templar44

Morita San, Deeply appreciated. I am not a WW2 nihonto enthusiast but the price was just too good to pass over. Hopefully it will find a good home. Tony Martin

I believe I have the last two kanji for this signature but the first two are proving difficult. Any help would be appreciated. Most probably a Mino maker. Any info would also be appreciated. These modern smiths are not something I have researched. My head is stuck in the distant past. I think that the last two kanji are MasaChika. The first looks like Maru but does not really match up with province or town names I have access to. Thanks for any assistance, Tony Martin

Thanks Piers. The blade is good and was just hoping this might shed some light as far as pinning down where it was made. Thanks for your effort. Tony Martin

Forgot to sign the post. Tony Martin and Tony Martin for this one :D

Thanks Ed. PM sent.

The omote is signed "Yukihira saku" which is 99.9 gimei. Unless it is a long lost Hosho smith who is unrecorded. However I think these kanji may have been original. I can not decipher them at all. Any help would be appreciated. I added a photo of the blade for those who wished to see the overall blade. Thanks for your time, Tony Martin

Curran I had a sword kept by Canada customs for longer than usual and got to know some of them quite well as I phoned them every day. Sometimes twice a day. I don't think they realized how squeaky a wheel could get. I think that being a member of the police service in Toronto also helped somewhat. I still have the names of the customs officials somewhere. If you need a hand give me a shout. Tony Martin

Once again I thank everyone who helped. I was not sure how that last kanji would be taken for Tomo but the very reputable dealer from Japan stated it as a variant of Kanetomo but did not give the other version Kanemasu. As a result I could not try and cross reference. I have now found one point in the English (Afu) translation of Nihon To Koza that lists a smith Kanetomo who also used the name or was known as Kanemasu (pg51). This might have been what he was referring to when he gave the translation. Under Kanemasu (Era:1467) I also see three varaints in which this smith is known. It is very interesting. Once again thanks for all the help. Now I am on the right track.

I have put this signature as a variant on Kanetomo. Does anyone see any glaring contradiction. If not can anyone hazard a guess on generation. Thanks in advance, Tony Martin

Thank you very much John. It has been bothering me tremendously. I felt it had to be something like that but could not place it. Tony

Forgot to say I believe the first kanji is Naga although it could also be Cho or Osa. I believe the second is Hide. The third is possibly Michi or To. Thanks again, Tony Martin

I am unsure if I have identified these correctly. The three kanji all seem to match those found in swordsmith names therefore I am having trouble in reading this. i am unsure how it would read when it is all put together. That is of course if I have identified them correctly. Thanks in advance, Tony Martin.

A few more views. Tony Martin

Here are a few pictures. It is 18 3/8 inches long. 13/16 at the hamachi. it is 5/8 of an inch at the yakote. The kissaki is 3/4 of an inch. It has two mekugi one of which is square. There is no men . There is however a small horizontal nick! Gunome shifting to an elongated gunome near the kiss saki. Can't see the detail in the kissaki. There is abundant nie in the valleys of the gunome. I think it is not half bad for a boys sword. Tony Martin

Thanks Chris, I am currently looking at one that I believe is Bizen and koto. Would you know how far back the boys sword practice started. I may be mistaken but I thought the swords were given when the boys came of a certain age. I am wondering if it was done inconsistently in the past and became more popular in the mid to late Edo period. The mounts on the one I am looking at are poor late Edo. Good enough for a young lad but certainly not for a Samurai. Tony Martin.