Looking for knowledge on my first sword

Gentlemen,

my name is Markus and I am a Aikidoka. So I want to buy a real Japanese sword. Today I decided to buy a Japanese sword. I hope it is a real sword from what I understand.

I read your board the last two days and find many good information.

Here I attach picture of my sword.

Maybe someone please can let me know if it is old and what the writing says?

Also I want to repair this handle. What glue I best take for it or will I need some nail?

I am sorry if my questions to you are not good. I'm pitty I don't know much about the Japanese sword.

Thank you for advice,

Markus

Umetada Shigeyoshi. 17th century if the signature is right. No nails on the scabbard. It needs to be properly reglued with rice glue; anything else is forbidden.

Grey

Hello Grey,

thank for let me know. Is Umetada the name of the smith? How can I find out if it is right? If it is wrong is this bad? Can you please give advice what glue I best use.

I hope I did buy a good sword for me.

Thank you for advicing,

Markus

Hi,

Umetada is the school name, Shigeyoshi is the swordmith artname. Shigeyoshi (real name Myoshin, common name HIkojiro) worked mainly from 1624 to 1643 and was mostly a metal worker. His swords are very few. I have only one oshigata from him and the signature of your blade does not match this one.

It is dark here now also i will post a picture of this oshigata to morrow.

Hi Markus,

The signature on your sword doesn't match the signatures for the well known Umetada Shigeyoshi in Fujishiro and Nihonto Zuikan (the 2 references I've checked). According to Hawleys there was a 2nd smith who might have signed this way but I have no references for his work.

Rice glue is the only option for fixing the saya. I hesitate to tell you how to use it because your question about using nails to fix it tells me that you have no experience with wood work. It's better that the saya stay as is than to be glued improperly. Is there someone who works on sayas you could send it to for repair?

Hope this helps. Grey

Hi Markus - I, too, am a novice. I have received excellent advise from this board. Like you, I have a shirasaya that is in need of repair. Please follow the advice you have received. My wife is Japanese and she confirmed that only rice glue should be used but that this should only be done by an experience person. I wish you good luck as you continue to research the origin of your blade.

Charlie

Hi,

The oshigata promised , you can see the differences and the lack of the kanji saku 作:

The Shigeyoshi quoted by Grey is not the same, he was mainly a tosogu maker. On his signature the kanji Ume is different 梅 for him and 埋 for yours.

Hello Markus,

the sword may bear a false signature (gimei) or not.

Anyway it looks like a real Japanese sword, so it maybe useful to study the *handle and care* advice FIRST to avoid any damage to the blade and the owner/user

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

Greetings

Andreas

It's a pain seeing the blades very tip resting on the wooden table . Sorry

My apologies to all participants in this thread! I tried to split off the discussion regarding Gimei, and found out that it doesn't work as anticipated with topics that have more than one page - only the posts from page one were split and moved, page two is now lost in cyberspace.

The (rest of the) Gimei discussion was moved here.

" ... and It's something I thinks worthwhile If the puppy makes you smile..." (sorry for the Bee Gees)

Finally we get a picture of Guido's evil twin.

reinhard

 ...in the grand search for the correct identification of Japan's treasures... here is some information on the given sword in this thread... and do not file the name off.

Backstory:

My journey to identify a Tadayoshi School titled sword... a "Musashi Daijo Fujiwara"... a title which could belong to 1624 Shodai Tadayoshi or 1660 2nd Gen Masahiro... (as 1st Gen Masahiro/Masanaga may have made it) had me study the Umetada Master signatures... and when I saw this thread... your signature was one I had seen MANY TIMES.

I know the experts like 3 examples before they agree to say YES on this signature (see attachment) ...but I have dozens on this signature... and you can see for yourself...

The mekugi-ana are similar to the FAMOUS Atakagiri in the Fukuoka Museum... and I've included a single Mekugi-ana example from roughly 1624... as it matches the Umetada influenced "Musashi Daijo" I'm looking at (my opinion only)

...ENJOY x

My attachment is totally relevant to the sword in this thread. It's a good one.

Here we go again....wacky season
I am not at all impressed by a 2009 thread being dug up from the dead! But let's see where this goes...or doesn't.
Btw, I see no resemblance in your posted mei to the one posted here.

Man i have to start with reading the date!! start with the date Stephen the date!!!

I'm sorry you can't see it Brian but it is the same mei.... the same name... I have placed the signatures side by side. How can you not see this? There is a picture. The one in this thread is on the far left of the image in #12 and multiple versions from tsubas are on the right to??? Which match the signature in thread #1. Look again. You are the admin. 

A Tsuba signature and a sword signature will vary slightly  in calligraphy due to space and materials being carved into it... tsubas sometimes have more finesse and flair.

You worry about the date of the original thread...when really the correct identification of the signature should be the main goal of any sword made 400+ years ago. it's what they do in Japan.

Yes the 2 Shigeyoshi signatures in the books being referred to (by experts on here) DO NOT MATCH - but more names and 'other generations' of Umetada Shigeyoshi actually exist... of which the signature in POST #1 is one. And it is correct. The evidence I show in post #12 is correct.

This signature in this thread is also on "100 Years of the Tadayoshi School" being sold by Saatchi Art. [Research done]

I'm sorry you can't see it. And... Happy Christmas.

So this is a shameless plug for your tadayoshi conspiracy "photograph"?