mywei

Ordered for a Sagawa Akira (佐川晃)

Maybe it was worn by the Japanese version of Two-Face 

There will be many here who are much more experienced in the nuances of what determines market price.

In my understanding these would be the key variables (one may outweigh another depending on sword)

Age of blade - koto>Shinto>shinshinto 

Popularity of school/maker (there is a heirarchy)

Condition/attributes of blade - ubu, suriage, signed, nengo, cutting test, polish

Papers attained (Juyo + will generally not go below a certain price as stated above)

Provenance (daimyo owned etc)

As to how important each variable is in relation to each other is where nuance and experience comes in

Aoe?

守次

Moritsugu?

Hi Brian,

The only similar smith I found that worked from Echizen was an early signature of a Shimosaka smith- Sadatsugu, but he signed with a different Sada (貞道)

I'm getting Shinto Mino vibes

May be an undocumented Shinto smith

According to the Sesko compendium, there was a Ujisada 氏定 that worked in Settsu, Kanbun era. Maybe this one was related 

攝津国源氏重

Settsu kuni Minamoto Ujishige

I'm not 100% of the last three characters (mb completely wrong), but could be 

塚原殿 謹作

Lord Tsukahara, made with care

Yes I think shinshinto era 

There doesnt seem to be a documented smith with the exact "yoshi"

According to this https://asahitoken.jp/contents/01_token/details/token-D/D008_sold.html - your Tsuguyoshi would most likely have been related to another Etchu Toyama Tsuguyoshi who signed with a different 'yoshi' 継義

Etchu Toyama ju Minamoto Tsuguyoshi saku

Sukesada 

The other side appears to say Sanjo Awataguchi Kagemitsu 三条粟田口景光 but I don't think there was a Kagemitsu of the Awataguchi school that I'm aware of.

I also really liked and would recommend After the Rain (Ame agaru)

I'm not an expert on gendaito but afaik the ikkansai Smiths made gendaito, and have been papered by the nbthk

See 

Yes this is a gendaito

looks absolutely pristine for a Ko Bizen. Could it be shinshinto Bizen instead of Ko Bizen? There was a Bizen Yokoyama school Sukekane...

Just a thought, attractive blade nonetheless

Yes it might be a line of Ieyoshis from Kaga province.

See ref http://ginza.choshuya.co.jp/sale/gj/r2/04/09_ieyoshi.htm

Fujiwara ju Ieyoshi (your pics are upside down btw)

Probably Kaga

Ah nice one, Ayanokoji is a rare bird! I've had my eye on this one for a while 

https://www.nipponto.co.jp/swords6/KT333075.htm

Is that masame near the ha? If enju is Tori yoku..

Yamato Shikkake?

6 hours ago, SteveM said:

Outstanding. I think the sentence should be split as below, but its a minor thing and doesn't change the overall meaning too much. 

中直刃ヲ焼キ、刃ニ近ク直映ガ立ツナド

 

And the length and date? Only mildly tricky. 

Thanks Steve

Length 1 shaku 6 sun 6 bun

余干时辛丑季葉月 - 2021 August

備前国長船則光

Bizen Osafune Norimitsu

文明九年製作而五郎左衛門尉也惟時同工七十二歳同工ハ祐光ト並ビ応永備前カラ末備前へノ過渡期ニ活躍ツタリ

Made in 9th year of Bunmei，this smith Goro Saemon (no) Jo was 72 years old at that time. This smith as well as Sukemitsu were active during the transition period from Oei Bizen to Sue Bizen.

本刀ハ比較的短寸ノ打刀デ精良ナル板杢ノ肌合ニ穏ヤカナ中直刃ヲ焼キ刃ニ近ク直映ガ立ツナド其ノ一作風ヲ示ス優品也

This sword is a relatively short in length uchigatana, with a refined itame-mokume mixed hada, calm chu-suguha yakiba and close sugu-utsuri which stands out. This is an excellent work which demonstrates one of the workmanship styles of this smith

Hope that helps

I'm sure there will be errors in this but

備前国長船則光
文明九年製作而五郎左衛門尉也惟時同工七十二歳同工ハ祐光ト並ビ応永備前カラ末備前へノ過渡期ニ活躍ツタリ

本刀ハ比較的短寸ノ打刀デ精良ナル板杢ノ肌合ニ穏ヤカナ中直刃ヲ焼キ刃ニ近ク直映ガ立ツナド其ノ一作風ヲ示ス優品也

I think there is consensus from a few of us that this is the correct translation