bigscreen64 Posted Monday at 02:06 AM Author Report Posted Monday at 02:06 AM Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks, Brandon Quote
Ray Singer Posted Monday at 02:09 AM Report Posted Monday at 02:09 AM The mei is Izumi no kami Kunisada, the inscription used by a famous Edo period swordsmith however this does not appear to be an authentic example of his inscription. 1 Quote
Rivkin Posted Monday at 03:43 AM Report Posted Monday at 03:43 AM The writing style/nakago is very recent, can be WW2 can be later. 1 Quote
Zoglet Posted Monday at 03:49 AM Report Posted Monday at 03:49 AM Here's an example of a legitimate Kunisada signature Note: Oshigata comes from nihonto.com and the photograph is from samuraimuseum.jp Best Regards, Nicholas 1 Quote
Natichu Posted Monday at 04:31 AM Report Posted Monday at 04:31 AM A current auction listing for a TH wakizashi I assume is the smith in question, with a reasonably good picture of the nakago: https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2025/important-Japanese-swords-and-armour-from-the-paul-l-davidson-collection/a-wakizashi-signed-izumi-no-kami-fujiwara-kunisada 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted Monday at 01:42 PM Report Posted Monday at 01:42 PM Don't see any Showa era Kunisada with this mei, but Sesko's list isn't always totally inclusive of the war smiths. I recommended that Brandon check with you guys as the blade seemed longer and more elegant looking that the normal war blades. 1 Quote
Ray Singer Posted Monday at 01:51 PM Report Posted Monday at 01:51 PM It is not uncommon to see Showa era gimei with the names of famous Shinto smiths. I think it is likely this would be the same (a gimei of Oya Kunisada). 1 1 Quote
bigscreen64 Posted Tuesday at 01:20 AM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 01:20 AM Here is the other sword I am trying to figure out. Quote
Ray Singer Posted Tuesday at 01:41 AM Report Posted Tuesday at 01:41 AM Mei: Bishu Osafune (suriage, the name has been lost when the sword was shortened) Date: Tensho go nen (the year 1577) 1 1 1 Quote
bigscreen64 Posted Tuesday at 03:12 AM Author Report Posted Tuesday at 03:12 AM Thank you guys very much for the info. Out of curiosity, how old do you think the first katana is? Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted Tuesday at 02:10 PM Report Posted Tuesday at 02:10 PM They are thinking the first one was WWII era. 1 Quote
bigscreen64 Posted yesterday at 03:21 PM Author Report Posted yesterday at 03:21 PM Here are better pictures of the older blade that I took yesterday. Quote
Ray Singer Posted yesterday at 03:25 PM Report Posted yesterday at 03:25 PM This appears to be a potentially nice koto Bizen blade. Please do not do anything on your own to clean or polish the blade, or remove rust. It may be worthwhile to explore a professional polish (a restoration by a fully-apprenticed polisher). Especially, do not remove rust from the nakago (tang). Quote
Tohagi Posted yesterday at 04:47 PM Report Posted yesterday at 04:47 PM Yes it's a pitty to have left this blade uncared! Please do not try to clean it up and show it to somebody who knows. Best regards, Eric Quote
bigscreen64 Posted 21 hours ago Author Report Posted 21 hours ago any idea what it may be worth fully restored? Quote
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