My first tanto...

[Darcy]

The corollary of "For every 10 Kotetsu, 11 are gimei" is that low ranking smiths tend to show genuine work when found. If this guy is going to go to the effort of replicating a mei on a piece like this, he's going to upgrade it from Kanenori to Kaneuji if he wants to turn a buck because that is where the money is. Signed, ubu, dated Kanenori can be had and not very expensively, so one that has been shortened and lost the mei is not going to be particularly valuable.

 

In the case where he may have written Kaneuji, or Kinju, or any much earlier and more valuable master smith, then one has to take a higher degree of skepticism. I don't see any reason to have heightened worry about this piece. I agree with Jean completely.

 

It's a mistake to take one example and extrapolate to sweeping "facts" as a result. For instance, the smith has a Juyo Token so he is a target of fakers because he makes important swords. The smith or line possibly is responsible for 6 Juyo, and this is not due to lack of manufacture... contemporary Kanesada has 33. It is a name like this one that one needs to be skeptical of.

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Darcy,

 

If i were a forger, i would have exactly the same synthesis you have; and i would be almost sure that my "victim" would be less attentive with a Kanenori than a Kinju or other top smith. :D

 

It is only only speculation, but that's funny to try to imagine the thoughts of a forger.

[Darcy]

I think a forger is pretty easy to figure out because of the profit motive.

 

They have a fixed amount of time, are greedy, are con artists, and so want to make as much money as they can. The proven route to this is always to lure a buyer and use the buyer's greed against them.

 

There is a particular sword that was brought up here in the past that sells as an important piece that has been back and forth to Japan 4 times in the past 10 years or so. Every new buyer who thinks he has a bargain gets screwed in succession. Their own belief is what allows an obviously low ranking sword to be passed off as something important.

 

Now say if this sword were to be passed off as something else low ranking... yes, very clever, nobody would suspect that... but... why would this person do it? Obviously people are lining up to be defrauded for big dollars, and it is working, so why on earth switch a low maker for a low maker... and even if you succeed in the scam, just exactly how do you defraud someone this way?

 

I mean if the sword were an Ujifusa and this scammer cleverly substituted Kanenori... well the owner has a sword of approximately the same value anyway. The sword seems well made and fits with the reputation of the maker, so ... where is the scam even? Just a guy who is doing this for lolz?

 

I think when it comes down to this kind of thing, the student is best to use a test of reasonableness. Nothing is cut and dried in Nihonto, anything can be true, but playing the odds is the best way.

 

So yes, could this have been an attempt to fake a Kanenori? Yes, it's possible. Is it a reasonable possibility? No, not really, as there is no profit to be made from such a fake. There are plenty of Muromachi Mino laying around for anyone to buy if they want one, and the maker is not of the kind of reputation to make a buyer's ears perk up and be licking his lips.

 

Change the name around, put Kotetsu on it, and I'm right in there being skeptical.