PROBLEM GENDAITO - NEED SOME HELP WITH SMITH

Dear Brethren,

I have on loan a Shingunto that has a traditionally made blade 28.8 cm long that I'm sure is a gendaitou. The hamon is nie in gunome midare with some tsume formations. The hamon has a look of quality, with ashi and you.

The nakago is, regrettably, completely rusted although I'm reasonably sure it was once signed and dated. Interestingly, there is a small kanji right at the tip of the nakago that appears to be ' i ' - 井.

Is this sufficient for anyone to have a stab (!) at the swordsmith??? Two pics below.

Thanks,

BaZZa.

Its older than a gendaito.

I agree with Thomas.

Kind regards

Daniel

Barry,

Whatever that marking is, I think it is unrelated to any mei. Isn't professionally carved and I doubt it was part of a signature.

Brian

early hashtag #restoreme ...sorry could not resist

early hashtag #restoreme ...sorry could not resist

LOL.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

- B -

Perhaps we better not be so hasty to judge this one.

If only someone would post some images from the Shinkai Taikan....

Instigator!

Perhaps we better not be so hasty to judge this one.

 

If only someone would post some images from the Shinkai Taikan....

HAHAHAHAHAHA - the thought hadn't escaped me, except that the "hook" is on the right hand vertical stroke instead of the left!!!!

Brian, agreed about the ' i ' kanji lacking any professionalism in execution, however I thought it might be someone's idiosyncrasy, rather than an idiotsyncracy!!

Older than Gendai?? As we all know, harder without the sword in hand. I'll be showing it to others later today, so there may be more revelations - I pray they are not considered ravelations!!!

Thank you all for your thoughts. I don't post often but spend more time than my wife would like in my "cave" absorbing NMB ...

BaZZa.

A couple of questions. Why are you sure it's a gendaito? And why are you sure that it is signed and dated. I don't really see evidence to support either of these conclusions. It looks like it's older and is suriage. Other than the hash mark, I see no evidence that it is signed or dated. Do you have photos of the hamon?

A couple of questions. Why are you sure it's a gendaito? And why are you sure that it is signed and dated. I don't really see evidence to support either of these conclusions. It looks like it's older and is suriage. Other than the hash mark, I see no evidence that it is signed or dated. Do you have photos of the hamon?

Robert,

Thank you for your thoughts. The rust is that "pock marked" kind that thoroughly obliterates kanji, however, I can see what might be a remnant stroke that is suggestive of a Showa date and it follows that it would also have been signed. Of course, this could be sheer over-imagination on my part!!

I'm not "sure" that it is a Gendaito. I am sure that it is a reasonably well-made blade. I have an impression of Gendaito because of the "look" of the steel and the polish itself, both reminiscent of a Showa era work. I did of course note the kiri nakago jiri suggestive of suriage, but some swords are made this way. Thomas said "older than Gendaito" and it may prove to be so. I would think no earlier than Shinshinto, but I'll have a collective opinion from a couple of mates later in the day.

Bestests,

BaZZa.