An interesting Awataguchi auction

[JeanEB]

Saw this auction come up on yahoo Japan, which gained quite a bit of steam in the last 24 hours. Supposedly it's an Awataguchi Kunitsuna tachi from the 1250s, the last years of his life. At least that's what the Hon'ami and Fukunaga paperwork (if authentic) say. 

 

https://www.jauce.com/auction/h1175718202

 

I found interesting that for an ubu tachi, the sugata is notably more tori zori than Kunitsuna's other body of work. As a whole, it looks more mid-late Kamakura than his other tachis. It is also interesting that the hada is not nashiji-hada like typically you could expect out of an Awataguchi piece, but a mix of masame-hada and Itame-hada. 

 

I wonder if anyone here has seen any of Kunitsuna's other blades, signature or not, with these characteristics, or if it's more likely that the blade is from somebody else with that name, but not the 6th Awataguchi brother. 

 

Thanks all in advance

 

 

[Brano]

I personally don't see nothing in the photos
However, anything authentic with the given parameters (especially for Awataguchi) could easily pass TokuJu
But the blade has no papers
That says it all

[Lewis B]

It does have a nijimei. Just not clear in the images and raises some concerns IMHO. Righthand one is genuine Kunitsuna Mei.

 

[CSM101]

A few more signatures for comparison.

[Lewis B]

3 minutes ago, CSM101 said:

A few more signatures for comparison.

Thanks. Tough one to call. There seems to be quite a bit of variability and the clarity of the OP blade doesn't help. Size seems close although my biggest red flag would be the spacing. The genuine ones are closer together which makes me think the Jauce Kunitsugu is gimei (and likely done a long time ago). 

[Jacques]

I don't even ask myself the question...

[JeanEB]

I have a hard time imagining it being Awataguchi for the reasons already mentioned, although I believe Markus Sesko mentions that there were other quality swords with this mei from smiths of different affiliations (Bizen, Yamato, Iga). I wonder if this could be a potential source of this blade

 

https://markussesko.com/2015/10/06/kantei-4-yamashiro-9-awataguchi-粟田口-school-4/

[Lewis B]

The Mei is a problem even for those described in the Sesko reference. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Surprised the seller doesn't also have a bridge for sale. 

[Shugyosha]

13 hours ago, JeanEB said:

I have a hard time imagining it being Awataguchi for the reasons already mentioned, although I believe Markus Sesko mentions that there were other quality swords with this mei from smiths of different affiliations (Bizen, Yamato, Iga). I wonder if this could be a potential source of this blade

 

https://markussesko.com/2015/10/06/kantei-4-yamashiro-9-awataguchi-粟田口-school-4/

 

Even so, you have to ask why the sword doesn't have modern papers as a sword from the relevant era by one of these smiths could have significant value, even if it wouldn't quite be the unicorn that this sword purports to be.

 

Did you end up bidding on the "Nagamitsu"? 

 

 

[nulldevice]

A few more references:

 

[nulldevice]

[JeanEB]

Hey John, I had to ask as while my index of suspicion was high, I wasn't certain enough to fully dismiss these alternative smiths right away. And regarding the "nagamitsu", no amount of wishful thinking could convince me to bid on it so no, just like for this one, I didn't bid anything