Wakizashi zugan in gold

[sc72]

This wakizashi (with 54.5 cm blade) Edo/Shinto sword, here  in shirasaya (no hozon) has a gold writing on the nakago (that is mumei)... it is difficult to say whether it is original or recent gold work....which should mean "retsu ryu" / "angry dragon?" (zugan in gold)... What does this writing mean? What is your opinion could be interesting?

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Stefano,

please show the NAKAGO vertically (tip upwards) so we can try to read it. It is probably KIN ZÔGAN MEI, but parts have fallen out, so photos will need good lighting and a dark background for better contrast.

Please post it in the translation section so the experts can see it!

[Ray Singer]

Indeed it does seem to be a kinzogan-mei of 烈龍 (Retsuryū), which I take to be a name for the sword of something along the lines of Fierce Dragon.

[sc72]

[sc72]

Yes Ray,

but what does it mean? Was the gold hole affixed after a suriage? or does it have another meaning this gold writing? I could buy this sword  but I don't know if and how much it's worth...

[sc72]

The blade is perfect 

[sc72]

Is it a wakizashi made by shortening a katana?

[sc72]

[Ray Singer]

As I replied above it appears to be a name for the sword. Kinzogan-mei are gold inlaid inscriptions. At some point the sword was given a name, and that name was inscribed in inlaid in gold. 

[sc72]

A paper of an "Italian Togishi" (unknown) said  wakizashi  suriage   1660 circa  "mizuda batch soshu school" 

[Ray Singer]

And yes it is osuriage mumei (greatly shortened, and the original inscription has been lost if it was ever signed originally). 

 

You can read more about below. 

 

https://www.google.c...mobile&ie=UTF-8#ip=1

 

 

[sc72]

In your opinion if it is without kizu... how much this sword in shirasaya without paper? And How do you know if the gold MEI is original or remade?

[Ray Singer]

Kinzogan-mei for named swords are typically not original. They are most often added to blades that are osuriage mumei like the one you shared. And the fact that they have been added later is in no way something that detracts from the value of the sword or it's kinzogan-mei. 

[sc72]

[sc72]

This is the blade no kizu

[Lewis B]

34 minutes ago, sc72 said:

A paper of an "Italian Togishi" (unknown) said  wakizashi  suriage   1660 circa  "mizuda batch soshu school" 

Can't be too many 'Italian Togishi'. Could be Massimo Rossi. Might be worth reaching out and asking. He would surely remember the Kinzogan Mei if he did in fact polish the blade. 

[sc72]

The togishi's sheet has the signature crossed out ...so I don't know who filled it out.  I assume he's a togishi...it a paper 

[Ray Singer]

As far as your question about value, giving price estimates based on photos online for swords that I have not seen in hand is not something that I am comfortable with. I'm sorry that I can't help further.

[Grey Doffin]

If a kinzogan mei is old it should be slightly below the surface of the nakago. When the kinzogan is applied it is even with the nakago surface but with age the iron of the nakago corrodes slightly and grows in volume. The gold doesn't corrode and doesn't gain volume. After a couple hundred years or so you can feel the difference. If there is no difference in height, maybe there is no age either.

Grey

[sc72]

Thanks Grey

[Ed]

Why don't you show a photo of the "paper". It might help.

 

[Nihonto student]

The world is small...I think I can help as I am the new keeper of the blade... I'm sorry Stefano, I purchased the blade a month ago and the advert probably hasn't been cancelled.

 

I would have liked to make a post dedicated to blade later also because given the Christmas holidays I only had the opportunity to appreciate it a couple of times.
The blade is not papered but in this case it was superfluous for me as the blade screams Shinto Mizuta as also expressed on the togishi paper.

 

Know that a paperless Shinto O suriage blade doesn't tend to be very attractive in a market sense but this was the case when "I bought the blade", I was bewitched by his wildness and ambition of the hamon, also I wanted to help the previous owner who due to health problems was forced to sell his entire collection of weapons.

 

About the blade:
Nagasa:54.5
Sori 1.7
Kasane 0.64
Hada: dense Ko mokume
Hamon: Nie deki, Gunome midare/Hitatsura, Togari, Tobiyaki, sunagashi Kinsuji
Boshi: Ko maru, hakikake

 

Nie everywhere, Ji and Ha in all shades and sizes (Definitely Ara nie, boiling effect and ko nie), creating a lot of activity.

Regarding a possible attribution I find the Mizuta school very tricky, stylistically I would be oriented towards the Kunishige line compared to the Tameie line but in any case I find it complicated to distinguish the works of the various generations (Kantei point are welcome), this is also one of the reasons why I think that certifying it would be relative/useless since in general the quotation of the various generations are more or less the same and only some specific attributions (Es. Oyogo Kunishige) could give a plus.

 

Below are some photos, please note that in two shots I used a negative filter which I find very useful for seeing the base of the Hamon, Boshi shape and hardened areas in the ji as in this case, especially when the light is not adequate and you are not a professional (like me).

 

As always, comments on any aspect are welcome.