Help me with definition of the master

[Ilya]

Hello! I have started to collect the Japanese swords more recently and I would like to learn about my items as much as possible. This sword seems to me the most interesting. There are some opinions on the one who has made it. I ask experts to help me with definition of the master and rough time of manufacture.

[John A Stuart]

Only comment I can make is it is suriage with the kanji for 'suke' 左. John

[Grey Doffin]

I think it reads, "Sa", as in O-Sa (Great Sa), a very important swordsmith. Gimei (forged signature) is always a possibility with such an important mei.

Grey

[John A Stuart]

Forgot totally that reading. Good catch Grey. John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello,

 

I think it reads, "Sa", as in O-Sa (Great Sa), a very important swordsmith. Gimei (forged signature) is always a possibility with such an important mei.

Grey

 

Here is more written information about O Sa ; http://www.nihonto.com/abtartchikuzensa.html

 

Ilya, in order to answer your questions the shape of the sword and the details of the steel and in the steel, hamon, boshi, must be revealed. Additional images of the overall shape of the sword, including the shape of such things as the mune and the kissaki might be helpful in determining time period. The reason I say might is due to the fact that if the previous polish did not the get the shape of the sword correct, determining the age of the sword based on shape now may be a lost endeavor. From the appearance of the condition of the polish in the images, there is not much to tell from the steel either, at least in images imo.

[David Flynn]

At a quick glance, the Nakago looks completely O'suriage and is more likely completely "blade." This being the case, the signature must have been added much later.

[reinhard]

The "SA" mei on this blade cannot be one of famous O-SA. Its writing style is completely different from SA's and placed on the sashi-omote side of a katana is excluding it from any further speculations.

However, there was a sword-making centre in Chikugo province during Muromachi period, where Kaji used this famous name as a trademark. He was supposed to be their predecessor. A similar phenomenon can be seen on swords made in Seki during Muromachi period BTW. Kaji there used the trademark "KANEUJI" for a quite a while. Therefore this mei is not necessarily a gimei. Further research will be necessary.

 

reinhard

[Ilya]

Thanks for the help. I have some swords. This sword is very much allocated. First of all a blade bend, in the a bit smaller sizes and very skilful furnish. I hope that in a weekend I will have a possibility to make additional photos. Now I can show only that is at me near at hand.

[Ilya]

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[Ilya]

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[John A Stuart]

Hi Ilya, The sword has had some damage done, the mune has been hammered and the ha dented. Odd that it didn't chip the edge rather than the dent/ fracture. It makes me think it is relatively soft. Cross hatching shows a polish being done by non-traditional means the last time. I can make out an hamon in some shots very close to the edge. I remember some time ago seeing a showato signed Sa. The patina belies this though, unless forced, but, I don't think so. John

[george trotter]

Hi Ilya,

Interesting sword. From the pictures I would venture to say that I agree with Reinhard in that the sword may be signed "Sa" by the maker (not the O-Sa), and still having the original mei. The sword is suriage, but judging from the placing of the mei well above the cut-off end, and the "oldness" of the mekugi hole just above it (compared to the two higher/later holes), it may be the original hole, so not an added later signature, but the original. The blade details are much harder to see...some large nie and some masame hada? and a high? shinogi. Can't really tell too much.

Regards,

George.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Ilya,

 

Thanks for posting additional images. The images started out suggesting perhaps interesting news, an "old sword with possibly mitsumune", but then things kind of went down hill from there. In addition to the other aforementioned problems this steel looks tired, where the core steel, shintetsu, is beginning to surface, at least this is the way it looks to my eyes. You may want to seek out other opinions about this.

While a good polisher can do amazing things with nihonto steel, when there is a lack of material to work with such as with a tired sword, there's little left to do unfortunately.

[Ilya]

Has made some additional photos