Usual Signed Two Different Hamon Wakizashi - Sukesada?

[Novalame]

Hi,

 

I've had this wakizashi for a while now. It's quite unusual with it's two different hamon (hopefully it's visible in the photos).

 

I was wondering if anyone could tell me any more about this peculiarity. If the swordsmith was known for it, etc?

 

I think I can make out "Bizen", "Osafune" and "Sukesada" but can anyone confirm this?

 

Regards,

 

Ellie,

 

[Jean]

Happens in sue Bizen

[Ray Singer]

備前國住長船__左衛__祐定

Bizen (no) kuni ju Osafune __sae__ Sukesada

 

Clearly meant to be a zokumei/personal name for one of the Sukesada, such as Yozosaemon, Gensaemon, etc. I am not confident in the signature. As Jean was saying, this is seen in Sue-Bizen. With kazuuchimono (mass produced items) a hamon which was intended to be a continuous choji gonome breakdown will break into areas of notare, suguha, etc. Unsure if this sword actually is Sue-Bizen, regardless of the mei, but if so it is not uncommon.

 

 

 

[Novalame]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Looking at the photos, it isn't really clear but on one side of the blade, it is a continuous suguha hamon. On the other, it's a wavy patern, akin to a gonome. So basically a different hamon for each side of the blade.

 

Is there a Japanese term for this?

[ROKUJURO]

Ellie,

welcome to the NM board!

This might have been a genuine MUMEI blade which someone - certainly not a Japanese swordsmith - tried to 'enhance' with a well known name, but unfortunately not with the right tool and technique. 

The non-symmetrical HAMON is very probably not intentionally made.

[Bazza]

Hi,

 

Thanks for your replies.

 

Looking at the photos, it isn't really clear but on one side of the blade, it is a continuous suguha hamon. On the other, it's a wavy patern, akin to a gonome. So basically a different hamon for each side of the blade.

 

Is there a Japanese term for this?

Konotegashiwa

 

BaZZa.

 

EDIT: https://japaneseswordlegends.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/tegai-kanenaga-and-the-bodhisattva-monju/

Here Markus notes "Drawing of Kanenaga´s konote-gashiwa in the Tsuguhira Oshigata. The term konotegashiwa had naturalized later for a sword with two different temper lines designs on both sides."

 

and

 

https://japaneseswordlegends.wordpress.com/2015/09/30/the-demonic-yukihira/

 

EDIT 2: http://www.sanmei.com/contents/en-us/p1507.html

Rather long description.  Read the whole thing, use "FIND" (Ctrl F), or here is the salient sentence "The subject artisan Hisamichi, third generation in Kyoto (Yamashiro) had accepted an invitation from Shogun 8th Tokugawa Yoshimune visited to Edo and re-produced the masterpiece [Konotegashiwa sword] in Mihama Palace).

[Blazeaglory]

Sen suki yasurime? If it's real wouldn't that make this a fairly old blade?

 

I would think if it was truly that old the Mei would not be as raised as it appears to be in photos, it would be smoothed from age (no raised lip/edges) . #1 If it is truly early or pre koto blade, then signature was added. #2 if it was made to look old then well Mei not good. So either way I think this Mei is a little off.

 

But I could be totally wrong so thers hope! At best it's a truly old real blade with a funky Mei. At worst it's mass produced and made to look old

[Jacques D.]

No Nengo ?

 

Don't like the nakago shape 

[DavidF]

The geometry of the blade looks wrong, the metal screams mass produced, and the mei looks hinky.  My gut tells me this is gimei. 

 

But take this opinion with a grain of salt.