runagmc

Hi Chris, just for my own interest, can you give anything specific that makes you think it wouldn't fit as one of the many Mino tanto/kowakizshi of this style made in the late 14-1500s? Not disagreeing... but off gut instinct from pics, it's hard for me to say. I'm guessing your comments are meant as a best guess off gut instinct as well, but... I know I have seen many Minoto like this from the 1500s, but can't remember a Shinto/Shinshinto off hand. Mino smiths use so many styles of hamon, forging/hada, nakago and nakagojiri shape, and yasurime during the 1500s, but the sugata of this sword was certainly common with Mino kaji then. It is unsigned which could be a reason to lean toward Shinshinto... maybe... but I'm not even confident about that. Anyway, thoughts welcome... And to the OP... if you are hoping to pin point a certain smith... beware, it will be nearly impossible. Not saying you shouldn't research it... after all, even if you never know the smith, you will learn other useful things...

Love good full on masamehada... Hosho, Kanewaka, Gassan...

Hi, check this link at Usagiya... http://www.ksky.ne.jp./~sumie99/kaiken.html Also, only cleaning you can do is wipe the blade portion (not nakago, or tang) with oil (mineral or light machine oil)... If you do some research you can get a powder made from ground whetstone called uchiko... it may clean it a little... but since you have no experience it's best to just oil it.IMO if you can remove the handle, you may find a signature and date...

Somewhat similar to some of Shibata Ka's work I've seen. The shape may be considerd slightly more graceful though, with some saki sori. Very nice...

guitars and swords... right up my ally... thanks for posting...

Hi David, some of the leaves look katakiri, but I'll take your word for it... anyway, nice tsuba...

I don't really study tsuba, but I like this one. The light katakiri bori and shape of hitsuana (are these called hitsuana?) are nice addition to the iron mokkogata plate... Speaking of addition, I wonder if this is all original, or some elements are later additions?

Looks like same sword, different mounts to me... nakago looks like an exact match... Regardless, it looks well made, with nice polish...

Why would someone weld on a nakago with a huge forging flaw? I don't totally disagree, but it would be nice for me, at least, to have some other experienced opinions. Just seems weird to weld on such a crappy nakago on to a sword of that level (koyama ha)... Could the rust and discoloration, have come from the lack of a tsuba? Edit to say, after another look, I see the fuchi fits tight to habaki, so out with that theory...

Daniel, the second set of pics is the same sword, is it not?

Look around the mekugi-ana (damage). It might not take much to break it, so I would not even swing it, much less cut with it... PS: I can't tell for sure how bad the damage (forging flaw?) is, but just use good judgement and don't take any chances. It's not worth hurting yourself (or someone else) badly... IMO

I'm sure a lot of the price tag comes from rarity of the mei (or what's left of it), ubu length, and papers... Still, great old tachi...

and this leads to what conclusion? Nothing... someone asked if the gold was applied by guilding or inlay...

From this pic, it looks like the gold spots are inlayed...

Sometimes it can be almost impossible to tell from pictures. It can even be difficult with the sword in hand... You can look for how much the sword has been polished - look for certain styles of sugata, hada (in ji and shinogiji), hamon, boshi, etc. - look for signs of use that might accumulate over the years... Things like that... Experience and study make it easier over time... The picture of mune doesn't look like the sword has seen much polishing... at least since suriage... I don't know for sure if it is old or new, but it looks well made either way...

I assume they take a shoshin mei nakago from a badly flawed sword, and weld it on a better condition sword?

I've seen Shimosaka tanto and wakizashi with these horimono, but not a daito. Mei looks like Echizen Kuni Shimosaka Sadatsugu... Can't wait for your write-up...

Well... at least someone gets to watch em' :?... J/K ...you worked to find them, so I guess it's only fair... Hope it's worthwhile...

I fully agree it was probably by Yoshitane, but it has some interesting differences from the other dragons of his I've seen... especially in the face...

I wonder if the mei is even shoshin... :?

I aslo remember seeing the smith who works with the Kashima sister's/Usagiya (art name, Keiun?) using clay, but only on the back, and without the X lines going perpendicular (name?)... see here, http://www.ksky.ne.jp./~sumie99/yakiire.html... I'll have to reread the site, but I think he was producing choji hamon, and utsuri, this way...

Actually 3... P.S. Respect to anyone speaking in (or writing in) a second language... I can't spell correctly in my first language half the time...

1938 ---- 1926 counts as 1st year of Showa...

The second looks like Monju Bosatsu...

We had a horimono post not long ago, if someone wants to search it out. It had many pages of good examples... I think it's important to keep in mind that not all legitimate original horimono were of the quality of Yanagimura,Yoshitane, Nobuhide, Sadakazu, Sadakatsu, Ikkanshi Tadatsuna, etc. Personally, I don't know what to think about the OP's sword... to me, the hori almost looks unfinished . Also, you have to consider that after multiple polishes, the shinogi-ji and ji might not have the material removed perfectly evenly, which could lead to distorted looking horimono, so... Eric- I remember seeing that sword for sale as Masahide (I think), but the hori don't really remind me of Yoshitane, or Nobuhide, from what I have seen - but they are some of the nicest horimono I've seen, so I wouldn't be surprised if either of those guys did them... well, whoever it was did a hell of a job. Do you have any ideas on the horimonoshi?