Grey Doffin

Hi Gareth, Please post a picture of the nakago (tang) against a dark background. Your camera is adjusting to the white background and we can see no detail on the nakago. Grey

Hi Ben, Tokubetsu Hozon it is and looks to be legit. Grey

Hi Tony, The book originally sold for $50 but then went out of print and won't be reprinted; the price went wild. There was a time when a copy in good condition would bring $500 or more but, Jim Dawson came out with his book: Swords of Imperial Japan 1868 - 1945 Cyclopedia Edition, and the price for Fuller & Gregory dropped. Last time I had a copy in stock I had it listed at $175 when it sold. Grey

Oops! My mistake. Grey

Hi Gabriella, The whole signature is Yanagawa Ju Hisakuni Saku: Resident of Yanagawa Hisakuni made. Your sword is signed on the side of the blade that was used, with a few exceptions, for early tachi form swords (before 1400) and the signature looks to be very much younger than that. As your sword doesn't fit with any of the exceptions I'm aware of, I suspect your sword's signature is bogus. Anybody out there have a better idea? Grey

Nick, Your question is much like the one asked of an older lady on the streets of New York by a young man with a violin case under his arm, "How do I get to Carnegie Hall." Her answer, "Study." What Barry wrote makes sense but there is so much more to it. Study. Grey

Hi Kenny, If you take your pictures on a dark background we'll be able to see details. As is, your camera is calibrating off the white background and the nakago is left in the dark. Grey

Hi John, I am a bit bothered that an iron tsuba that comes across as being of great age shows no evidence of having been mounted: no divots or copper inserts in the nakago-ana to adjust the fit or cushion the nakago from wear. Grey

Hi Jose, I believe this possibly was made as is or, more likely, fashioned from a broken sword tip with the horimono added, done shortly after WWII to sell to someone in the occupation as a trinket to take home. Grey

Hi Tor, Definitely not an oil quenched blade, I see no reason to suspect that the bottom of the tang has been messed with, no evidence either that the tsuba has been replaced (maybe it has but no way to know): no reason to call this anything but a samurai sword that was traditionally made sometime between the 16th and 19th centuries. Resist all urges to fix it in any way; leave any restoration to those with proper training. See if you can find someone with years worth of knowledge to look at it in hand, which is the only way you're likely to learn much more about the sword. Cheers, Grey

Hi Dave, Here is a care and etiquette brochure that will tell you, among the rest, how to remove and replace the handle: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/ You and whoever will end up keeping the sword should read it twice. Cheers, Grey

This is a 100%, honest to God, true fake. Grey

Hi Jon, I can't see every character clearly but if the smith was true to his form it says, Noshu Seki no Ju Ni JU San Dai Fujiwara Kanefusa Kore wo Saku. Grey

Masa. Grey

Yoshimune is the mei and Showa Ju Ku Nen Go Gatsu (April of 1944) is the date. Grey

Brian Tschernega lives in the Seattle area and he can do the work. Grey

Maybe shinshinto or later but could be earlier. As you say, not much to go on. Grey

Kanekado. Grey

I agree with Stephen; for things of value within the US it has to be registered mail from the post office. Beyond what Stephen said, if the package spends a night in a post office it has to be in a safe. And it isn't expensive. I'm about to ship a large tube with 5 swords and some boxed fittings to the east coast. 10 pounds and $20,000 on value will be about $108 with full insurance. Registered can't get lost; as my guy at the PO says, "If you lose registered you lose your job." Grey

What Uwe said except: the sword is signed on the wrong side of the nakago (tang). No wakizashi should ever be signed on this side so I think we can assume that the signature is a fantasy. Grey

The tsuba is signed Kunihiro, I believe. Grey

Hi Steve, Noshu Masuda Kanetaka Saku (made by Masuda Kanetaka of Noshu). The paint is the number 388. Grey

Hi Ron, What John said and: your shirasaya is the best protection for the blade so you want to keep it there, which means that you can go ahead and buy an older koshirae that you can display next to your blade in shirasaya but never try to put the blade in the koshirae. This is far less expensive than having koshirae built to fit your blade, which means you can get better quality koshirae than you would have been able to afford had you built the koshirae to fit. Grey

I apply oil with a piece of facial tissue (paper). I remove oil 1st with another piece of tissue, to get the most of it, and then with microfiber. Grey

Hi Rocky, Normally, but there are exceptions, the mei would face forward when the sword is worn on the hip. Grey