gimei minatogawa-to?

[kaigunair]

so trying to get better with judging signatures. is this mina-to signature good or gimei?

 

versus the known sample:

 

The gawa and han (esp the han) are really different. Could this have been done by one of the students studying under masataka? Anyone have other masataka mei's?

 

Thanks in advance! :D

[kaigunair]

If I posted this in the wrong topic, please let me know.

 

Any help regarding how to determine fake signatures on minatos or yasukunitos or gassans would be much appreciated. Was hoping this was the place to be for nihonto questions....

[Mark]

not that familiar with gendai makers as i do not collect them. can you post pictures of the blade, habaki, rest of the nakago and mounts. maybe the whole picture will give more to go on.

[kaigunair]

Assuming that this is in the typical Gendaito style with suguha, what are the additional characteristics of a mina-to that would confirm genuine or fake? I had previously thought that most gimie could be determined on the mei alone, esp ww2 smiths. This one definitely didn't look like the "known" signature to me, so I was thinking maybe a fake or a student. I was really hoping there might be more nakago signatures for reference....

[kaigunair]

Nothing more in wallinga's publication on the subject either.

I found an old ebay auction pic I printed out 4-5 years ago with a mei similar to the questionable one.

 

Guess there isn't much interest/info in minatogawa blades....

[Stu W]

Hi kaigunair,

 

There is interest...although maybe not much info. The most recent edition of Swords of Imperial Japan by Dawson has a short section on them but really just an overview. The Yasukuni Swords book by Kishida does touch a bit on gimei if I recall as well as variances in mei when signed by a student.

 

You mention the work by Wallinga, any idea where one can be obtained?

 

Regards,

Stu

[b.hennick]

I believe that Harry Watson - supply agent for the JSSUS has them. It was a JSSUS publication.

[Stu W]

I believe that Harry Watson - supply agent for the JSSUS has them. It was a JSSUS publication.

 

Thank you Barry, I'll try contacting him.

 

Regards,

Stu

[Stephen]

Stu

 

I have a copy somewhere, if Harry is out.

[nagamaki - Franco]

Nothing more in wallinga's publication on the subject either.

 

hmm, nothing more as in .... , exactly what is it that you are expecting?

[Stephen]

Looking over Ebay this morning ....the rest of the story

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-Japanese-Sword- ... 3a62636fe9

[kaigunair]

I was hoping there might be info on variations of the signatures, such as that in the book on yasukuni blades- such as the signature used when the smith made the blade vs one of the students. The pic from wallenga looks identical to the known example post of dr.steins site. So no help there. Since the minato smiths did not rank as high as the yasukunito smiths,mmaybe the interest and research in jpn is lacking. I've always been interested in Jpn naval items, hence my interest in minato.

 

Yup, the eBay one is the signature which got me thinking. I also have a small pic from another similar signature on an eBay blade 5-6 years ago. I read somewhere that yasukuni signatures were being faked, and thus minato variation peeked my interest.

 

The eBay blade was one I was thinking of buying and restoring. Any comments on this would also be appreciated as it would be solely for my personal collection.

[Stephen]

id be asking for more pix, is there enough boshi for a polish? some really bad pitting under the habaki, i guess no need for me to dig out the book if thats where you got the control mei from....a roll of the dice id guess.