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Maru-Mune Wakizashi


Mortis

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Gentlemen,

 

Here’s a wakizashi with a maru-mune that I acquired from a let’s say, “nihonto box lot” at an auction last fall. I had been hoping to find some nihonto that didn’t cost much, that I could handle and study, maybe even improve and rescue, without having to worry about doing them any harm. This was one of three.

 

I don’t know much, but I knew that a maru-mune was fairly rare. By the nakago, it looked like it could be old and it did have a mei. The bad things were, it was just a bare blade (does have a nice copper habaki though), it was fairly tarnished, and whoever had it before, tried some modern sharpening method on it. Its definitely out of polish and looks pretty tired in places, but I wanted to “rescue” it along with the other two and hopefully learn something along the way.

 

So, I call upon the wisdom of the NMB. I figured I’d just post some measurements and photos to hopefully generate some discussion. Mr. Raymond Singer always seems to be able to provide some feedback with these types of posts, so I’m hoping he would be generous to provide his opinions and expertise. It would be great if the mei could be translated or maybe discuss what schools or smiths forged maru-mune. If I could provide better or different photos please don’t hesitate to tell me.

 

Nagasa: 17.5”

Nakago: 5.5”

Kasane: .75”

Hamon: Saka hamon toward the nakago. Seems to change to gunome toward the kissaki.

 

 

 

 

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Hi Mortis,

 

At first glance, it looks like your sword is signed 壽命 (Jumyo), however it has the appearance of a Sue-Bizen blade (late Muromachi). Hamon and nakago both look Sue-Bizen. The blade has an ubu nakago-jiri but is machiokuri.

 

As far as the mune, it appears that this is not an authentic maru-mune, but that the ihori-mune has been rounded off at a later point (due to abuse). All of geometry has been damaged and the appearance is the same as the shinogi, which has been rounded off as well. The pitting shows that this sword was heavily corroded before and someone used something like sandpaper to remove the rust.

 

Best regards,

Ray

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Thank you, Mr. Singer. I see what you mean. I could see and feel the ridge and deep-down suspected that what you describe might be the case. I have never seen a true maru-mune for comparison. The blade has certainly been abused. Thank you again for commenting. I must say that I am quite frequently impressed that you always seem to be able to read the faintest mei from the most beat-up of nakagos’.

 

So, in regard to Mr. Singer's lightning fast kantei, may it be supposed that this blade is most likely an kazuuchi-mono (inferior and mass produced.) With the hamon showing yaki-kuzuri and in partial kani-no-tsume (crab claw) that is not uniform on each side, as is the boshi.

 

I imagine that it would be without question that really any type of restoration would not be financially prudent. It is not in very good shape, it is looking pretty tired, but it has still has survived for hundreds of years. Ending up again as a bare blade, in my hands, in the year 2019. And for just that simple fact alone I am always continually amazed by nihonto.

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Hi Justin,

 

if you really want to “rescue” such blades (which I often did, when I collected swords, if it was possible at all), you should ignore the financial part of the game...????

It’s not a thing of plus or minus, it’s for the swords sake! My goodness, how histrionic.....I’ve simply burnt some bucks this way. On the other hand, it felt good to saw some swords brought back to live instead falling into oblivion or ending up as a tool, or so (with a fate clearly destined).????

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.....I imagine that it would be without question that really any type of restoration would not be financially prudent. It is not in very good shape, it is looking pretty tired, but it still has survived for hundreds of years. Ending up again as a bare blade, in my hands, in the year 2019. And for just that simple fact alone I am always continually amazed by nihonto.

Justin,

 

I can understand your feelings, but there are some facts that should not be overlooked. Although I know that some Japanese TOGISHI work miracles on blades that seemed to be completely lost to corrosion, there remains the question if your blade has enough material left to reconstruct the shape, SHINOGI, and MUNE, and to repatinate the NAKAGO while preserving the MEI. It is a general question when restoration is being considered: How much of the original 'look' of the item can be saved?  

 

If the considerable costs could be left aside, it is certainly a good idea to show it to a good TOGISHI and have his opinion. But the good idea of preserving a blade for future generations to admire ends at the point where nothing admirable remains. This is not your fault as the actual care-taker, but of those who allowed the blade to end up like this.

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Original marumune is interesting to find on a sword. It should be as it should be, not "rounded off" looking as Ray pointed out on this sword. In the past, I've submitted two swords with maru-mune to shinsa for a friend, and both of those didn't turn out anything very "old" or special, to my (our) disappointment. However, another local sword that ended up in my hands did turn out as hoped for. A mumei naginata-naoshi daito attributed to Naoe Shizu, Nambokucho period. In all these instances the maru-mune was perfectly made and kind of amazing to see. 

 

It's tough to be a caretaker of these abused swords we find when we consider to cost (hours of work spent) to restore them (preserve them). I have such a wakizashi here now which I felt was worth preserving. My intention was to sell it for a couple grand and encourage the buyer to polish the sword and do minor repairs on the koshirae. Thinking more about this idea, today, I will sell it at a much lesser price to a newer collector up its chances of being restored. I've also considered having it restored myself and then part with it, but again, how wise is that. Most of us just want to save these swords from destruction since most have already survived centuries of war and use. 

 

Ron STL 

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Thank you Uwe and Jean for adding to the discussion.  These three quotes I feel are extremely salient points that the new collectors (myself especially) should pay very close attention to.

 

Hi Justin,

if you really want to “rescue” such blades (which I often did, when I collected swords, if it was possible at all), you should ignore the financial part of the game...
 

 

 

It is a general question when restoration is being considered: How much of the original 'look' of the item can be saved?

 

But the good idea of preserving a blade for future generations to admire ends at the point where nothing admirable remains.

 

 

As a new collector it is often hard at times to set aside the uh....emotional aspect of it and not get caught-up in the simple fact that.......hey, it's a Japanese sword! But an approach with a level head, efficiently evaluating all aspects of the blade, maybe even more so, for the blades that aren't in the greatest shape to begin with.  Or maybe even just don't pursue deficient blades until a certain proficiency in the study has been achieved.  

 

Thank you again gentlemen for bringing to light points that I hadn't fully considered and overlooked. 

 

Edit @ 4:21p.m.:  I'd also like to thank Ron for his contribution as well.  More excellent points added to the discussion.

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Not trying to pass myself for an expert, but it does look Muromachi Bizen. With those the great financial question is simple - is it before or after 1480? If its later, unless we are dealing with Hikobei or Yosozaemon Sukesada it is unlikely to be worth much. And these two names are exceptionally rare and tend to be signed. So you can try to guess whether its their signature etc (unlikely?).

 

If it does not look like typical Osafune signature underneath there, it is likely a post 1480 imitation which could have been done anywhere. You have all kinds of Mino people copying Bizen elements, you have something in Kaga, but it is not the same quality.

 

If its pre 1475-1480, Osafune works from this period actually tend to be quite all right. Almost any name, and either of the two styles they used - suguha or ichimonji - can be very attractive. I would invest some time into looking how these "ichimonji" peaks look in detail (crab claws or not), which period the sugata matches the best etc.

If it still looks like say 1410-1440, with me it would be a strong go polish-wise. 

 

Kirill R.

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Thank you Kirill for your valuable input and suggestions.

 

[ I would invest some time into looking how these "ichimonji" peaks look in detail (crab claws or not), which period the sugata matches the best etc. ]

 

Would you be able to point me in the right direction and/or expand on you point? More so regarding the part about the detail of the "ichimonji" peaks. I also fear that I may not be able to get a great read on sugar a due to the abuse this blade has seen. My nihonto library is quite small. Any additional advise would be much appreciated.

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Unfortunately I am a pontificator rather than hard worker in this aspect, especially with photographs like that.

I would first start looking if there is a signature on nakago (looks like maybe there is?), and try to understand what it basically can be. How many characters, maybe deciphering one or two.

For hamon+ in English Markus Sesko's koto kantei is a very interesting reference.

 

Kirill R.

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Again, it is utterly amazing to me Ray, that you can pull that mei out of there. Also, thank you for spelling it out for the new folks to the study, with the graphics, and an example from another sword. Just wonderful, so we can see what you are seeing, and it really does help. Now I'm like, "oh yeah ok, I can see that." Thank you very much for presenting it in that manner.

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