Hector

Well spotted!!! 😀

As some here know, I've been looking for a sword and I'm one of the overly optimistic (as in 'dumb') fools who trawl Yahoo auctions. As I learned more by asking lots of questions, I decided to look for a blade I really liked the look of aesthetically and could afford to take a hit on financially if I messed up. I did as much research as I could based on the seller's images and dubious sales spiel, took my chances and ended up winning an auction about an hour ago. (Two members here kindly helped me to translate a difficult phrase which gave me the final nudge.) It's a mumei wakizashi - the worst choice possible if you ever want to sell, Iknow. It supposedly has a sayagaki by Kanzan Sato but I accept that is probably fake. This reads "Yamashiro Province, Sanjō Resident Yoshikuni Hitatsura Wakizashi One Shaku Two Sun Seven Bu Five Rin" - the latter part of which accurately duplicates what is on the torokusho at least. Talking of the torokusho, I was pretty confused when I couldn't see any prefecture name on it because I know I will have to re-register it. However, after doing some more online research, it's apparently because it's dated Showa 26 or 1951 and early licenses didn't give the prefecture name. As to Yoshikuni (if it even is his work), this was all I could find out about this smith. Yoshikuni 義国, 1624, Yamashiro. Mei: Sanjo Horikawa ju Fujiwara Yoshikuni 三条堀川住藤原義国, Yamashiro Sanjo Horikawa Yoshikuni 山城三条堀川義国, Horikawa ju Yoshikuni 堀河住義国, Bungo (no) Kami Tachibana Yoshikuni 豊後守橘義国. Student of Mishina Kinmichi and Horikawa Dewa Daijo Kunimichi. Why did I risk it? The hamon, pure and simple. As long as that is not a drunken polisher's ode to hadori I'll be happy. I really don't care about the sayagaki's authenticity or who actually made it - I lucked out on the price (suspicious in itself) and just hope it looks half as decent in hand as in the auction photos (attached). Wish me luck. Best, Hector

That is so helpful guys - thank you so much! It ties in perfectly with the blade I'm looking at. @eternal_newbie"....has spots of hardening all over the surface but not enough to be considered fully hitatsura" is actually a spot on description as there are only stray areas of hardening. Thanks again! Hector

Hi, I'm trying to decipher the sayagaki of a hirazukuri wakizashi. I've managed to work out most of it but this phrase is alluding me. I know it refers to the temper pattern but the exact nuance does not translate (I tried using auto translate but answers ranged from 'flaming' to 'total destruction'!) 皆焼き脇差 Thanks, Hector

After looking at many genuine examples, both here and online, I think this may actually be a genuine sayagaki by Kanzan. However, it is only the blade inside which counts as, from what I've read, Kanzan signed so many shirasaya (and that's not counting all the fakes out there) that his sayagaki are very commonly encountered.

I apologize for the bad call! The ersatz habaki and odd hilt binding threw me totally off. As I said, I am learning myself. It's a really nice present for your father!

Thank you so much for checking your chain hangers Ian! I think this interesting new subject is something Bruce @Bruce Pennington might like a record of. Best, Hector

You're very welcome - I hope that it was useful. You are also very fortunate to have a Kotani Yasunori blade. 😊 Best, Hector

Try this. https://kotaniyasunori.blogspot.com/?m=1

Hi again, As you know, I haunt Yahoo auctions in an effort to improve my eye for what is real and what is not while I'm not actually visiting sword shops (which I'm trying to do a lot more now). Well, another wakizashi has popped up with what the seller alleges is an inscription on the saya by Kanzan. My humble first impression is that it looks too fresh but others out there will be able to recognise his writing and Kao style. Best, Hector PS sorry for the blurred picture but that's the only one the seller gives - perhaps for reasons of deliberate obfuscation?

Glad to help Sam! Hamfish @lonely panet, Maybe these numbers are another way of differentiating originals from fakes. 😬 (Unless the fakers read this thread of course.) Best, Hector

Sure Bruce. The old guy in the store had put the white paper around them to keep them neat so I won't take it off unless I have a sword to put one on. He also threw in an extra slider and screw from somewhere!

Hi Sam, The ziplock baggies were my addition. Everything in Yokohama gets affected by humidity, then mold - especially paper and leather. So I have to protect anything of value with the bags. I just examined the hanger and realised that your O marks are actually four number 8888 because mine has four number 7777 in exactly the same spot. I never would've looked without you asking! (I could only get three in the photo but I promise there are four, like yours.)

Not mine alas, Jean.

Many thanks for the fast response and feedback; it was very interesting. The blade you show is almost as erratic in its hamon as the one on Yahoo! Here is a closeup of the signature - I can't read it myself. Best, Hector

That's a shame - I was really pleased with this little stash!😥 I went back and found the thread from a year ago and it was very good of you getting reproductions so you could warn others. Could I please just doublecheck with you? In the previous thread you mentioned that the originals and the repros have springs mounted in different directions so I've taken some more photographs. It's a heavy, chrome plated brass chain. Thanks again. Hector

Once again, I'm asking a question in order to learn. Currently on Yahoo, this wakizashi has (to me) a strange hamon. It starts as suguha near the ha-machi, turns into a very uniform gunome (under the hadori), then suddenly goes crazy around the monouchi on both sides and then settles back down again as it approaches the boshi. I really don't know what I'm looking at here. To my inexperienced eye, it just looks like part of the clay has fallen off the monouchi during yakiire - am I missing some advanced technique by the smith? I've read on this board that a Japanese swordsmith can control virtually all the activity in a hamon - so is this deliberate and, if so, what do you call it? Thanks for looking. Best, Hector

I often pop into little, old antique shops to see if they have anything sword related (such as tsuba). One of these is not far from where I live so I've previously let the owner know what I'm interested in - and it seems to have paid off today. 😃 I still haven't found a sword I like (and can afford) but he let me have all these WWII items today for a very cheap price. So, maybe I should start looking for a gunto? 🤔

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but I believe them to be both Chinese replicas. However, I'm just finding my feet around here myself so I'd wait for some of the actual knowledgeable people to chime in.

Hey fellas! I wasn't actually interested in this thing! I just didn't want to be the only one cursed not to be able to unsee it. 😬

Meiji? Modern? Chinese? 😳

It's awful when you only find out about someone by news of their passing and then see how amazingly talented they were. After following the link provided here, I've been looking through Richard's photography and it is so stunningly beautiful. Rest in peace, sir.

Took a second look and just noticed the boshi appears to run completely off the kissaki. IMHO that's the kind of thing you should be looking out for rather than the fittings.

To follow on from @Scogg's suggestion, perhaps a piece of ivory or horn (as used to remove active rust off tsuba)?

@Swords Just out of interest, why do you think it's traditional? I honestly can't make out any details of the blade from those photos.