Ganko

Good job Ray.

You could have walked over and picked it up faster :-). It is good to have patience when Nihonto are involved.

The boshi is not a typical showa period shape, perhaps it is as Dave says, field shortened.

The signature is "Tadayuki"

Welcome to the NMB Arnel and thanks for your service from another vet USASA 1966-1970

I like Hideshige

That swordsmiths name is "Raiko', a Kaga koto smith. Listed in Hawley as RAI1

It is kind of like bell bottom pants. :-)

Looks legitimate to me.

I had no problem going to his website.

Shoki and the demon is a favorite motif of mine.

Heat it with a hair dryer for a bit.

I think the menuki are quivers with arrows in them.

Nice looking tsuba.

Nice work Jon.

I prefer 3 and 4

Pictures won't open.

Looking at the white spaces, I still have a preference for #1(without the shakudo fills around the seppa dai). #2 is pretty close, #4 are just not well balanced to my eyes #3 It's rim is not concentric with the nakago ana. Out of balance

#1 and #2 are almost identical in form and quality except #1 has had shakudo fillers added around the seppa dai to increase it's diameter to match a saya and fuchi. This spoils the appearance and balance of the composition. The should have used a proportionately larger tsuba for mounting. #3 has fat and flat tree trunks which are too large and out of balance. #4 is not detailed or finely finished enough but, it is still better than #5 whose kogai ana is also poorly shaped. I think #1 may be the best one if all the shakudo fillers are removed. #2 is almost as good as #1

Good looking sword, enjoy it.

We are all patiently waiting, knowing that Markus will do an exemplary job on it.

Appears to have a Nambokucho shape, quite desirable if it is.

I believe it is Fujiwara Masayasu saku an Owari smith who worked around 1673.

I believe the original rim was sawn with a jewelers saw all around the upper periphery with the portion the legs are on left intact. The sawn area was then bifurcated and bent downward to form the stand. That is evident by the cracking at the 90 degree junction. Where it was sawn you can also see file marks that clean up the sawn areas. Also there is a hint of some masame like lines at the bent area. It makes an interesting display piece. Personally I would rather have it in it's original configuration.

Looks like lots of good activities in it. Shinshinto or maybe Shinto?