Unknown Rai smith Wakizashi

[Backbadge]

Hi, I recently bought this Wakizashi, the mei can be seen to say "Rai Kuni" but unfortunately due to suriage, only the first characters can be seen, I'd love to know which smith made this, so far I've ruled out Rai Kunitsugu and Rai Kunimitsu due to the styles of characters being different. But now I've hit a dead end, so wondered if anyone had any ideas of who it could be or how to find out?

Any information would be much appreciated!

[Brian]

I would look at whether the work matches Rai before I tried to decipher what tge mei is trying to say.

[ROKUJURO]

Backbadge,

please sign all posts with your first name plus an initial as is requested here. You can arrange that easily in your profile.

Your blade looks interesting whether it is RAI or not.

[Guido]

The Rai school worked from the middle Kamakura period through the Nambokuchō period - they didn’t make wakizashi in shinogi-zukuri.

[Brian]

There ya go
And if you add on the suriage bit, it still doesn't look like it would make a decent length katana?

[Gakusee]

Also, for Kamakura Rai, it is signed on the wrong side! Should be tachi mei for one of the Rai smiths.

 

I would say that the hamon does not look congruent with what you would expect in 90 percent of the Rai cases too