New Mumei Katana for assessment

[Kiita]

Hello, I'm a complete beginner to nihonto, this is the second sword ever I've handled in person. I've got a mumei, out of polish, probably O-suriage katana in rough shape and I've been trying to work out what, approximately, it is, or at least its era. I'm aware that in its present condition not all that much can be deduced for certain, or indeed deduced at all. That said I've been chewing on this blade for the last several days and I would very much appreciate any outside assessments. When I close my eyes I see sugata hovering in the dark. From comparing the sugata to images of other swords, my current guesses are either significantly suriage Muromachi or Kanbun Shinto with an extra hole. It reminds me of a Kanbun Sendai blade in Markus Sesko's kantei series, but that one was ubu, unlike mine. 

 

Specifications:

Nagasa: 63 cm

Nakago: 19 cm

Nakagojiri: kiri

Yasurime:kiri

Sori type: Toriizori, though this is a guess, it was a little hard to tell for certain. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Sori: 1.4 cm

Kasane: 0.59 cm

Shinogigasane: 0.68 cm

Sakigasane: 0.47 cm

Motohaba: 3.1 cm

Sakihaba: 2.08 cm

Mihaba: 1.86 cm

Kissaki: 2.96 cm, plus about 2mm of chipped tip

Weight: 652 g

 

Hamon: Suguha, Hoso-Suguha perhaps as the yakiba is only about 4mm wide. Little of it is easily visible, but the small part that is seems tight and bright

Boshi: Difficult to be certain as the kissaki is severely out of polish, but it looks possibly like Jizoboshi. See oshigata for my interpretation.

 

Ana: two: the lowest is definitely punched, and is smaller than the upper one, which may or may not be drilled. 

 

Notes: There's a substantial wear mark where the tsuba would be on the nakago, so it was apparently worn for a while at this length. I can't tell whether or not the hamon continues into the nakago because of its narrowness near the hamachi and the corrosion. If it's suriage it's very neat, graceful work, the nakago is very nicely formed. This blade has, I think, seen some polishes in its life, plus unfortunately some abuse and sandpaper more recently. Corrosion on the nakago is thicker toward the lower part. The strange red spots just behind the machi appear to be remnants of lacquer.

 

Any assessments, speculation, or guesses are greatly appreciated.

 

                         

 

[PhoenixDude]

Got any close ups of hamon activity?

[ChrisW]

Looks like a utsushi of a Muromachi piece to me. Aizu Kanesada (11th) did pieces that give off a similar feeling to this one.

Probably Shin-shinto.

[Kiita]

15 hours ago, PhoenixDude said:

Got any close ups of hamon activity?

Unfortunately it's too out of polish to show up in photos, it's just barely visible in person. I have ordered some uchiko powder from Namikawa, when it arrives I'll see if I can bring something up more legibly. 

14 hours ago, ChrisW said:

Looks like a utsushi of a Muromachi piece to me. Aizu Kanesada (11th) did pieces that give off a similar feeling to this one.

Probably Shin-shinto.

Thank you for your input. From Mr. Sesko's short biography of him Aizu Kanesada the 11th seemed like a very interesting man, the possibility that I have one of his swords is fun. May I ask what tells you it's an utsushi rather than a real suriage Muromachi piece? Is it the condition of the nakago?

[ChrisW]

I am not convinced it is one of his swords; however many a smith did utsushi of older pieces. What tips my belief towards this is: the condition of the nakago, the relative healthiness of the sword, presence of fumbari on a blade that otherwise pretends to be o-suriage, and the hardness of the steel (the chipped boshi is an indicator of this).

 

I have a blade papered to Aizu Kanesada. I'd have to see this blade's hamon more clearly to make a judgement of if he possibly made it.

[Kiita]

On 9/24/2024 at 6:43 PM, PhoenixDude said:

Got any close ups of hamon activity?

Only parts of it are clear, but I'm seeing some nie, possibly ko-nie (or so I assume since the particles are visible but small) and lines curving but roughly parallel, sunagashi? hotsure? 

I understand it's chasing ghosts, but any ideas are welcome.

[Kiita]

 

And a rough idea of the boshi shape