Bought a Sword What Does It Say

[deansova]

Picked this up it came into the Flea market guys mom received it in 1943 from a relative. It is all ww2 marine type fittings and scabard this is what is under the handle. I have a number of german swords but know nothing about Japanese swords. Condition is ex

 

What do the markings mean??

 

What year was the blade made??

 

What could it be worth??

 

If you need to ask me more info please feel free to give me a call Dean Sova 313-299-9533

 

[Stephen]

No you need to post better pictures, you ask us not we ask you.>>LOL

[cabowen]

Kuwayama Sukehide

Bunka Gan Nen 8 Gatsu Hi (8th month, 1804)

 

There are two generations. From Tosa, Ozaki Suketaka mon. Can't say which generation this is....Nice find.

 

Value depends on condition,length, quality. Pictures would be a big help.

[deansova]

Here is another pic of it assembled. Can you tell me any more details on what all is written on the handle.

 

[deansova]

Ok let me see if I have this straight

 

Maker of this sword is "Kuwayama Sukehide"

 

It was made 8th month 1804 "Bunka Gan Nen 8 Gatsu Hi"

 

I don't understand this part "There are two generations. From Tosa, Ozaki Suketaka mon"

 

What type of sword is this? and what do they call them when they are refitted for ww2?

 

Is there anything special about the maker and does all this affect the value??

[Mark]

Hi Dean

 

It means there were 2 people who used that name, father and son. They were in a group of makers that learned from Suketaka (he was sort of the master smith). I can take a look at it and help you understand it, I missed you last weekend as I was in Baltimore for the sword show. Let me know and we can get together. The value is more determined by the quality and condition, he was not a "famous" maker but may be a nice sword.

 

Mark Jones

nixe@bright.net

[deansova]

give me a call i have your card but it is in my gunshow stuff at the fleamarket going upnorth this weekend but will catch you this week thanks dean sova

[deansova]

Would this sword #17 be related or made by the same person as mine

 

http://www.choshuya.co.jp/1/0802/member_frame_sword.htm

[Curran]

Answer: No.

Not even within 20 leagues.

You could pick almost any other sword out there and it would be a closer hit with yours.

 

Edit:

Oops. Put foot in mouth and now tasting my ankle.

After the Shizu, Masazane, and quite a few others.

Thanks Chris.

Apology too to Deansova.

[cabowen]

Curran- scroll down....

[deansova]

so am i correct and sword number 17 is some kind of relation or am i incorrect??

[cabowen]

Yes, the sword in your link is by Kuwayama. Your sword may be by this smith, the second generation, or a fake signature.

 

Don't get too excited by the price as that is for a blade in polish and nice fittings. The polish alone is around $4000, the fittings probably $2000 or so.

[deansova]

i am always excited when i am learning something new!!!!

 

The history of anything ww2 related and the fact that this was used during ww2 and was in a family for 150 years before then is the interesting part

 

very few americans took family treasures or heirlooms to battle with them so this sword is very unique to me though it may be common to the guys on this board.

 

Thanks for the info.

[w.y.chan]

The polish alone is around $4000

 

Chris, is that how much a polish cost?

[Brian]

Considering the level of that polish, and the fact that it would have come with a new habaki and shirasaya, I would say that isn't too far off. Especially if a Westerner was sending it in, with agents fees, clearing etc.

Maybe a little less because it is a wakizashi..but then the fittings look to be more than $2k...so it balances out.

 

Brian

[w.y.chan]

A top polish for a wakizashi is around $2k without shirasaya and the $2k koshirae equals $4k in total so the handling fee must be $2k?

[cabowen]

A top polish for a wakizashi is around $2k without shirasaya and the $2k koshirae equals $4k in total so the handling fee must be $2k?

 

 

polish at $125/inch assuming 20 inches= $2500

shirasaya and tsunagi: $600

habaki: $400

koshirae: $2000

kanteisho: $400 or so

import/export fees: $100

agent fee: $500

shipping both ways/insurance: $300

 

 

Comes to $6000+

[w.y.chan]

Thanks Chris for the quote.

I can see why some high end WW2 gendaitos with these restoration done costing $12k because the cost is added on top of the blade.

[SwordGuyJoe]

That's a pretty common misconception. A $12k gendaito had everything to do with the blade. You can't expect to take a $5k blade by a mid-range smith and polish it and put it in koshirae and now expect $12k. It's still a $5k blade. Now if you can get an out of polish sword by a top-flight smith - like Okimasa - now you're talking getting your investment back. This is why a lot of gendaito is tough to justify a polish. Unless the purchase price is low, there isn't a ton of return.

[w.y.chan]

That's a pretty common misconception

Couldnt agree more. That is why it has to be "high end WW2 gendaitos" as I've already mentioned in my earlier post so there is no misconception from me here. Having high restoration cost spent on a sword of low artistic quality don't all of a sudden make the sword a high end one.

No point investing $6k restoration service on an Emura blade that probably could'nt break over $4k

 

However a $5k WW2 gendaito out of polish has to be made by a top smith like Okimasa, Gassan or Toshihide, not something from a mid range smith, at 28" in length or pretty close and their superior work not ones they make for the military, add the $5k-$6k restoration service and then you have a sword worthy of $10k-$12k.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I don't disagree.