What is this on the blade?

[jasper]

http://cgi.ebay.com/VERY-NICE-Japanese- ... dZViewItem

 

To me the fittings look correct for WWII era military mountings, but the blade really throws me. The nakago looks good, not so much the signature as it looks weak. Has a hamon, but the scroll work hides the other characteristics of the blade. There appears to be some hada. There is no yokote or shinoji-ji (makes it hira-zukuri?). So the scroll work fits with that style, it is not very well done in my opinion.

 

So what was done to this? Is this at all correct? Or am I being fooled by a chinese import?

[kusunokimasahige]

The mounting may be correct, the blade ..... Brian convinced me its real...

 

if he states the saya is made out of wood it would mean that this is a late war saya, since metals were scarce at that time...

 

At the moment there are a lot! of Chinese fake blades roaming e-bay, in gunto mountings, which are these days also copied a lot! however most of them are crude copies... if you check my masayuki posting there are a few clear pics of real type 94 gunto mountings you will see the difference almost immediately.

 

also i have a tip for checking on chinese or not.... Check the kissaki(tip) compare it with real Japanese swords.... also check the fake swords article you can find above...

 

a second clue to a sword being a chinese fake always is the terrible grain in the blade, check:

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/repro.htm

 

they are polluting the market, and again, i would stay well clear of this particular auction, as well as several of the other WWII gunto auctions on e-bay at the moment....

 

190063134687

 

190062900260

 

130058113719

 

280061034528

 

Etcetera etcetera etcetera!

 

Always mind crudeness of the castings on the saya, tsuba, its a tell tale sign!

 

best wishes,

 

KM

[Brian]

Not a Chinese fake. This one has been discussed before, and has been listed a few times before.

This was probably a nice Nihonto until someone got hold of it with acid or more likely a dremel/engraver and decided it needed additional enhancement.

I am not sure it would polish out ok, but it has definitely been damaged by someone who maybe thought the hada should glare at you.

The mounts are correct, and this is likely an old blade taken to war in a custom made wooden saya. The seller usually sells decent stuff..mainly Showato and Gendaito with other militaria.

Judging by the people bidding and the price, there are a few that suspect it might be a nice blade once the engravings have been polished out. Risky though, but they ar going for it.

Of course 99% of the time when you see this kind of engraving or acid etching, it means it is a Chinese fake..this just happens to be the one exception to mess up the rule

 

Brian

[kusunokimasahige]

If this was a nihonto, why is it totally flat?

 

The blade has utterly been destroyed IMHO, and to pay a high amount for the fittings and saya and tsuka seems very strange.....

 

what name is the mei? what era?

 

isnt it a naginata variant form/shape?

 

anyway i'll go with Brian in this case, but would like to add i would still not go there....

 

KM

[Brian]

KM..It's a hira-zukuri katana, which is unusual in itself. This may be part of the reason it is being chased. While I also wouldn't throw my money at it, I believe it may be a nice blade underneath that disfigurement. Mind you..if that engraving is very light, then it shouldn't pose too much problem for a polisher. The Masamune mei would be gimei (unless it is one of the many other Masamune smiths using that name)

The bidders are no doubt taking a chance on the blade, not on the fittings in this case.

 

Brian

[Bungo]

it is afterall a Masamune with " facelift "...........

 

milt THE ronin