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Help with mei on a battered shinshinto

kfkonrad

By kfkonrad
in Nihonto

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kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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Greetings!

 

My name is Kristian Franz Konrad. I need help reading and translating the mei on this blade: http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0

 

I believe this sword to be shinshinto, judging from the mei on the other side (One day in Februrary 1864 Genji). I am just a beginner at reading mei though, so please correct me if I'm wrong. :dunno:

 

Also... Any insights or rumors to the smith of this blade and his work would be of great help. :bowdown:

 

Kris K.

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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Wow! Thank you for digging that up Jacques! :thanks:

 

I appreciate the help gentlemen. I normally don't bid on blades that are so beaten up, but for some reason, this one took my interest. The blade has serious hagire, and I can't imagine it to be worth much in it's condition, but I would love to study it.

 

Thanks again for all the help guys. :D

 

 

Kris K.

cabowen Grand Master

cabowen

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I own a blade my this smith. Picture below. It has a suguba yakidashi and large kobuse-choji hamon. Clearly there was a link to the Yokoyama Sukenaga group as this sword is nearly identical to their works...Very good sword. Dated Bunkyu 4.

post-1462-14196788631499_thumb.jpg

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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Wow! That's cool Chris! Thanks for sharing! :o

 

When looking at the pictures of the blade, I figured at one time it was a pretty decent sword. It's tragic that it's been abused as much as it has. Part of the reason I wish to study this blade is to get an idea of what happened to it. I'm curious if the edge received so much damage from actual fighting, or just plain abuse.

 

With the (at least) 3, serious (fatal) hagire that are shown in this pic: http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0 , there is no chance that this blade will ever be restored to anywhere near it's former glory. Still though... Being someone who likes to study swords that were used, I'm sure that this sword has much to teach me.

 

Bidding ends tonight... I'll let you guys know if I win it. :)

 

Also... I would like to apologize for not placing this topic in the "Translation Assistance" section.

 

Thanks again everyone for your assistance! :thanks:

Mark Veteran

Mark

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Konrad

 

wish you the best on buying it. You asked about the damage. In my OPINION this is clearly damage done by Americans, the vets often played sword fighting on the boring long ship ride home, also many were abused after they got home. A Japanese may nick a sword in battle but would never abuse it as in this example......... at least that is based on what i have seen and heard. No problem from my end about where you placed the inquire, your title stated what you wanted and i was happy to give you the name.

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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Very good point Mark, and I would agree with you, although I do see some signs of sword fighting abuse (dents in habaki). I would like to look over the blade to see if there are any kirikomi. I would like to check the hardness and durability of the hamon area as well. That will help to see how durable the edge once was, and should provide insight into what kind of abuse could have caused the damage. Also... and please correct me if I'm wrong, but it doesn't look like the blade was mounted at any time for WW2. Instead, it looks like the abuse is older than that. The mounts are quite plain. Perhaps this sword was used during the Meiji Restoration? Satsuma Rebellion?

 

I really don't know... but I love the mystery, and I love learning! :D

pcfarrar Veteran

pcfarrar

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Given the location of the hagire a polisher may be able to shorten the blade into a tanto/short wak. Wouldn't be worth it from a financial viewpoint but its better fate than the destructive testing you imply in your previous post.

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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No No No! No destruction testing!!! Absolutely not! :shock:

 

There are better ways to test edge hardness than that. If I win this sword, I will keep it whole. It's purely a study piece.

Tsugio Kawakami Enthusiast

Tsugio Kawakami

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Yeowch! That poor thing has been beat to hell.

 

Well, while I wouldn't buy it unless I was going to break it down, I know you have your purposes. Looks like the saya had a haikan of some sort affixed just below the kurigata, both of which are now missing, so it was probably done up in it's leather cover and mounted as a civie piece during WWII.

 

I know you know the differences between a good sword and a bad sword, as well as one that has use and one that is destroyed beyond any. The nihonto collector side of me says "Stay away!" ...But the curious side of me really wants to mess with it and see what it was once all about. :D

 

If you have your uses for it, then go for it. I trust your judgment, and it's not like it's an extremely significant investment.

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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Aw c'mon Kevin! All this thing needs is a bench grinder and some metal polish and it's good to go!

 

Yeeee-HAAAA! :flog:

 

Just kidding... I hear both you and Peter loud and clear. Like I said before, I usually don't take an interest is something so flawed, but this one speaks to me... That's all.

kfkonrad Apprentice

kfkonrad

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What are your plans for the sword in question? Restoration or did you just want to own a sword?

 

Ah! I see...

 

Restoration eventually.

 

I own a few swords. ;)

Jacques D. Grand Master

Jacques D.

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Hi,

 

It was more expensive than I wanted it to be, but I won it!

 

The winner is the seller, not you, he should be very happy succeeding to sell such a blade which does not deserve a restoration unless you have too money to waste.

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