Tang Translation

[charlie1]

Pulled this IJA sword out of the woodwork. Just need a bit of help on the mei. Sorry for angle. I can't get the picture to rotate and save for some reason

 

Cheers,

Charlie

[Stephen]

might be a Tadayoshi not hizen tho Esshu?  your pix are too big for me

[Shugyosha]

Hi Charlie,

 

IJA fittings but an old blade methinks:

 

越州敦賀下総守宗吉

 

Esshu Tsuruga Shimosa Kami MuneYoshi.

 

Luckily there is only one smith awarded the Shimosa Kami title and this is him:

 

MUNEYOSHI (宗吉), 1st gen., Keichō (慶長, 1596-1615), Echizen – “Echizen Tsuruga-jū Shimōsa no Kami Fujiwara Muneyoshi tsukuru” (越前敦賀住下総守藤原宗吉造), “Echizen no Kuni Tsuruga-jū Shimōsa no Kami Fujiwara Ason Muneyoshi” (越前国敦賀住下総守藤原朝臣宗吉), dense mokume, suguha, gunome-midare, wazamono, chūjō-saku

 

Best,

John

[Stephen]

Tks John better eyes than I

[Jamie]

Can we see pics of the blade please?

[charlie1]

Thanks John! I have to get my lights set up for some good pictures of the blade. It was caked with cosmoline when I found it. So I'm still in the process of cleaning the cosmoline off.  

 

Cheers

Charlie