Translation Help

[mdiddy]

Hello,

 

I am just discovering this site and would be very grateful with some help interpreting the attached pics of a tang from a recent katana I purchased. It is in pretty rough condition - rust on the blade and tang - but I think the mei is discernible. I come up with "Chikuzen ju Minamoto Nobukuni Yoshimasa". I'm familiar that he would've been a smith in the Shinto era but I'm not sure if this blade is real or gimei, if this is 1st/2nd/3rd gen, and if I'm at all interpreting the kanji correctly. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

 

I've attached pics of the tang as well as the best pics I have currently of the blade, tsuka, tsuba, kissaki/boshi. I do not have a good shot of the hamon, but have attached the best I have come up with. It's definitely there, just hard to photograph. Also, here are some links to mei that I was comparing against. The 2nd one seems pretty close.

 

http://www.e-sword.jp/sale/0610_2015syousai.htm

http://sinogi.dee.cc/katarogu/2005/yosi ... 25921.html

[mdiddy]

Here are the rest of the pics...

[Guest reinhard]

Your translation is correct. The first generation can be excluded quite safely, but the mei has some similarities with one found in "Nihon Toko Jitten, ShinTo Hen". It belongs to a later generation YOSHIMASA working around Kambun-era. There's still hope

 

reinhard

[mdiddy]

Thanks for the help! I too think this could be the Kambun era Yoshimasa. I guess the only way to fully authenticate is via shinsa?

[Guest reinhard]

I guess the only way to fully authenticate is via shinsa?

 

Yes. There is no other way of fully authenticating anyway. The blade however should be restored before, for the mei alone is not sufficient for appraisal. All important features must be visible.

Depending on where you live, there may be trustworthy people to give you advice in these matters (just in case you're in need of any).

 

reinhard

[mdiddy]

Thanks very much for your assistance! Time to get out the call-list and start saving I suppose...