Help needed please

[Moley]

Dear Friends,

I have not as yet travelled to see this blade so I know nothing about it except that the owner sent me a very poor image of the mei.

Nothing can be seen hardly of the nakago and I have tried my very best to try and copy the kanji.

Bearing in mind that the photo is very poor quality and I might have added or omitted strokes is it possible that anyone here can tell me if the kanji is legit or just made up?

Thanking you all for your time.

Kind Regards from Wales.

Gwyn

 

[John A Stuart]

The first two are Yamamoto. 山本 The problem is the 龟 which in Chinese, is guei, turtle. ?? John

[Moley]

Hi John,

Thank you very much for your help. Alarm bells ringing as no smiths named Yamamoto and a Chinese Kanji !!!!

Will be going over to see the blade in the flesh soon and will report back.

Domo

Gwyn

[Moley]

Hi Everybody, Went to see this sword today. Thanks to John for the heads up about the Chinese Character alarm bells were already ringing.

At first glance the sword looked pretty decent. Looked like a Gunto with a leather combat cover. The leather cover was very well made and of good quality leather.

The Tsuba was well casted and chunky, Fuchi Kashira and sarute looked good, but the Ito and the Menuki went "Uhhh Ohh". Something not quite right.

Then of course as soon as the blade came out of the saya... FAKE ! screamed out as I saw the "damascus" type hada. Not as "in your face" as most, but there nevertheless.

The balance was awful and the wood used inside the well made leather cover was absolute rubbish and rough.

The gent who owned it was a nice man and I didn't ask how much he had paid for it. I broke the news to him as gently as I could pointing out what to look for in future.

I showed him a good example of the "real thing" that I had taken along for comparison and left it at that.

Thank you all for your input.

Regards

Gwyn

[John A Stuart]

Too bad. John