Hi everyone, new to the forum, first post here and am a complete novice to this topic! I recently went to a flea market where I found this sword for £700, I didn't buy it. It was a very fortuitous find as I had just so happened to be looking at them online a few days before and seeing one in the flesh definitley cemented my interest in them and I have been reading and trying to learn about them since. However, I am struggling to identify what this is! I wish I'd taken more pictures of the details, but I hope this picture is enough for an identification. I apologise in advance if I've gotten any of the terminology incorrect, this is all new to me! It appears to have a bluey-green fabric wrapped tsuka with a real ray skin samegawa. The tsuba is unornamented and appears to be steel or maybe iron. It has a brass habaki with unusual vertical lines cut into it. The saya has a leather cover, and the sword itself is secured into it via a leather tab with a pop fastener. This is probably the bit that is throwing me the most, I am struggling to find other examples with this method of closure. The blade itself also appears to have a strange crackle-like effect where the hamon would be. In my novice opinion I would say it was a Type 94, but any information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
