info about first aquisition

[steeve]

Hi,I just bought this katana blade on ebay from "World Armor Antique DAIMYOU" Please could you tell me what do you think about it. It's bad polish but the nagako looks to have a good work and the main shape of the blade look not so bad...

Thanks for your knowledge and I hope that it's not too bad but please be honest. Tell me if you need some picture.

steeve

 

Whole Length about 35.4"(90cm)

: The blade Length about 26.3"(67cm) , Carve about 0.7"(1.9cm)

: Width (motohaba) about 1.3"(3.5cm)

: Weight about 920g

[pcfarrar]

It appears to be a WW2 period blade. Judging from the nakago it may have originally been in 44 mounts.

[steeve]

Hi, I thinks too ,but do you thinks that it's a machine made?

thanks

[pcfarrar]

At first glance it reminded me of a Koa Isshin Mantetsu.

[Bruno]

A Mantetsuto without any inscription on nakago, and in 44 mount? I agree that it looks like a WW2 blade, yes maybe a Mantetsuto.

[Stephen]

any more kanji in the nakago mune besides the one shown in third or forth pix?

[george trotter]

It does look like a WWII blade...I would agree that it looks like Mantetsuto except fot the following points...

The nakago is ha-agari kurijiri, which is different from Mantetsuto (kurijiri).

The yasurimei seems the same but seems coarser.

The Mantetsutos I have seen all had one mekugi-ana and were in Type 98 koshirae.

I have not seen one in Type 3 mounts, but if so, maybe the nakago would have to be lengthened to accomodate the extra hole? and "thinned" towards the jiri to allow enough wood in the tsuka?

Just a thought.

There may be a clue to the blade in the small stamp? on the mune which I cannot see properly?

Regards,

George.

[Grey Doffin]

It doesn't seem likely that a Mantetsu-to wouldn't be signed as such, and I doubt anyone would be able to state with certainty that it is Mantetsu (Manchurian steel) without the signature.

It does look like WWII vintage, and the kesho yasuri (style of file work on the nakago) suggests more of a hand made blade than machine made. Probably not true Nihonto (made of tamahagane) but probably water quenched.

The blade needs a proper polish, which will cost more than it is worth, probably. Now that you've satisfied the itch to buy a sword, spend serious time in study. Read and reread books and get to see in hand every sword you can. Knowledge will lead to smart buys.

Grey

[Bruno]

Is there any tiny tiny stamp on the nakago that you have maybe missed? There is a little mark on the nakago mune, may we see a big close up of it?

[steeve]

Thanks everybodies.

A this time I have just bought it and normally I must have it at home in 1 or 2 weeks.

I paid it 500$ including the shipping to france. Do you think it's to much for this kind of sword?

I have some other picture but the only kanji or stamp that I saw is the one on the mune of the nagako.I must have it in the hand to see if there something else.

Be sure that it's not because I get one sword that i will stop to study an read books.

I would like to have a sword in the hand before buying it but with ebay it's impossible and in paris I don't know many shop were you can find nihonto.

Don't you know this dealer on ebay?

Thanks to help me to be introduce in the art of nihonto

[stekemest]

Don't you know this dealer on ebay?

He has been discussed here earlier. He seems to be an honest, but not very knowledgeable seller. He does provide splendid photos, so every bidder has to judge himself... certainly not a seller for beginners.

 

I think 500 including shipping is okay, but that's just my personal opinion.

 

Peter

[David Flynn]

Wrong shape for Mantetsu. Possibly unsigned Gendaito. As far as I know, one can't get papers on an unsigned Gendai. Because of this point, unsigned Gendai never reach a decent price. The best option would be to go through Fred lohman if restoration is required.

[pcfarrar]

Wrong shape for Mantetsu.

 

The shape is pretty close for a Mantetsu and it does also have the serial number on the nakago mune which is typical of Mantetsu swords.

[steeve]

HI,I just get my sword this morning.The sword look more polish than on the picture.

I have watch the nakago and I saw no stamp or sign.

I can only see these kanji on the mune of the nakago .

is it numbers? do you really think it's a mantetsu? It 's similar but I have search on the web and I only find sword with sign.

thanks for your help.

steeve

 

[pcfarrar]

Is the sword just a bare blade or do you have any koshirae with it?

 

It's probably not a mantetsu but I suspect its factory made in a similar way.

[steeve]

I have just the blade and the habaki.

[SwordGuyJoe]

My opinion is a mumei gendai blade (although it would take a polish to know for sure). I don't have any suggestions or experience with any polishers, although folks here should be able to help you if that is what you like. You at least need a shirasaya to store the blade.

[Bruce Pennington]

@steeve - if you are still receiving NMB emails, we have recently discovered that these blades were made in 1945 by Mantetsu.  The serial number "い 28" is the 1945 series.  We have 8 of these on record and yours makes 9, and the earliest number in the series.  6 of them have the "Konan Essei" slogan, but 2 are mumei like yours.

 

い 28 mumei (Steeve)

い 67 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation)

い 90 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation)

い 213 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation)

い 289 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation)

い 449 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation)

い 622 Konan Essei (Beng Shua Collection)

い 1170 mumei (NGF Collection)

[vajo]

For me it is a Nagamitsu. 

Nakago, Yasurime and Nakago-jiri looks like nagamitsu.

 

 

oh i see its an old thread - sorry.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

11 hours ago, vajo said:

nagamitsu.

Chris,

It is certainly possible.  I have a variety of Nagamitsu mune with numbers and kana (1), so it's possible this is just another one.  But after zooming in on Steeve's, it's clear the yasurime is the same as Mantetsu

 

1945 Yasurime (Steeve's in the middle)

Nagamitsu