Nagamichi (?)

[KjetilK]

Hello everyone.

 

I'm quite new here, and I hope I could get some help with a signed wakizashi. The pictures of the mei at the nakago is posted below, but the pictures of the rest of the sword is not very good, so I will not post them now. The nagasa is 54 cm and the sori is 1 cm.

 

The mei reads Mutsu Daijo Nagamichi and I'm of course out to get any good opinions if this is a genuine mei or just a gimei.

 

The patina is black, dark blue with some red. The file marks are almost corroded away.

 

Thank you for your time - happy collecting.

 

Best regards,

Kjetil

 

[Jean]

Hi Kjetil,

 

I have no book at hand to check but I don't like neither the strokes of the second kanji nor the 'Jo' (in Daijo) kanji, there are no signs of wear in the signature compare to the overall nakago condition.

 

But once again I am not a mei specialist (that's why I only buy papered blades :D )

[Nobody]

FYI: Nagamichi, 1st generation, with Tokubetsu Hozon paper

http://page.freett.com/sinogi/sj/kataro ... w12597.htm

[Jean]

Thanks Koichi ,

 

I'll go for gimei

[KjetilK]

Thank you, the link was very useful.

 

My blade does not resemble linked blade of the 1st generation. The signature is not the same, on the 1st generation blade they are much more compact than on my blade. The last kanji for example.

 

Also the temper line is quite different, on my blade it is a long line, and it is quite high on the blade. (I will try to take some pictures during the weekend and post them). I am not sure how much these features differ in blades made by the same smith, but I guess that each had their signature, so to speak, in the temper line also.

 

In the Nihonto Knowledge Base there are seven generations of Nagamichi. Could the sword belong to any of the later ones? This exact signature is not in the base, and I guess that is a typical sign of a gimei.

 

Well. I bought this blade before I came to my senses and contacted an expert. I papered blade is soon to be included in my collection. What I am going to do with this blade is uncertain. Keep it, sell it?

 

Kjetil

[Loki]

Hi there,

 

If you like the blade for what it is then enjoy it. Gimei is so common and was often done during the lifetime of some of the best smiths. Copying a blade can be either for commercial gain, or flattery, and was not considered a bad thing as there was often more demand for certain smiths than blades available. At least it is a genuine Nihonto and studying is the best way to learn, now you know what to look for in a real Nagamichi! Maybe knowing it is gimei mind change your attitude to the piece, but we have all been there and it is the thrill of the chase after all.

 

Regards

 

Phill Bell.

[sencho]

I agree with phil... enjoy the blade for what it is.... I have an (almost certainly) gimei wakazashi and I love it and will not be parting with it any time soon!!

 

I'd love to see some pictures of the blade of this one

 

Cheers!

[Stephen]

Nigel and Phill ...very few on the board are qualified to call a mei gimei, I showed a sword in Tampa to many tables most come up gimei, a Japanese gentleman said not to worry it was later generation, don't give up the ship until you cover all ports.

[sencho]

I agree with that Stephen,

 

But my point, and I think Phil's point, is that Kjetil hasn't bought a Chinese crapper or been necessarily ripped off by buying this sword if it does turn out to be Gimei. He has, as far as we are aware, bought a genuine nihonto.

 

I feel that part of the charm of this study, is the fact that many of these swords have a unique history and the fact that they may have been gimei'd at some point in their history only adds to the intrigue for me and only fuels the fire!!

 

It is like some peice of English architecture, Cathederal or whatever, that was built in the 10th century and added to or changed in the 12th, 14th and 16th. It is not original, but it is history, often even more interesting, telling it's own story.

 

Let's hope Kjetil's sword is ..... sorry Kjetil's sword's mei is.... genuine, but as far as I am concerned, if it is not a genuine Nagamichi mei, no worries!! :D

 

As Phil said if you like it... enjoy it.... if you don't like it, give me a shout and I may consider buying it from you.... at the right price of course... he he he!!

 

My (almost certainly) gimei wakazashi will probaly never go for shinsa under my ownership.... if I am in the right company for an appraisal then maybe, but I am not fussed if it is or isn't gimei. I really like the blade for what it is and it has given me the oppourtunity to learn an incredible amount and I certainly do not not feel I made a mistake, or resent buying it or owning it.

 

Cheers and enjoy it!

[KjetilK]

Hello again. Thank you for all your answers. Yes, I like the sword, and no, I'm totally convinced that it is a gimei. I love to research things, I'm a historian so that is in my blood: But I'm not convinced the other way either. You have supplied me with good arguments for any possible conclusion.

 

The mei looks very crisp in the pictures, and in hand, and that is a good indication that it engraved later. But when I examine the mei under high magnifiaction (20x) I notice that there is rust and corrosion also inside the strokes. The rust, patina, is consistent on the nakago, and inside the chisel marks. I guess it's possible to fake this with some sort of acid, but it dosn't look that way.

 

I have meassured the blade to the best of my ability, and I hope I got the right words for it (writing this with The Samurai Sword by John M. Yumoto in one hand):

 

Total lenght is 68.4 cm, from machi to kissaki its 54 cm. The sori is 1 cm. Motohaba (width at machi?) is 3 cm. Sakihaba (width at yokote) is 2.5 cm. The thickness is 0.55 cm at the machi and 0.45 at the yokote.

 

I'm not sure how to observe the hamon and the grain, i.e. I don't know what is nie or nioi. The grain looks like masame hada (straight), and the hamon looks like suguha hotsure (stray straight), and it's placed high on the blade.

 

I post some more pictures, they are not great, but they give an idea about the shape of the blade. (Quality is quite good, but the kissake is a little blunt, and there are a few places with old rust (spiderweb), but they are shallow.)

 

Any comments?

 

[sencho]

Not qualified enough to tell you more, but I love the "lazy wave" in that thick hamon... Great!!

 

Cheers

[Stephen]

the book you need to study such a wave and high Hamon is The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords by Kokan Nagayam..youll have more fun digging it out of the book from the sound of your background.

 

a very nice looking sword btw...id be a good study sword for sure.

 

edit to add link

 

http://www.amazon.com/Connoisseurs-Book ... F8&s=books

 

dont know what shipping would be from them, i have it for sale also but not at that price. =^

[KjetilK]

Thank you.

 

The book is on my shortlist (you cant't really have to many books ), and I will buy one as soon as I'm finished with the three I received yesterday. (The Craft of the Japanese Sword, The Samurai Sword and Cutting Edge. Japanese Swords in the British Museum).

 

I like the sword, but I'm more a fan of dramatic waves , and that is one feature with my next sword. But it's good to know that I didn't to bad on this one. And maybe a nice original mei as well.