My Katana for your viewing pleasure!

[doctorbeat]

Hi everyone, I'm new here.

 

I was moving some stuff around and I came across my katana, so I thought I'd actually try to find out about it since I have owned it for nearly a decade!

 

I have a vague recollection (remember, this was nearly 10 years ago....) that the guy who sold it to me said it was made by 'Amahide', but it was a long time ago and that name could have come out of a book I read or something, so maybe someone could confirm or deny that.

 

I'm pretty sure he also said that it was made in 1923, because I seem to remember thinking that it was the same year my Grandmother was born, but again the mists of time may have clouded that memory too. To be honest, I was so excited about owning my first real katana that I was only half listening to him anyway!

 

Sadly some joker has messed around with the fittings and saya. The saya appears to have been painted with normal gloss paint and the two halves are separated slightly, and the kashira is a pot metal repro.

The fuchi appears to be original, is made from copper and has a cherry blossom motif.

The tsuba appears to be brass and has a maple leaf(?) design.

 

The sword itself is in pretty good shape. There are a few stains and marks, but nothing serious.

For the most part, the blade has its original polish, but a good part (over 50%) of one side has been polished more recently, revealing a beautiful temper line.

 

I'd love to learn more about my sword, so a translation and any other info would be greatly appreciated.

 

I'd also be interested to know what its approximate value is. I don't think I could ever bring myself to part with it, but I'd like to know if my investment was sound.

 

 

Anyway, I'm no sword expert, so I'm going to stop waffling and start posting photos!

[doctorbeat]

More photos.....

[huntershooter]

Your katana appears to be by (Fukumoto) AmaHide.

The mei looks a lot like the Daisaku Daimei example by Ido HideToshi in Mr. Sloughs book "Modern Japanese Sword Smiths" (pg. 25).

The arsenal stamp looks like a "showa" stamp.

The fittings are what are generically referred to as "civilian koshirae/mounts".

In one of your photos I see what looks like ko-itame hada. The sword is probably "showa-to", mass produced (due to the stamp), but could be a hand forged/tamahagne blade.

It would be nice to view the sword in hand.

[doctorbeat]

Ah yes, that's what he said, Fukumoto AmaHide!

 

When you say 'The mei looks a lot like the Daisaku Daimei example by Ido HideToshi' what do you mean exactly? That it was signed by another smith or something?

 

I'm sorry I couldn't get a better photo of the stamp, it's very uneven, but I think you're right. Is it a cherry blossom type of design?

 

Could you clarify the meaning of ko-itame hada? I know hada is the 'grain' of the metal, but I haven't a clue what ko-itame means!

 

It does appear that there is a grain to the metal surface, maybe like a wood grain? Thing is it's hard for my untrained eye to know what to look for, I could just be looking at polishing marks for all I know.

 

Thanks for looking, I only wish I was a better photographer.....

[doctorbeat]

Ok, I just had a good look at the surface of the blade, and I do see a fine, (for want of a better word) 'wood' grain on the surface of the metal above, but not below the temper line, ie the tempered part has no visible grain.

 

Is that a good thing?

 

Also, I have looked up the stamp in the book 'The samurai Sword, a Handbook' by John M Yumoto and I'm 99% sure it's the showa-to stamp.

 

I'm guessing that's not such a good thing, but I do also have a shin gunto sword, and it looks like a machine made piece of junk in comparison to this one. Also, the lines and general shape of this sword are markedly different to my shin gunto blade.

[doctorbeat]

Here's the best I could do photography wise to show the grain.

It's pretty much as it looks in real life, but not quite as easy to see:

[huntershooter]

Daisaku Damei-made and signed by others.

 

Showa stamp is a cherry blossom.

 

Ko-itame is a small wood grain pattern.