Jim Manley

The cutting test is gold inlay which has been filed flat. I can't do an adiquate job of capturing those details. As for the hada, yes it has a more course look which is most pronounced just above the hamachi. I completely agree with Peter and others that it has the presence of a newer blade. But I've never seen or handled an authentic early generation Kunikane and the photos in my limited resources don't adiquately convey the subtitles. The underlying, if unstated question is, to what lengths would one go to create a "fake" first generation Kunikane? I was hoping the board members would enjoy this, I know I am and certainly appreciate the scholarship and opinions. jim

Yes the lead dots go through the saya and are identical on both sides. jim

I think the dots are a lead filler inserted in drilled holes to hold the saya together. It looks like it was inserted and then filed down. I have no idea why it was done vs. glue. Jim

Thanks to all for the fantastic dialog. If my translation of the cutting test mei was a fumbling mess I apologize and it only makes me more pleased that this has spawned such interest and discussion. A part of my theory was of course that the cutting test was done by Jiro Yoshimune. I simply Google searched that name and up popped "Tokugawa Yoshimune" and the accompanying data. Perhaps a bit of misplaced optimism but it did pull my theory timeline together nicely. Jim

Two, hamon's look real. jim

Apologies for not signing my original post. A couple more photos.

Additional photos

I have had this blade since the late 1980's and believe it will make an interesting posting for a group that loves a good mystery. I'll lay out my evidence first and my "theory" at the end. I acquired the blade in gunto naval mounts including a mon of two crossed hawk's feathers (Asano Clan). The blade came with a surrender tag. I would not normally include this but in this case believe it may be another clue to this story of this fine sword. The blade is signed (kukomon) Oshu Kokubu Wakabayashi ju Yamashiro Daijo Fujiwara Kunikane. I had the blade with me at the Chicago show in 2014 and Peter Bleed was kind enough to take a look at it there, obtain an oshigata, and send it off for comment. He doubted the signature was good and mentioned a dealer had acquired a lot of Kunikane blades, had them signed, and this may well be one of those. Peter was kind enough to offer praise for the sword in his e-mail letting me know in all likelihood the signature was gemei. But in addition to the mei the blade carries a gold cutting test by Nagai Jiro Yoshimune, age 13. I believe this young gentleman may have been the second son of the eighth shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune. If this is the case, Jiro Yoshimune, born January 21, 1716, may have engaged in the cutting test in conjunction with a "coming of age" ceremony in 1729. Also on the sword was an exquisite habaki signed "Ichinomino Nagatsuna w/kao. My limited research yielded two things: Nagatsuna was active 1721-1787 (which fits with the time line of both the rule of Tokugawa Yoshimune and the ceremony for his son Jiro) and an article at SamuriSwords.com showing a papered first generation Kunikane with a very similar signed habaki. The theory: A cutting test date of 1729 limits to possibilities to the first 7 generations of the Kunikane line. In preparation for the coming of age event for Jiro Tokugawa a Kunekane blade was likely pulled from the lot of unsigned blades owned by the Tokugawa family and the rarely used signature of the first generation was copied. Then a special habaki was made. How the sword ended up in naval kai-gunto mounts can only be guessed at.

Thanks "nobody" now my wife will think I have a sword with the same features she has. It was destiny ! Jim

Can I ask for assistance with translation of the kanji on this habaki please. Thanks. jim M

Can I get a bit of assistance with this horimono please Jim M

Thank you so much. I wasn't aware that Ron had made a posting about this blade and whatever records I had about it were misplaced. I truely aprciate the responses and hope I can bring my knowledge up to the point where I can offer comments as authoritatively as this group. Some day.... jim

Thank you. I was / totally unfamiliar with those kanji and struggle with the routine. I was thinking it might have referenced the shortening of the blade.

I've got an o-suriage blade signed "Higo no Kami Hata Mitsuyo" . There is part of a 3'rd hole at the end of the tang and a bit of the Yo character is missing. I'm guessing that the signature may have been added and the other side references the shortening of the blade? Any help would be appreciated. Jim M.

Wayne, I sent a PM jim

Some additional photos of tsuka . Have a happy Thanksgiving. Jim

Has anybody else seen this? A wooden saya, wrapped with brass around the top and then covered with painted canvas? The blade is quite nice a Yoshihara Kuniie . It seems to be war time production. A field repair perhaps? Jim m

This is an interesting blade. It is signed Takenori which is the name used by Yasukuni Shrine smith Yasunori when he worked away from the shrine on special order projects. The nekago is exceptional and if I didn't know the previous owner, who' acquired it in the 90's I'd think it was recently made.

I totally agree that it's unlikely this is his first sword. I was thinking it might be among the first he signed. It's an ambitious undertaking for a smith so young and he likely had a lot of assistance from his teacher(s) and others at the forge.

I thought this blade might be of some interest to collectors of Gunto and Showato. It is a 43" (Nagasa!) O-tachi by Hikosaburo Akihide. It must be among his first swords made when he was only 18 years old. He made it to comerate his brothers safe return from the war. Akihide was a pivotal figure in the Japanese Sword world leading up to and including the war years. He trained many smiths, and facilitated the production of many of the swords we have in our collections. Anyway, this beast is now in the capable hands of Mr. Benson (It should give him a good workout). If possible I'll bring it to Chicago and /or post photos when I get it back. Jim M.

Only the upper hole was used. The lower hole is visibly smaller. No discernible file marks on the tang either. Jim

Thank you for the correction. Always learning something new.

Thomas suggested I create a separate thread about this Murata-to. I have very limited information so I'll share what I can. the Nagasa is 25 3/8" . All of the fittings, including the habaki are copper. The tsuba too is copper and patinated black. The Saya is canvas covered and may be sealed with lacquer. The blade was polished and the original polisher's marks remain. There is a definate nioi line along the suguha hamon. In Mr. Ohmura's article on Murata-to he includes a photo of Prince Chibata's identical blade which is signed and dated 1933 along with the aribic no. 116. I don't know if the fittings & kosheri for Prince Chibata's blade survived or if they were like those on my blade which I assume are original. Jim M.

Thank you for the links to the information on Murata-to. Mine is identical to that given to Prince Chichibu for practice. No signature, date or any marks along the top of the tang. I must have missed the 2016 thread and really enjoyed the comments and info. Jim M.

Here are some shots of my Murata-to. All the fittings are copper and the saya is canvas wrapped. It is not sharpened which makes sense if it is a practice sword. Also there are no Menuki but ovals of wood to orient the hands on the Tsuka. No. 103 w/ arsenal stamp. Two mekugi ana . Amazingly it's in perfect condition, Jim M.