yet another sword for your ID expertise!

[flamingo]

HI folks. I’m here, as many, to find out more information on a sword that has been in the family a number of years. My parents used the sword to cut their wedding cake in 1952. It came into my possession a couple of years ago and I am finally finding the time to do some research on it. I’ve always been told the sword was from my Dad’s side of the family, and a family friend says it was my great-grandfather’s sword. Alas, there is nobody alive to know the absolute truth anymore. Even if it was my grandfather’s it would predate WWII since he died in the early 30’s.

 

That side of the family came to Canada from Ireland in 1907. I suspect the sword came with them at that time. Mainly because I have a hard time figuring out where they would find this sword in small town prairie Canada in the early 1900’s. The impetus for finding out more about the sword came when I decided I wanted to display the sword properly, but needed to know more about it to determine what the standard is for display. I’m also just very curious. All the time I was growing up, the sword sat under our basement steps – cool, dry, albeit dusty. At some point in time the sword went to my brother, who had it sitting in his office – cool, dry, not dusty. Then it came to me a couple of years ago.

 

I don’t know a lot about swords but have been cruising the web to find more information, and came across the NMB and realized the wealth of experience and knowledge the people here have. I did lurk for awhile until I figured out what would be required for an identification. As it turns out, the pin was missing from my handle, so the handle was easily removed to view the tang (apologies if I get any of the terminologies wrong). There is no signature on the tang (I tried the talc powder trick as well). The saya is lacquered wood. No cords attached. The sword total length is approx 27.5”. The blade length from the tsuba is 20.5”. The tsuba appears to be a heavier metal (iron mix?) with what appears to be brass inset pattern of leaves and vines. It has no signature (that I can see). The Kashira is an ornate flower pattern. The fuchi is a matching ornate flower pattern. On the tang are two holes as well as a third hole, which appears to have been plugged up with metal. The menuki are hard to see, but appear to be dragons. The wrappings on the handle appear to be in good condition, in that they are not frayed at all and are nice and tight, albeit maybe stained. There appears to be a proper hamon and yokote.

 

Condition problems include some pitting on the blade, the missing pin, the possibly stained wrapping on the handle, a small gap in the seam of the ray skin (same?) wrap, some missing inlay on the tsuba. As well, the saya does not have an end cap. I don’t know if there ever was one there, I can’t tell by looking at it.

 

I’m assuming this is a decent condition, reasonably old katana and I THINK it’s authentic. But I really don’t know. Any information on this sword would be greatly appreciated. Any value is for interest – unlikely to sell it as it has some sentimental value. I have taken and posted pictures at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snorkelgee ... 752547783/

 

Apologies about some of the photos – new camera, still learning! If any other photos are needed, let me know. Please also correct me on any misuses of terminology. And since I didn’t buy this, don’t have to tell you guys to be brutally honest!

 

Brenda P

[mdiddy]

Brenda,

 

Thanks for sharing. It looks like you have a nice, authentic, and old Japanese sword. The first distinction I would make is that your sword is a wakizashi, or short sword, and not a katana. It looks to be suriage, or shortened, so maybe at one point in time it was longer. The sword looks to have a very characteristic type of hamon known as sanbon-sugi that features alternating peaks. This hamon originated in Mino province ca. 1500 so its likely your sword was made in Mino province sometime in the 1500s. It was likely shortened later and remounted into the current mounts. I do not know too much about fittings, but I would say the mounts look fairly average. The menuki look nice and large to my eyes. It is not a national treasure, but overall a honest, complete, authentic, and old Japanese sword.

 

With regards to the condition, I see some light rust, scratches, etc but do not see any major flaws from the pictures provided. It is important that the sword is properly cared for to keep it from rusting or its condition deteriorating. Please see here for information on how to properly take care and maintain the sword: http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/faq.html. Light oiling from time to time will keep it in its current condition.

 

I hope that helps and feel free to ask questions.

 

Best,

 

Matt

[flamingo]

Thanks Matt! I didn't think it would be a top notch quality, given the absence of signature and the condition issues and just the provenance of somehow making it's way into our humble family, but didn't expect that it would be that old. Awesome. And here I was thinking MAYBE late 19th century! I have more things to look up now!

 

I know that nothing has been done to the sword (polishing etc) at least since the 1952 wedding. And I never touch things like these until I know what to do, becasue I know any kind of restoration can make matters worse, so I appreciate the help with care and maintenance.

 

Brenda P

[mdiddy]

Yes and I would recommend against having the sword restored. It is a valuable item, but maybe not enough to justify a proper restoration. And in its current condition, you can readily appreciate the hamon and other features.

[flamingo]

Haha. Maybe a good thing it hid away under the stairs all those years! I didn't admit it, but my Mom's side of the family is from China.....I was really hoping it wasn't a Chinese fake - but I didn't think so from other things I've seen on the forum.

 

With regards to displaying, would the traditional be edge/curve up?

 

I'm already looking up all the info you gave me. So much appreciated!

 

Brenda P

[mdiddy]

Yes, I would recommend displaying with the edge up. The picture below is a good example. If you really want to go all out, I would recommend finding a nice and well-made antique katanakake, or sword stand, to display it on.

 

For more info on who made your sword, I would recommend looking into the Kanemoto school from Mino province. They were the originators of that type of hamon.

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Brenda,

You need to make a new pin (mekugi) for the hole in the handle ASAP. Without the pin to lock the blade in the handle, the blade can slide down inside the scabbard and shatter its point in the scabbard bottom or, if unsheathed, the blade can fall to the floor and suffer even worse damage. Bamboo chopstick and a bit of whittling will do fine.

Here is a link to a sword care and etiquette website:

http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Etiquette.htm

Please read it.

Grey

[flamingo]

Thanks Grey...I'd meant to ask what to do about the missing pin. And I have lots of chopsticks, so easily solved. I have been laying the sword flat because I knew the pin was missing. Everything was tight until I took it apart to look for the signature, but now easily comes apart, so I was worried about that.

 

I do have a question. When I first started researching the sword, I noticed there was a bigger "pebble" on the one side of the handle, near the kashira. I thought at first this was the pin - thought there was two pins before I did more research. What is this larger pebble? Is it just an anomaly of the rayskin that was well-placed by the maker?

 

Brenda P

[flamingo]

Grey, I'm getting a broken link on that etiquette site....

 

Brenda P

[Jamie]

Brenda,

The "pebble" on the ray skin is part of the skin.

It's called the emperors node I believe. The tsuka on yours has a full wrap of same, I don't think the gap is a problem at all. It happens over time.

Hope this helped

Jamie.

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

This hamon originated in Mino province ca. 1500 so its likely your sword was made in Mino province sometime in the 1500s.

 

It can be Shinto even Shinshinto.

[Robert Janssen]

Hi Brenda,

 

As mentioned the "pebble" is part of the rayskin (samegawa) underneath the wrapping. These bigger nodes run in a line down into the rest of the rayskin. You see 2 smaller ones on the edges of the second diamond figure made by the wrapping. The size of these nodes (and overall size of all regular nodes) are also somewhat of a quality reference, the bigger the nodes the "better" or at least more expensive the rayskin gets.

 

If you do an image search for samegawa in any search engine you will see what it looks like without the wrapping, and everything will become clear.

 

greets

[Grey Doffin]

The Care & Etiquette web page is down. NBTHK/AB needs to look into this.

Grey

[mdiddy]

It can be Shinto even Shinshinto.

Fair point - it could be, even with the suriage. To me, the irregular nature of the gunome points (no pun intended) to earlier Mino work. In Shinto and Shinshinto Mino-den, I would have expected a more uniform gunome pattern.

[stirling]

The tsuba looks almost identical to this one:

http://www.shibuiswords.com/heianjo2.htm

[flamingo]

The tsuba looks almost identical to this one:

http://www.shibuiswords.com/heianjo2.htm

 

That definitely looks almost identical. I was thinking the inlay was brass and this site confirms. I think the tsuba is identified! Thanks for that Brad.

 

Thanks to the other suggestions as well. Is there another measurement or more pics I can take that would help nail down the ID on the sword?

 

Brenda P

[flamingo]

....or, does the fact that the tsuba is 1500's help confirm Matt's Mino province ID?

 

Brenda P

[Ken-Hawaii]

Is it my eyeball, or does the very tip of the blade look either broken or bent, Brenda?

 

Tsuba tended to migrate from blade to blade, so having an older Heianjo tsuba like yours doesn't necessarily identify the blade.

 

Ken

[flamingo]

Not sure what you mean by bent...it bevels down to the point. If you mean the very very tip, I've never noticed that before, will have to check when I get home shortly. I don't remember seeing a bend, maybe it's chipped right off. I'll check and post.

 

Brenda P

[flamingo]

Well Ken, you are right. It's not a bend, but indeed a tiny chip has come off the very point. I hadn't noticed that before.

 

Brenda P

[mdiddy]

Is there another measurement or more pics I can take that would help nail down the ID on the sword?

 

There are no other measurements at this point that will tell us more. The hamon is the strongest indicator for ID on this sword. You could investigate the Kanemoto school of Mino province as they were well-known for sanbon-sugi hamon.

 

If you want a more official ID on the sword, you could send it to a shinsa. A shinsa is a panel of Japanese sword experts who appraise swords and issue authenticating documents based on their judgements. These authenticating documents are highly regarded by collectors, particularly in the instance of swords without signatures. You can google 'shinsa' or search this forum for more information on them. There happens to be one coming up at the end of February in Tampa, FL. If interested, you can find more info here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16581&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[flamingo]

Thanks Matt. I have been researching the Kanemoto school of Mino and the hamon on my sword definitely seems to match up with what I see there. It is a repeating set of 3 peaks (gunome?) with 2 shorter ones and 1 longer one. So I think your initial suggestion may have been correct. I will also look up the shinsha.

 

thank you for all your help.

 

Brenda P