Sword Identification

[JAF]

Good afternoon all,

I'm new to the forum and I was wondering if anyone could help me with some information regarding this sword.  Backstory.....it was brought back from WWII by my grandfather and has been sitting in an attic for many, many years.  I'm afraid to try and remove the handle to see identifying information, but I was hoping that someone would have some general information that would help me understand if it was just a common sword mass produced for the war or possibly have some history behind it.  I'm not looking to sale it, but I would like to understand if it has value.  I was going to hang it up in my sons room, but I figured I would try and find out a little information first.  Below are a few pictures.  I'm not sure if they are able to provide enough visual evidence to help, but i thought I would start with this.

Lastly, if I am in an incorrect forum or should not be asking these types of questions on this site in general, please let me know and I'll remove the post.  Thanks in advance to any help that can be provided.

Jim

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Jim,

welcome to the forum! This is the right place to ask all questions related to Japanese swords.

First, your sword seems to be a private one which may mean that it could have some value. This can range from some 100.-- to some 100.000.-- $, but in almost all cases, the really valuable swords were not used in the war, so don't get too excited without further study!

Please read here in the NMB about swords etiquette and how to handle them. Keep fingers off the blade, oil it very lightly (wipe most of the oil away so nothing gets into the sheath) and store it in a dry place. Don't hang it on a wall! I have seen more than one blade with a broken tip from falling on the floor!

Remove the handle by pushing out the little bamboo peg from the smaller side (of course!). If this is not easily feasible, wrap a textile tightly around the blade so you can hold it without cutting off your hand! Then you can tap the TSUBA (handguard) carefully with something not too hard (piece of wood) so the handle comes loose.

Measure the length of the blade (straight line between the tip and the notch on the back of the blade). Make clear, sharp photos of both sides of the NAKAGO (handle section of the blade) without the HABAKI (sleeve) and post them here (vertically). If there is an inscription, we may help you to identify the sword and give you further advice.

All the best!    

 

[Grey Doffin]

A care & etiquette brochure that will help you get the handle off (and back on) and tell you how to handle the sword.

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

Grey

[Bruce Pennington]

Jim,

 

A couple of tidbits from the pics - the rank tassel is company grade, meaning the owner was either a Lt or Capt. The leather at the end of the tsuka (handle) shows that it was probably shink-wrapped in leather, both the tsuka and saya (scabbard). This would have made the civil sword compliant with military regs and it acted to protect a sword that he obviously valued. The leather was probably torn or cut off after the war.

[JAF]

Thank you all for the advice so far!  It has never been cleaned (and handled improperly to this point), but I will make sure to follow the instructions provided.  I'll also gently try and remove the handle per the link provided.  I'm very curious about it now and will update the board with results.  Thanks again....any more advice / instructions / insight would be greatly appreciated.  I appreciate the lack of jabs at a newb  .

[Brian]

Removing the handle isn't difficult, and is vital to investigating further. Just make sure there isn't a second pin near the bottom of the handle. Not sure what I am seeing in the one pic, but there looks like something circular lower down. Second pin is not common, but can be present.

[Kai-Gunto]

There hasnt been full wrap leather on tsuka. Often seen for mounting a tassel on samurai swords, a leather cap with a loop for the tassel.

[JAF]

There are two pins.  The pin closest to the top of the handle protrudes on both sides while the other pin only sticks out on one side.  Any tips on the best way to remove the pins?  They are both partially under the handle wrapping.  Also, the handle is not a leather wrap....its woven.  Here are a few better pics of the handle.  The first two pics are from the side of the handle where both pins protrude (top and bottom respectively) and the second two pics are of the other side of the handle where only one pin protrudes.  And for clarification the pin that protrudes from both sides is the one at the top of the handle.  Thanks again for all the replies!

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Jim,

Looks like there is only one pin and what you see as the other is a large node in the same' (ray skin covering the handle).  You may have to nudge the wrap to the side to get the pin out (depending on which side of the pin is the small end).  If there is a 2nd pin and you can't see the other end it is below the wrap and another nudge may be in order.

Looks like someone has been pushing on the pin already.  If, when you get it out, you find that it is falling apart, whittle a new one from a chop stick to replace it.  The pin is very important.

Grey

[JAF]

Ok everyone.  I was able to get the handle off.  The only markings are in Japanese (I think)?  There are no other markings on the opposite side.  Here are 2 pics of the same markings.  I hope you can see them ok....if not I'll upload some more.  Hopefully this will mean something to someone with more knowledge than myself.

[Brian]

Edit....trying to do too many things at once, and jumped to confusion.
 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Yoshikane

[SwordGuyJoe]

Yoshikane (吉包), Enpō (延宝, 1673-1681), Chikuzen – „Chikuzen-jū Minamoto Nobukuni Yoshikane“ (筑前住源信国吉包), „Chikuzen

Fukuoka-jū Nobukuni Minamoto Yoshikane“ (筑前福岡住信国源吉包), „Kyūshū Chikuzen-jū Minamoto Nobukuni Sukezaemon no Jō

Yoshikane“ (九州筑前住源信国助左衛門尉吉包), civilian name „Nobukuni Sukezaemon“ (信国助左衛門), he is counted as 14th gen. after

the founder of the school Nobukuni (信国), he died on the 22nd day of the eighth month Genroku six (元禄, 1693), his blades have a rather

shallow sori and a chū-kissaki, the jigane is a dense ko-itame with some masame and ji-nie, the hamon is a notare mixed with gunome or a

chōji mixed with gunome, in addition also ashi and yō appear, the bōshi is a midare-komi with a ko-maru-kaeri, the yasurime are kiri or

katte-sagari and the signature is executed in rather large characters and with a thick chisel, he signed also with the supplement „nanban-tetsu

o motte kore o saku“ (以南蛮鉄作之, „made by using nanban-tetsu“)

[Brian]

That's the one. Not sure if real or false signature, but it is definitely worth having checked out. And yes...you have a sword that is a few hundred years old

[JAF]

Wow!  Very cool.  Any recommendations on how / where to get this authenticated?

[JAF]

Also, any more information about the sword maker would be appreciated?  I'm a complete novice to this....

[Brian]

Joe gave you most of what you will get on him. Wait for a US shinsa (appraisal) to come around again and submit it.
Going to be a while still. In the meantime...OIL and wipe. Keep it very lightly oiled.

[Stephen]

Nice find, enjoy.

[JAF]

I really appreciate everyone's help!  Thanks to all.....

[Grey Doffin]

A photo of authentic signatures from Fujishiro's Nihon Toko Jiten: Shinto-hen.  At 1st glance it looks good.

Grey

[SwordGuyJoe]

I agree. Looks good to me - but none of us are a replacement for a shinsa panel. Brian gave some sound advice.