tesscoothome123 Posted January 14, 2012 Report Posted January 14, 2012 Hi Everyone, I have a new toy I picked up a couple of months ago and need some help with this one. I have not needed any help in quite a while, but this one is way past my knowledge and trying to date it I would be lost without some help. This I think has some good possibilities of being restored and would like some input if I should or not. It is beautiful in person and does not have any flaws except I believe the Nakago has been shortened many years ago. This was put into WW2 mounts that where in really bad shape. Thank you, John Quote
Jean Posted January 14, 2012 Report Posted January 14, 2012 John, As it is very basic, please make an educated guess, there are only three kanji which are quite erased, the smith name and the first kanji of the date, but there you have only two options taking into account the second kanji. Make a try, it is not a question of knowledge all the other kanji are so basic that you won't have any difficulty to decipher them. They have been posted thousand of times on the Board. How can one buy something without knowing what he is buying? it has always surprised me... Quote
tesscoothome123 Posted January 14, 2012 Author Report Posted January 14, 2012 Hi Jean, I do not mind doing work, could you please point me to what kanji to start with, That is more confusing to me than anything. I can get most two and three character mei with work. I also say that being surprised about buying what I do not know would be a problem if it was more than 250.00 dollars (this is what I paid for it). I know it is worth a whole lot more from reading the board and what little I have learned. Best Regards, John Quote
Jean Posted January 14, 2012 Report Posted January 14, 2012 John, Hints: one side is the signature, the other one is the date. The school is Koto and one of the Gokkaden, it accounts to the greatest number of swords (for a school) forged during the koto period, used the kanji pages at the top of the page, you will easily decipher the school + the town + the last kanji (I guess the other two kanjis - smith name-so I won't tell them) . The other side is the nengo, date. So easy to find with the same link. Search sixteenth century era - the second kanji readable will give you two options, one at the beginning of said century, the other at the end of koto period. The rest of the date is xxx month .... This you should know it by know as it has been shown numerous times in this section. You don't read enough, John, these are really very basic kanji and very important dates/ eras Quote
tesscoothome123 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Posted January 16, 2012 Hi Jean, I have been trying to translate this for a couple days now. I think what is confusing me are how small and incomplete the mei are ( small stokes). This is what I have been able to find the date 6th year tensho 1578 and as far as who made this Bishu Osanfune ? ? and saku. I have also been able to translate another longer one that has more complete characters yesterday. Thsi is my first like this one. Regards, John Quote
Jean Posted January 16, 2012 Report Posted January 16, 2012 Congrats, John, that's it. Keep in mind the kanji for Bishu Osafune and saku. Dr Stein website can help you in the translation sor are the Kanji pages at the top of the page. Now the smith name, I am too lazy to save and enlarge the mei to find the smith name but you who havethe sword at hand, have a look at Suke Sada, it could be this lineage of smith but not sure at all Quote
tesscoothome123 Posted January 16, 2012 Author Report Posted January 16, 2012 Hi Jean, Thank you very much for the help again. I was kind of leaning towards Sukesada, but the incomplete short strokes of the mei have caused me problems. I can see if the strokes were extended the similarities would be there. I am going to do some more on this one. Would you think this would be a good canidate for restoration? I do not see any flaws and it is in decent shape with some minor darkening that would easily polish out. I want to keep this one. My answer would be yes, but you guys are much more advanced. Best Regards, John Quote
Jean Posted January 16, 2012 Report Posted January 16, 2012 John, Post pics of the blade and you will get answers about the posibility of getting it restored. I can't give an advice without holding it. I had once a very bad experience Quote
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