Identification Of The Sword

[nektoalex]

Greetings!

I ask to express my opinion on the attribution of this sword.

 

Whole length : 40.5 cm..

 Edge length : 29.5 cm.

Sori :0.45 сm..

Mekugi : 1.

Width at the hamachi : 2.5cm..

Width at the Kissaki : 1.75cm.. 

Kasane : 0.65 cm..

 

I will be grateful for any comments and opinions.

Regards,

 

Alexsandr

[Ray Singer]

The signature is 越前康継 - Echizen Yasutsugu. It is difficult to evaluate the quality of the blade in its current state of polish, but the horimono (carving) unfortunately does not appear well done and is likely late.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Alexsandr,

No serious smith would have this horimono on one of his swords; it is very low quality.  The options here are: a real Echizen Yasutsugu with bad hori added later (not likely) and something thrown together and with a big name signature meant to fool the unsuspecting (more likely).  Neither is something you would want to collect.

Grey

[Ray Singer]

I would point out as well that the patination of the nakago has a very unnatural appearance. The mei itself appears to be fairly fresh with little age, but on top of that is a layer of deep corrosion which appears artificial.

 

Beyond that, I am not certain that this is even Japanese. The overall sugata does not look right to my eyes. Did this happen to come from a recent eBay auction? There have been quite a few pieces with nakago like this auctioned in the last few months. For example:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Katana/292533095910?hash=item441c54cde6:g:bXYAAOSw-u9a2916

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Ken-/292446327785?hash=item441728d3e9%3Ag%3AbH4AAOSwfWpagQav&nma=true&si=tzeu4i8lm%252FJDUQT1rwrPe6ZqtQo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Wakizashi/292529206993?hash=item441c1976d1:g:GzoAAOSwunBa1~WA

[nagamaki - Franco]

something thrown together and with a big name signature meant to fool the unsuspecting (more likely).  

Grey

[DanielGJ]

Yo esto no lo compraría el dragón parece europeo medieval y el horimono como si el herrero tuviese párkinson , el color de la cuchilla es raro , para mi lo principal es que sea japonés luego viene yodo lo demás, un saludo.

[nektoalex]

Thank you all for your help!
Judging by the step in the transition of the nakagao into the blade, the nakagao may well be original (I think it is not uncommon in the technique of falsification), as a closer look reveals a hidden weld seam. Live and learn forever.

[SAS]

Weld seams have been discussed here on the board a lot, but i doubt they are very common. Many times what may appear as a weld seam is simply the previous position of the back of the habaki. I think to definitively identify a true welding seam, some type of radiography would be necessary. Unless it is a big name carved well enough to fool someone, what would be the point? For continued use a a weapon, i think in the past, they would simply suriage a sword broken in that manner and make it shorter, so as to maintain its usefulness. Just my opinion.

[nektoalex]

Thanks for the opinion of SAS! There is a place to be. But this makes sense in case of originality of the blade, which is difficult in this case ...!?