Got it

[tokashikibob]

Gents,

After 3 weeks of work, I finally have the "Right down the street" Nihonto in hand.

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=20004

 

It is very nice looking at the quality of workmanship here in the morning sun. I've taken the liberty of taking a few additional photos. I wish I could get the only kissaki cleaned up as that is the only restoration work needed. Blade is very nice and must be quite old as it has been polished quite a bit throughout history, I say this as the hamon is quite thin as it heads to the yokote. Other than that it is quite the blade.

Best Regards,

Bob

[tokashikibob]

a few more pics

[Darcy]

I think you have a good shot at Nosada with this (Kanesada). Second bet is still Kanefusa but I'm less likely to think Kanemoto at this point. Crack open Fujishiro and study the Kane character and see where it takes you.

[tokashikibob]

Darcy,

As always, thank you so much for all the tips and hints! I'll start looking at those men.

 

What do you think of the possibility of it ending up a work of Kaneuji? The ladies have a pic of the narrow flat top utsuri on their site which matches in multiple places on this blade. Also the characteristics match in regards to Jigane makeup of his work from other sources. I wish the kissaki had it's clues visable. I'll start looking at the mei, but that seems like a never ending source of debate depending on what hand tool he used that day, and so on.

 

I am in the process in trying to track down who the lady was who brought the sword back with her when she married the Marine right after the war. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some pictures of her, in what was said to be royal garb. I'll do my best to build a legit story for prosperity.

 

Best Regards,

Bob

[Darcy]

Kaneuji is a bit much to expect for a signed piece but you can hope at best for one of the Naoe Shizu smiths, though even that is a big hope. The kissaki is extended so it could place it earlier than Kanesada and I kind of overlooked that first time through when you posted about finding it.

 

The hamon though, looks like a mix of gunome and there are some that look like tadpoles, am I correct in that? And then the extended togariba that rise very high this all looks like work of Nosada to me.

 

Kaneuji is really a Soshu smith rather than Mino though he founds the Mino line. His style is Soshu with some Yamato flavor. Later on the Mino smiths develop their own styles and depart from Soshu. And one of these things is more regular shapes in the hamon. Before this with Shizu the style is very close to Masamune and is a lot of midareba mixed with gunome and notare. But later this just kind of condenses to gunome. Kanefusa made hamon similar to Nosada and Nosada was the most talented and could execute in Yamashiro style very well or as well or better than Kanemoto in sanbonsugi.

 

Naoe Shizu would be quite similar to Shizu but a bit less in skill, and less activity in the hamon, and usually a bit more regular somehow. Probably half the decision in sorting them out is based on the better ones going to Shizu.

 

This is my reference Shizu piece but his work style can be hard to generalize as there is a fair amount of variety.

 

http://www.nihonto.ca/shizu-3/

 

Since you have a character of the signature though the first stop I think should be signature books. Kanesada has three generations at least and there is a good amount of variety in the signature.

[nihonto1001]

Is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else, that Dragon tosogu prevalent in Mino works. Looks like a nice tsuba.

[John A Stuart]

It is just you. No, kidding, I see a lot of dragon theme generally, especially in western colections, not a Mino thing really, I believe. John

[Kronos]

Has this gone to shinsa yet?

[tokashikibob]

Not yet, still in the closet.

[Toryu2020]

nice find

[tokashikibob]

Here's a pic of Sgt Digirlamo USMC 3 war vet and his wife who was suppose to be of royal heritage.

[tokashikibob]

Concealed carry permit

[Guido]

Concealed carry permit

Nope, just a regular sword registration/license.

[Guido]

Here's a pic of Sgt Digirlamo USMC 3 war vet and his wife who was suppose to be of royal heritage.

Since all members of the imperial family are accounted for, I think it's highly unlikely she is of "royal" descent.

[Stephen]

She was quite well known but it was from Bar Royal!

[tokashikibob]

Stephen, Was Bar Royal on B.C. street or Gate 2?  Mamasan may have valuable information in regards to this swords history!