signed or unsigned

[zentsuji2]

I am looking at a sword 1800s unsigned family blade,why would a smith not sign,and are the best swords signed, does it mean it was faulty or was it for other reasons,and is it impossible to identify a maker without a signature, i like the sword but also like looking up smiths history. Ian bellis

[b.hennick]

There are lots of possible reasons. A smith might make three blades for a customer to choose from. One was signed (chosen one) others not. Some smiths never signed blades. A smith might be illiterate. A smith dies before signing. And on and on.

Yes one can sometimes tell who made a blade without a signature. That art is called kantei. It is often practiced with signed blades where the signature is hidden and then revealed at the end of the kantei session. The signature can confirm or refute the attribution. Most Masamune blades are unsigned. Story is that he made the best and so no one needed a signature because the quality was self evident.

Whatever "rule" one can come up with in respect ot Japanese swords there will be an exception (but not this rule). Yikes an exception.

Happy New Year. BTW some of my best swords are not signed.

[nagamaki - Franco]

An 1800's blade should be both signed and preferably dated. Familiarize yourself with the rules for judging .... http://www.nihontocraft.com/Nihonto_Shinsa_Standards.html

[BIG]

Hi and a big Year 2014!!!!!

 

so better Chances for Papers with Mumei but identi. School blades ?

[zentsuji2]

The blade was advertised as 1800s that is,why I put forth the question, it must mean it's earlier then, the hamon looks shinshinto,but I am learning,and there is a,lot to familiarise yourself with with nihonto,so I asked you knowledgeable people,that's what the board is for,thanks, so all shinto were signed,?Ian bellis,or they have to be signed,to be,sent for shinsa is this correct.

[Jean]

http://www.nihontocraft.com/Nihonto_Shi ... dards.html

 

An aftermath Kiss Cool effect

[Darcy]

The blade was advertised as 1800s that is,why I put forth the question, it must mean it's earlier then, the hamon looks shinshinto,but I am learning,and there is a,lot to familiarise yourself with with nihonto,so I asked you knowledgeable people,that's what the board is for,thanks, so all shinto were signed,?Ian bellis,or they have to be signed,to be,sent for shinsa is this correct.

 

Some of them are unsigned and were made that way.

 

Unsigned is generally an undesirable feature compared to signed.

 

Koto period blades have frequently been shortened and lost signatures, so much so that it is usually considered an acceptable state (in some cases, the only state) for a smith or school's work in the Nanbokucho period and earlier. With younger blades there are enough unaltered and signed work to make the unsigned pieces outliers.

 

There is a requisite devaluation then in the marketplace, but they are not valueless.

 

As Barry says the reasons for them being unsigned are varied, some theoretical, some are speculative, and certainly some were done for reasons that we just don't know.