Is This Mei For Real? Hirotaka Wakizashi

[mike6816]

I picked this up the other day from a yard sale here in town, the lady

said it was brought back from WW2 and has been in the closet for decades

the kids were never allowed to play with it.  I got it home and the wood pins

were not easy to get out, I have compared the stamp with others and to my

untrained eye everything looks correct and looks like a carbon copy of others

I have seen.  I want to list this sword on eBay and take the lady back some more

money, its a small town and everyone knows everyone, besides she is really nice.

I do NOT want to list this on eBay if its an obvious fake or something like that....so,

what do you think?   Is this a real Mei <--------did I say that right?    Thanks for any help.

[mike6816]

[Okiiimo]

I found a Hirotaka blade in gunto about two years ago and wrestled with whether it was genuine. I submitted it for NTHK shinsa early last year and it papered. I've found there's a lot of variability in his mei. NTHK kanteisho and a reference study of examples are attached for your review...

[mike6816]

I found a Hirotaka blade in gunto about two years ago and wrestled with whether it was genuine. I submitted it for NTHK shinsa early last year and it papered. I've found there's a lot of variability in his mei. NTHK kanteisho and a reference study of examples are attached for your review...

Thank you very much.  Can I ask how much it costs to send one in for papers like that and how long it takes?