School and era opinion

[Lilleskit]

Hi all,

 

I'm working on a ebay blade bought from a U.S. antique seller. The blade, imo, is definately gimei but worth rescuing. I couldn't uppload all the pictures so I attached a PDF I through together. It's the same as the info shown below but with pics if anyone is interested in helping.

 

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Sword Overview:

 

Blade Type: Handachi (I believe it’s originally a tachi, now shortened and fitted as a handachi)

 

Nagasa: 69 cm

 

Nakago: 19.5 cm

 

Sori: 0.67 cm

 

Kissaki Length: 3 cm

 

Width: Base - 2.93 cm, Middle - 2.64 cm, Tip - 1.94 cm

 

Thickness: Base - 0.74 cm, Middle - 0.65 cm, Tip - 0.54 cm

 

Original blade likely had a deeper sori before shortening 

Polishing Work and Observations:

 

Polishing performed entirely on hazuya stone and finger stones (hazuya and jizuya)

 

Surface cleaned of minor pitting and small chips 

 

Nugui applied in stages to enhance contrast    

 

Hada observed: 

 

Combination of masame and itame

 

Kissaki and Boshi:

 

Evidence of historical reshaping (likely due to prior damage)

 

Boshi appears to be kaen-style (flame-like?), subtly different on omote and ura sides

 

Kissaki being refined slowly to avoid over-thinning

 

Mei and Nakago:

 

Mei, signed Tango No Kami Kanemichi is likely gimei or optimistically, ato-mei, based on both carving quality and inappropriate placement (katana side of a shortened tachi). Also, if not gimei, it would mean my era guess is off by about a century.  

File marks include oosugikai on original nakago, katte-sagari on new nakago area 

 

Hamon features include:

 

Notare and ko-gunome base. Sudareba sections (bamboo-blind pattern). Choji-midare elements. Sunagashi and dense nie    

   

School possibilities:

 

Soshu? strong candidate based on nie and sunagashi

 

Bizen? possible influence (choji, sudareba)

 

Mihara or Yamashiro? structurally plausible but less likely

 

Era Estimation:

 

Based on sugata, nakago condition, and hamon activity, can the blade date back to the mid-to-late Muromachi period?

 

Assumption based on the thin kasane, tapering mihaba, o-suriage nakago, and variety of mixed hamon elements

 

Structural Notes:

 

Blade remains straight and healthy but tired

 

Two kirikomi-kizu (I think) found and left untouched due to possible historical    relevance  

 

Koshirae and Mounting:

 

• All non-metal fittings and stand made/fitted from scratch, wood, samegawa, and silk ito imported from Japan

 

• Saya and stand built from honoki. Unknown wood species for the tsuka but likely old pine I had lying around.

 

• Full samegawa wrap on both tsuka and upper portion of the saya

 

• Tsuka-maki is tight and secure using high-quality ito

 

• Menuki are centered per tachi tradition

 

• Edo era tsuba is very secure when the menuki is in place

 

• Brass fuchi and kashira and saya fittings are reproductions, aged using vinegar and egg method

 

• Vertical tachi-style display, edge facing inward, tsuka downward

 

• Saya is snug and secure, with careful shaping to match the blade and habaki geometry

 

• Silk sageo dyed to compliment tsuka-ito with typical display knot.

 

Goals:

 

To restore and preserve the blade without altering the geometry of it’s pre-polish condition to a point that school, age, and hopefully smith identification is possible.

 

 

Same Information with pictures in the attached PDF

 

Handachi Summary apr 14.pdf

[Rayhan]

Kanbun perhaps but needs way more pictures hard to say anything from the documents 

[oli]

Don't look like Koto, i would guess Shinto, influenced by Mino. Where are different generations of Kanemichi. 

[Jim P]

Hi Ken,I think Rayhan  is right. off by about a century, need pics of the blade there were from memory 6 gens  and if you look at  the Yasurime on this one, it looks close you need to look at some examples of the mei before you say Gimei

 

[Lilleskit]

Hello and thank you.

Your correct that there were numerous smiths using the name Kanemichi and right about the similarities in some of their mei as well. Your right in saying that "gimei" shouldn't be used without verification, it was careless to say so without knowing. I'm uncertain which is why I'm asking. That said, I've found seven Kanemichi that were active from Murimachi and into the edo period and it would be a pleasant surprise if it turned out to be authentic. So far, all of the mei I've studied have, like the example given, been off in spacing, and/or stroke direction, as well as depth. Some signatures match one character perfectly but are way off on another. 

I've tried to upload better pictures och the blade but the file exceeds the allowed max. I'll try editing the and upload them tomorrow. For now, here are smaller images of the ura side.

Edited April 19 by Lilleskit
Grammar clarity

[Jim P]

Hi Ken, look up Tanba (no) Kami Yoshimichi you will see some similar traits in the mei as its the same school {The Mishina school} its best if you do the research than me doing it for you. there's a chance its ok Signature and Mekugi placement looks good, yasurime, looks good. All you need now is a match for the mei There’s only one way to learn so you will no longer mix up things like,  

{School possibilities

Soshu? strong candidate based on nie and sunagashi

Bizen? possible influence (choji, sudareba)

Mihara or Yamashiro? structurally plausible but less likely}

All of the picks are a long way off , what IMHO looks like a Shinto period blade but it’s a good start read some books then a you will have a better grasp of the subject Jim P

[Jim P]

A  start, Kanemichi (兼道)
Ōsaka, 1st generation, Manji (万治, 1658-1661)

 

[Lilleskit]

On 4/20/2025 at 10:28 AM, Jim P said:

A  start, Kanemichi (兼道)
Ōsaka, 1st generation, Manji (万治, 1658-1661)

 

 

On 4/20/2025 at 10:14 AM, Jim P said:

Hi Ken, look up Tanba (no) Kami Yoshimichi you will see some similar traits in the mei as its the same school {The Mishina school} its best if you do the research than me doing it for you. there's a chance its ok Signature and Mekugi placement looks good, yasurime, looks good. All you need now is a match for the mei There’s only one way to learn so you will no longer mix up things like,  

{School possibilities

Soshu? strong candidate based on nie and sunagashi

Bizen? possible influence (choji, sudareba)

Mihara or Yamashiro? structurally plausible but less likely}

All of the picks are a long way off , what IMHO looks like a Shinto period blade but it’s a good start read some books then a you will have a better grasp of the subject Jim P

Hey Jim and thanks. 

I've obsessed and researched this mei for months and have the following concers/doubts about the signature on the blade in my possession. Like many excellently done gimei, the devils in the details. 

Here is a picture of the points the mei I'm researching differs from those on confirmed blades. Mine is on the far right.