WWII era Wakizashi?

[Carousingbear]

Hello all,

A friend of mine recently gave me a sword that he wanted me to try to sell. He knows that I'm no expert in swords but he decided that since I am a frequent ebay user that I would, for whatever reason, be able to sell it. He basically said, "here, sell this."

 

He said his Grandpa brought it back with him after fighting in WWII. He also said that his Grandpa was stationed in or around the Philippines - he wasn't sure where exactly.

 

I've been trying to identify it myself as best as a layman can. It seems to be a wakizashi:

The blade is ~ 14" and it's a little over 19" overall (from the tip to the edge of the tang)

 

It's not in great shape. Someone (I have no idea when) removed the wrapping on the handle, so that it's bare; it's also cracked. The Tsuba(?) is greatly rusted and deteriorated. The tang is very rusty, and the blade is stained with what I'm assuming is blood. The scabbard is also cracked vertically.

 

The only identifying marks I can find are on the Tsuba and the Fuchi(?).

The mark on the Tsuba is barely visible as it is so deteriorated. The Fuchi seems very well preserved, almost too well, as if it's a newer piece.

 

From what I've read, if this is indeed a WWII era Wakizashi, then it is possibly machine made.

It also has two holes in the tang even though the handle has only one.

 

I really appreciate any help. If you need me to take more pictures at different angles or in better lighting or whatnot, just let me know.

 

... also, since I am trying to sell it, if it is genuine, would you happen to be able to give it some sort of appraisal? I do have a sense of the value of historical items but it's not mine so please don't crucify me.

 

- Josh

[Mark]

i thinkthe sword is genuine. It looks like an older blade, probably cut down. It is hand made and probably 250+ years old. The parts are genuine and antique but nothing special. It is hard to say value from a few pictures. Can't say is retempered, or if it has hagire etc. If it were offered for sale "as is" from the pictures shown i would think it would bring $4-800, but it could be a very old naginata-naoshi and worth a lot more, or it could be a retempered blade with an hagire and worth the value of the parts (couple of hundred). Where are you located? maybe you could atttend a club meeting or bring it to a future show

[cabowen]

Not much of the blade proper is visible in the photos so it is difficult to say too much with certainty, but this much I can tell you:

 

Blade is hand made and much older than WWII. This is a samurai mounted blade, not a WWII military mounting. The blade could be as old as the 16th century, though that would need to be confirmed through a better look at the blade.

 

The fuchi is of good quality, the tsuba is in bad shape. It may have been something at one time.....The kashira (fitting at the end of the handle) probably matched the fuchi and would have been of the same quality. A real shame it is missing.....

 

Without better pictures of the blade, it is impossible to give any sort of reasonable value.....

[Jean]

Could be a cut down Nagamaki Naoshi

[Carousingbear]

Thank you so much for the quick replies. I'm taking more pictures of the blade presently.

[Carousingbear]

OK. I'm not sure which angles are needed to best assess the blades state, so I tried a sampling of angles. Hopefully they help.

[Stephen]

I think Jean is onto something any shot of the kissaki boshi will tell.

[Carousingbear]

I'm in southern California. I'm sure I could find a show somewhere out here.

I'm also looking up the Japenese terms you guys are throwing at me so give me a minute to look those up and soak those in.

 

Possibly 250+ years old? That's incredible. I almost don't want him to sell it

[Stephen]

trying to find a post about one in SD area, it must be lost or i am. i dont find it under shows. dig around you may find it.

[cabowen]

Yes, nagamaki naoshi seems like a good guess. It is indeed old. It would benefit from a cleaning. You might try wrapping it in paper towels, soaking them with oil, and letting it sit for a few days. Then rub it down with a cotton cloth. After that, clean the remaining oil off with acetone. Reoil and leave alone. Do not sand, scour, or use any abrasives on the blade or tang (nakago).

[Carousingbear]

trying to find a post about one in SD area, it must be lost or i am. i dont find it under shows. dig around you may find it.

 

Thank you, Stephen, I'll do that.

 

Could be a cut down Nagamaki Naoshi

 

Thank you. I'm looking into what that is exactly.

 

Not much of the blade proper is visible in the photos so it is difficult to say too much with certainty, but this much I can tell you:

 

Blade is hand made and much older than WWII. This is a samurai mounted blade, not a WWII military mounting. The blade could be as old as the 16th century, though that would need to be confirmed through a better look at the blade.

 

The fuchi is of good quality, the tsuba is in bad shape. It may have been something at one time.....The kashira (fitting at the end of the handle) probably matched the fuchi and would have been of the same quality. A real shame it is missing.....

 

Without better pictures of the blade, it is impossible to give any sort of reasonable value.....

 

Are the newer pictures any better? Or should I try to get better shots of the... kissaki boshi(?)

 

Yes, nagamaki naoshi seems like a good guess. It is indeed old. It would benefit from a cleaning. You might try wrapping it in paper towels, soaking them with oil, and letting it sit for a few days. Then rub it down with a cotton cloth. After that, clean the remaining oil off with acetone. Reoil and leave alone. Do not sand, scour, or use any abrasives on the blade or tang (nakago).

 

Thank you. I'll see what my friend says and then follow your instructions exactly.

[Carousingbear]

OK... so, the running theory is that it is a resized Nagamaki Naoshi?

 

Will a (careful, nonabrasive) cleaning be needed to tell for sure? Do I need to post better pictures? Or do I need have it appraised in person to be sure.

 

Just so you know, I'm very appreciative of all the help and I don't mind coming off as ignorant so long as the trade-off is the vast knowledge of this community.

[cabowen]

OK... so, the running theory is that it is a resized Nagamaki Naoshi?

 

Will a (careful, nonabrasive) cleaning be needed to tell for sure? Do I need to post better pictures? Or do I need have it appraised in person to be sure.

 

Just so you know, I'm very appreciative of all the help and I don't mind coming off as ignorant so long as the trade-off is the vast knowledge of this community.

 

I don't think it matters much what it may have been. What is important is what it is now....

[Brian]

Josh,

It does appear to be a cut down nagamaki. Naginata were often done too..but this one lacks the groove that would have made it one of these. Some wakizashi were originally made to look like this, but the nakago on yours does appear shortened. This is not uncommon. During later times, long polearms were of little use, so they were altered to make them portable. A few hundred years old. Bear in mind that Japanese swords go back over 1000 years, so 1600's-1700's isn't too old by Nihonto standards, although it seems mindblowing to the average member of the public :D

Not very rare, but it looks like an ok piece. Value is difficult, but a wild guess...around $600-700 if there are no major flaws.

 

Brian

[Jean]

Hi Josh,

 

Don't forget to sign your post with your first name, before a moderator kills you (I am not in a killing mood today).

 

Here is what a quick look told me :

 

No yokote, could be shobu zukiri but the blade has been cut down, so may be a pole arm cut down (very usual) ===> nagamaki naoshi. In this case the temper line near the tip has no turn back or very litle depending the way the smith has corrected the blade curve in its upper part, (smiths file/shave the back of the blade to lessen the curve of this kind of pole arms)

 

as simple as that

[Carousingbear]

Thank you Brian and Jean. This is incredibly fascinating and, yes, as an average member of the public, my mind is thoroughly blown - especially since I thought I was researching a sword that was 60-70 years old.

 

I can't wait to tell my friend about all this. I'm starting to get the hunger of a collector...

I need to do some reading and save some money... :lol:

 

Maybe I'll post some pictures after I've done a good, safe clean of it.

 

Thanks again,

 

 

Josh