Nice little wakizashi

[obiwanknabbe]

Hi everyone,

 

Well, it looks like I got lucky again (does it seem to everyone else that swords are coming out of the woodwork lately?).

 

It is a very nice little Wakizashi which is signed, abet VERY faintly, with some nice fittings (Rooster on the tsuba and ground hogs on the koshirae). I am guessing its late koto, going by the slender shape and the very dark rust on the nagako. It appears to have Mokume Hada and Gunome hamon. The nagako is short and on the stubby side.

 

There is also a Kao on the mune side of the nagako.

 

The 1st Kanji is very faded. It looks close to "Nori" 則

I think the 2nd Kanji is "Mitsu" 光

 

Any information on who this really is would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks again for all you guys do,

 

Kurt.K

[runagmc]

I think you got it... Supposed to be Bizen Osafune Norimitsu... You would have to do some research to see if the sword fits the mei

[obiwanknabbe]

So i have found a few blades out there that have a very similar nagako and Mei. Those that were most similar were listed as being "Kazu uchi mono" or Bundle Swords. The Niji mei seems to be a constant as does the stubby nagako. What I didn't see was any other blades with a Kao on the Mune.

 

Any of you guys want to weigh in on this?

 

Kurt .k

[Geraint]

Hi Kurt.

 

I am not sure that you should jump to the conclusion that this is a kao but it certainly looks like a kanji. I can't make it out but perhaps if you take a rubbing and try turning it around you might recognise it. It is not unheard of for a smith to use the mune of the nakago to add information but I don't think that will apply to this sword, especially if it is kazu uchimono. Perhaps some sort of assembly mark or something like that.

 

Let us know what you find out.

 

All the best.