Weird "signature" on tanto

[PietroParis]

Hi All,

 

This tanto signed "Tanba no Kami Yoshimichi" is currently on sale on eBay. The seller generally has nice stuff, but does not seem to be really specialized in blades

 

 

Even to a novice like me, the signature looks weird: first of all, it's not where I would expect it to be (i.e., on the tang), and most importantly it has that "dashed" look. Could it perhaps have been added with a drill?

 

Cheers, Pietro

[Grey Doffin]

This is most likely made after the war and sold to someone in the occupation who wanted a souvenir.  Grey

[PietroParis]

Thanks for your answer Grey!

 

I had no doubt that the signature was spurious, but I was curious to figure out whether that "discontinuous" way of carving the lines can ever be considered legitimate, or it definitely means machine-made.

 

Cheers, Pietro

[ROKUJURO]

The way the MEI is carried out is completely correct and done with a TAGANE, but as on many KOGATANA, I believe it is just an homage to the famous smith. 

It is probably of later date, but considering the condition of the NAKAGO not necessarily as late 20th century.  

[PietroParis]

Thanks a lot Jean! It is clear that, for the foreseeable future, I should abstain from formulating judgements on anything nihonto-related...

 

Cheers, Pietro

 

P.S. the seller describes it as a tanto, not a kogatana. "Cutting edge length 147mm".

[SteveM]

If its a tanto, then the smith carved his name on the wrong part of the blade. 

[ROKUJURO]

At first glance it looked to me like an O-KOGATANA (similar to https://www.aoijapan.net/o-kogatanamumei/)., but when I found it on E-Bay, it is the typical tourist item as Grey described it above.