Thoughts on this?

[Dudders]

Hello

This is my first post and first of many in this forum I hope.

 

I've recently taken apart one of 3 Katanas I have from my grandfather. The other 2 I believe are military ones with the full metal tsuka and saya, pretty standard 1930s/1940s I think.

This one is shorter than the other 2 but seems bigger than a Wakizashi and also has a wrapped tsuka but a similar metal saya.

I don't know a lot about Japanese swords.

I can't see a mark on the Tang, although there is slight surface rust. The blade seems in decent condition with no chips along the edge.

 

When my grandfather purchased this back in the 90s, several people came up to him after, wanting to buy it off of him for the tsuba. I'm not sure it looks that expensive or if it is a common one or how much the whole sword or tsuba would be worth. Im not going to sell it but it would be nice to know a rough price.

I've only been told the tsuba is apparently Seiryuken Eijo, Tetsugendo School 1775-1800.

 

Any information would be great. Is this a normal ww2 era service sword?

[Ray Singer]

Your tsuba is signed Seiryuken Eiju. Here is another example.

 

https://nihontofrance.com/tosogu-2/tsuba-seiryuken-eiju-3/?lang=en

[Mark S.]

I know sometimes photo angles make it difficult to judge blades, but the overall shape seems ‘off’? Is the center of the blade ground down? Seems to narrow considerably and just doesn’t seem right.

[16k]

I see what you mean!

 

but it’s probably a trick of light because it doesn’t seem wrong in the first sugata picture.

 

To the OP, we don’t see enough to judge the blade but it appears older than the mountings and was at least remounted once (two holes). As for the mountings, they are WW2 military gunto type 98. The Tsuba isn’t WW2 though.

[Ken-Hawaii]

A shot of the completely bare blade will tell us a lot. Also, please add your first name on all posts, so we know how to addres you.

[Dudders]

Sorry, My name is Thomas, I forgot to add it into my signature earlier. 

I've got a few pics of the Blade by its self. Lighting isn't great.

The blade is about 75cm/25.5'' from the Start of tang to end of blade. Cutting edge is about 57.5cm.

[Dudders]

Was the Tsuba likely attached by the owner during WW2? or I suppose anyone could have put that on there by the time it reached my grandfather. Is it a common Tsuba? Nothing special or expensive about it?

[kissakai]

These signed tsuba are quite common but is is OK

I wondered about the shape of the tang (nakago)

Where abouts are you in the UK - general area is OK

[ChrisW]

The blade is definitely wakizashi length. At 22.6 inches and with multiple mekugi-ana, it probably started life as a katana but was shortened down to a wakizashi. At that length, I believe it would be called an o-wakizashi.

[Dudders]

Ah I see, This would be something more alike to a Ko-Katana? The surface rust isn't too bad when looking physically at the tang but I cant make out any markings at all.

 

Kissakai, I'm just outside of Cambridge, England.

[Surfson]

Thomas, what you have is a genuine samurai sword that probably started life as a short katana but was later shortened to wakizashi length.  It was remounted to some extent for WWII, getting the new handle and the scabbard, but keeping its original, Edo period tsuba and probably habaki.  It would be great to see the other two that your grandpa left for you.   

[Oshy]

Technically 30-60cm is wakizashi so your just in there at 57.4cm.