Help Identify

[JohnJohn23]

This sword was shortened at some point in its life (multiple punch holes in tang and short overall length).  Apparently this means that any signature that was on the tang is now gone.  There are a couple of markings on the blade.  I would appreciate any assistance in identifying them.  Thanks!

 

[Grey Doffin]

The 1st character is a Bonji, a ritual Buddhist symbol if I have that right.  The 2nd is a ken, an early style of edged weapon.  I'm very curious about the cut across your nakago.  What is happening there?

Grey

[almeister]

Yes Grey ,

Looks like completely broken off !

&if so what's holdin it together ? Just bout drive truck through it when it comes to a nihonto ????

Could we please see a picture of the end grain of the nakago/tang if it's completely fractured off please John - as that would be interesting !

Cheers AlanK

[JohnJohn23]

Hi guys, thanks for the quick replies.  When I took this to a local appraiser, he said that the sword had been shortened prior to WWII.  He said it was either intentionally done due to the short stature of the man taking it into combat or it was fractured and then repaired.  Here are some more pictures.  I was told that given the shortened length, finding more about its history will be impossible. You all agree?  Thanks again!

 

[Grey Doffin]

Hi John,

Never seen this before.  The sword has been shortened; we know that because the horimono is partly under the habaki.  But the nakago has been lengthened with the extra piece added on.  This (the added piece) doesn't look like Japanese work (too crudely done).  Maybe after the sword was surrendered to the occupying forces after WWII the original nakago broke at a mekugi-ana, or maybe there was a length limit imposed on war booty sent home and to comply the nakago was cut short.  After the blade made it home the cut off piece or a piece from another sword's nakago was attached with the scarf joint.  One explanation, maybe there are others.

A shinsa could tell you what the panel thinks about who working when made the sword but it may get rejected because of the nakago.  Beware of local appraisers; unless they have lots of experience with Nihonto they're often way off.

Grey

[Surfson]

Good analysis and advice Grey!  It is a sword that arouses curiosity, since it is probably pretty old.  Cheers, Bob

[Chango]

Random guess but perhaps it was initially an Edo era attempt at forgery (i.e. they put a nakago with a famous mei on another blade) and the gimei blade was later modified to fit gunto mounts around WW2, cutting off the gimei signature. The joint looks horrible now but 70- 200 years ago it might have been better. 

 

I've read somewhere about these forgery attempts; the author did say period nakago-swapping attempts were "laughably crude" by today's standards and easy to detect.