Inherited From Family Member And Need Help With Translation.

[RonC]

Need help with translation

[SteveM]

長曽祢興久

Nagasone Okihisa

 

If you could show the whole blade, I'm sure the gents on the board would appreciate it. This is kind of a big name in the sword world. 

 

Edit: If you don't already know, avoid touching the blade with your bare hands. 

[RonC]

Here are a few more pics of the katana.

[SteveM]

You have what looks to be a very promising sword. I mean, as it is now, it is a very satisfying antique. But with an appraisal and (depending upon the appraisal) a professional polish, it could be something very special. 

 

Don't do anything to this sword other than keep it in a stable condition, and perhaps give it a very, very light oiling of the blade. Read up on this forum on the millions of posts that are dedicated to maintenance and storage of swords. A minimalist approach is best. Resist the urge to do anything other than giving it a very light oiling with a non-abrasive cloth (microdear is the brand often recommended on this forum).  I guess this sword is stored in a black-lacquer scabbard? If so, this is fine, just make sure there is no oil or dirt accumulated inside the scabbard that could collect on this sword. (And, as above, do not oil the sword so much that oil drips and pools inside the scabbard). 

 

Nagasone Kotetsu is one of the premier swordsmiths of Japan's "Shintō" (New Sword) period, which starts around 1600 and continues until the early 1800s. Well, I should say he is one of the premier swordsmiths of any age, but typically swords from this New Sword period are not rated as highly as swords from the Old Sword (Kotō) period. Nagasone Okihisa is one of his students. 

 

So, let's see if any of the gents from around Tennessee are interested in taking a look at the sword and giving it an appraisal. Also look for Japanese sword clubs in your area.

 

Be very suspicious of anyone who isn't a specialist in Japanese swords. What I mean is: don't take it to your neighbor's son down the street who spent a year in Japan...or, don't take it to the guy who has an awesome set of tools and makes swords in his garage for a living. Japanese swords are very special and they are very easily ruined by non-traditional polishing methods.  

 

Edit: I forgot to add, there are a ton of forgeries and other kinds of fakes on the market. Big names are very often faked, and, unfortunately, they are often faked to a very surprising degree of authenticity. This is why getting it looked at by a professional is essential. There are not so many Nagasone Okihisa swords around, so I can't even give you a wild guess as to whether yours is authentic or not, but it looks very interesting.

[RonC]

The lacquer on the scabbard is chipping away. I would say about 30% of the lacquer is gone. Mike Crenshaw looked at it for me at the gun and knife show today. He is the one who directed me to this site. I really appreciate all the info you’ve given me. I’ll try and find someone in Tennessee who can help me authenticate it. All I really know is that it was brought back after v-j day as a war souvenir by a friend of my uncles. He sold it and a namboo pistol to my uncle and I got the katana when he passed. Do you know when Nagasone Okihisa was making swords? I’m just trying to get a rough estimate of how old this sword might be.

[SteveM]

300 years or so. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagasone_Kotetsu

http://www.sho-shin.com/edo-nagasone1.html

 

Don't worry too much about the lacquer yet. The inside is what is what could potentially damage the sword. If you can put the sword in cleanly, and it comes out without any gunk on it, the scabbard should be OK. 

[raynor]

The lacquer work is very similar to an old ailing saya I have as well, could anyone tell me what technique is used or called for this look? Appears as if rice was pressed into the surface for the patterns.

[hso]

Thank you gentlemen for helping Ron out. 

 

The blade has a slight bend and 3 nicks at that point that span less than an inch.  I think it is a good candidate for a proper restoration.

[Bazza]

If I might comment, the yasurime look very "strange", almost higaki but not quit well-defined around the mei, yet the tagane of the mei indicates the yasurime are original.  Further toward the habaki the yasurime tend to sujikai.  A good, high resolution photo of both sides of the nakago would be interesting to see.

 

Long ago I had a wakizashi signed NAGASONE OKIMASA.  I sent it to Japan where it was pronounced gimei. It was in a nice lacquered scabbard, like Ron's, but I certainly hope Ron's sword has better prospects.

 

BaZZa.

 

EDIT:  The thread from Mike C with a good photo of the mei shows more clearly that the higaki (crosshatch) filemarks do not go over the characters, suggesting that they have been done by another (later?) hand for who-knows-what-reason (cleaning off rust?).  If so, it is unusual to see on a tang.

 

[Jacques D.]

Pretty gimei, the ji Hoki 興 being far from the one used by Hokihisa 

 

yasurime look spurious too...