Jump to content

Wakizashi I have had for many year help please!

Airwarrior

By Airwarrior
in Nihonto

 Share

Recommended Posts

nagamaki - Franco Veteran

nagamaki - Franco

Posted
Posted

Hello,

 

First, please sign your posts with at least your first name as per NMB rules.

 

Shinsa: http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Shinsa.ht , shinsa is held throughout the year in Japan by various organizations. Here in the USA shinsa is generally offered about once a year in conjunction with one of the Japanese sword shows. One was just held in February. Keep an eye out here http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/forum/7-sword-shows-events-community-news-and-legislation-issues/ for an announcement as to when the next one will be held and for details of how to submit your sword. 

 

Beyond that, others including some with a sharp eye will probably chime in with their opinion and thoughts on the validity of this signature. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shugyosha Grand Master

Shugyosha

Posted
Posted

Hi Andy,

 

You need to be certain of whether or not the signature is genuine or not first as that will affect the price, however, £400 is on the low side for a mounted wakizashi that is unsigned, so you need to post more and better pictures of the blade and fittings for a better opinion on this.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Grey Doffin Grand Master

Grey Doffin

Posted
Posted

Hi Andy,

To answer your question: the sword is genuine, a real, traditionally made, antique Samurai sword.  The signature may or may not be legitimate; forgeries of signatures of important and not so important swordsmiths are just as common as those found on old oil paintings.  If your signature is correct the sword is worth more, probably quite a bit more than you have been offered; Jiro Taro Naokatsu was a well respected smith.  If the signature is bogus the sword is less valuable but still may be worth more than the offer; we can't be sure about value based on only a few pictures.  If you want to sell the sword you should take time to learn more.  Shinsa, as mentioned above, may make sense for you if you live in The States (probably not given the offer in GBP).  Alternately, you might be able to track down someone with knowledge and references on signatures who lives close and to whom you could show the sword so signature and work can be compared with what should be there if Naokatsu made the sword.

Best of luck,  Grey

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SteveM Grand Master

SteveM

Posted
Posted

荘司次郎藤直勝（花押）

 

Sōshi Jirōfuji Naokatsu

 

 

The other side is a dedication to the person who ordered the sword

 

天保二年仲春

應服貞吉需作之

 

Made in Spring of 1831 at the request of Mr. Fuku Sadayoshi. (nb: could also be Sadakichi)

 

Fuku (服) is an unusual last name. There are very few people in Japan with this last name. I wonder if there is a kanji that has been obliterated by the mekugi-ana, but it doesn't look like there is. With such a unique name, and a relatively recent history, somebody with a bit of time, energy, and money, might be able to track down the descendants of Sadayoshi. 

 

I think you ought to hold off on selling this for ￡400. If the signature is authentic, it will be worth much more than this after a polish. 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tom Darling Mentor

Tom Darling

Posted
Posted

I just now have found a wakizashi with cutting test, by Echizen Yasutsugu 1st with Hollyhock crest, retained by the shoguns Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hidetada. The cutting test was executed  three  times on three different bodies. Also, has horimono  cherry blossom tree with (plum) flowers.Christie's Catalogue1551  3/29/05. I'll post a picture as soon as I find my camera.

 

Tom D.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Valric Experienced

Valric

Posted
Posted

400 pounds for rusty-scratchy wak? My first instinct is to run and take the money. 

 

...except I have a good feeling about this blade. If it's a genuine custom order Naokatsu then you're onto something.

 

Provided it's genuine, without fatal flaws, It is worth the cost of a new polish and habaki (~2K). This is a generally valued shape for short swords, throwback to the old days, and my guesstimate is that after polish, it should be possible to sell it at moderate time horizon at ~5K-7K (A dealer would sell for perhaps 8-10K on the retail market). Add about 1K handling fees and Shinsa process, and you end up positive 2K-4K. 

 

With the proper signature homework done and reasonable certainty on its authenticity, I'd venture to say 1-2K, which contains the lowerbound upside price and takes into account all the uncertainties. If the signature is fake then its worth basically zero.

 

Provided I have good reasons to believe the signature is authentic, I'd price it at about 1.5K for the gamblers, all risks considered. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
kyushukairu Proficient

kyushukairu

Posted
Posted

Andy, to acquire an official opinion from a shinsa panel, you will need to send the sword to USA (to Chris Bowen) or Japan (to Paul Martin), which will cost about £300 for shinsa fees and return postage.
Alternatively, you can compare the signature to that of examples which have already been judged as legitimate by shinsa - as I have already done for you (most of the examples shown are from around the same date in the Tempo era). Unfortunately, however, in my opinion, there are too many discrepancies in the signature for it to be considered legitimate.

post-2783-0-01996900-1554847476_thumb.png

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
SteveM Grand Master

SteveM

Posted
Posted

Andy there are also collectors in the UK who would be happy to take a look. Maybe some on this board can point you in the right direction - they may not be able to give you a positive verification that the signature is authentic, but they can tell you the condition of the sword (any hidden flaws or trouble spots), and if they are familiar with that smith they can tell you if your sword matches the style in which that smith worked. With those bits of info in hand, you can decide if it makes sense to sell for 400, or to deal with it some other way (get it polished yourself or sell to a collector for a higher price). 

 

I remain hopeful that the signature is authentic, but you also have to contend with the fact that there may be some problematic forging flaws. If you are not in a rush for the cash, hold off until you can have an experienced set of eyes look closely at it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Valric Experienced

Valric

Posted
Posted

Thanks Kyle for the signature comparison. From the samples you provide I clearly agree with you, too many discrepancies. That's a pity because the story of the custom order and the dating seemed to be in line. Steve, I took a closer look at the blade, there are lamination flaws as you say. Naokatsu made close to perfect blades. He would not have had any lamination flaws on a custom order blade.

 

Still worth to have it handled by a local collector or two. Sometimes we have variations in signatures that are not accounted for in the documented examples...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...