, wide, deep lines - sign in the center, not at the edge. Tenten on vertical lines in a condensed kanji...

Its painful to look at, but a great example of a signature that violates every single principle of calligraphy and how signature style elements should work together.

This was not done by a smith.

 

So we have a run of the mill late Muromachi to Kambujn waki with a bad signature.

[Rivkin]

Do you mind if I use these images in a possible future publication on signatures? I truly think its an amazing example.

[Samcat]

1 hour ago, Rivkin said:

Do you mind if I use these images in a possible future publication on signatures? I truly think its an amazing example.

 

1 hour ago, Rivkin said:

Do you mind if I use these images in a possible future publication on signatures? I truly think its an amazing example.

Yah that would be fine is 400 a fair price if I was to sell it?

[Samcat]

Not necessarily to you but just to anyone 

[Franco D]

Further comment,

 

"The sword confirms the signature and not the other way around," a phrase the late Arnold Frenzel often used at our RSG meetings.

Which leaves something to think about here. This mei may indeed be a false signature as Kirill opines. Despite that, we don't know what this sword really is right now other than an unpolished Japanese sword with a Kanesada mei. It could still be a "Kanesada" sword. This could simply be an added signature onto a "Kanesada" sword, which doesn't change the fact that it's a false signature, if so. And we wouldn't know which Kanesada either?

The reason I bring this up is that when we analyze swords, we need to take into account everything that is going on especially the business end of the sword. Think about this way. What if you had an important sword with a false mei, an added mei? It wouldn't be the first time after a false mei was removed that a sword was then attributed to the same name, as Jim Kurrash might've pointed out. 

 

Food for thought ...

 

p.s. It's never easy.