Age of thise blade?

[Drago]

Hi,

 

this is currently for sale. But since this is less about the offer itself but more of an "id exercise" I psted this here:

http://daimyou.sitemix.jp/blog/B3-59/

 

I have trouble figuring out the age of the blade.

 

It is ubu and the mune machi doesn't look like it's been messed with. The seller says "Edo period", BUT: the detail on the mei is too good/clear to be too old. So from the detail of the carving I'd say Gendai or perhaps even Shinsaku. However the patina on the nakago is much too solid compared to the examples of Gendaito and of course Shinsakuto I have seen so far. But of course, the patina could have been artificially created...

Or is it gimei with the mei added a lot later? And the mei seems rather large...

 

So what is this?

 

(Since I'm still a beginner, please don't judge my opinion too harshly.)

 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Smiths mei is Iehira (http://nihontoclub.com/smiths/IYE27) and is listed as active in shinto (2 smiths are listed and I only linked one). The suguta, yasurime, and jigane look shinshinto to me but could be wrong. I'm not saying its gimei, just saying that I only found two smiths and both were active in Shinto, but the sword looks shinshinto to me.

[mdiddy]

Tobias,

 

I see no reason to disagree with the seller. Looks like a nice Edo period wakizashi in good polish, healthy, and ubu. There are two generations of Kashu Iehira listed in Fujishiro. Nidai Iehira has a 'big' signature.

 

Matt

[cabowen]

Fujishiro says their work resembles Kanewaka, the famous Shinto smith from the same area, and works with a lively hamon are plentiful. If you look into Kanewaka, you will find that group is known for a hako-midare which has sunagashi through the heads of the midare. Look closely at the photos of the hamon of this sword and you will see a hako-midare shape in one of them with sunagashi flowing through it.....

 

I see nothing that would lead me away from Shinto.....

[SwordGuyJoe]

I stand corrected. I apologize.

[Drago]

I see. Thank you very much.

 

The main reason I was so unsure was because the detail of the mei carving was still so weill visible. Well, I think the owners must have taken really good care of it then.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

I agree with Georges, this blade is not a kanbun one and mei looks very young. On the other hand this seller is not the most reliable.

 

 

Another example :

 

http://www.sho-shin.com/kag.html

[mdiddy]

I agree with Georges

 

Which one of us is Georges?

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

 

Sorry i meant to say Joe. Georges is a friend who is at home for dinner :?

[Lorenzo]

Tobias,

 

I see no reason to disagree with the seller. Looks like a nice Edo period wakizashi in good polish, healthy, and ubu

 

 

I see at least one umegane (or something very close to it, 15th pic from the top) and something very suspicious on the 16Th picture (photoshop?).

 

On the other hand this seller is not the most reliable

 

Can't agree more.

[Drago]

By umegane you mean that circly thing in the bo-hi?

 

And by that suspicious thing in the next picture you mean that line at the edge in the bottom right corner? It's on picture 19 as well. I thought that this is a rubbing by the habaki...

[mdiddy]

something very suspicious on the 16Th picture (photoshop?).

 

Piece of tape or other adhesive maybe? It looks to very slightly hang off the ha in the 16th picture.

[runagmc]

I'm pretty sure those spots are tape or something... mabey to stop a loose habaki from rattling? They don't look like umegane... I think I see hada running through them.

[Lorenzo]

Umegane is on the bohi.

 

But any ways.. I would look elsewhere to buy.

[runagmc]

Ok, I see it now. Not as serious of a flaw in the bo-hi, if it was done right... but still a flaw.