Jump to content

Kanesada Wakizashi Shinsa Preparation


Recommended Posts

Hello Fellow Collectors,

 

I would like to start off by thanking you for your continued support of my hobby, and some of you taking the time to guide me through what to look for in fittings and blades alike. This forum has been very supportive from the very beginning with my abused starter blades, which I am slowly taking the time to get restored professionally. My journey has taken me to Japanese Cherry blossoms at my local Japanese Society, it has taken me on virtual tours of Feudal Castles of Japan's glorious past, and virtual meetings with members discussing fittings and learning new terminology. 

 

I have been collecting for about a year now, so therefore decided to consider my first serious purchase, and recently received my latest acquisition; my very first signed piece, a Wakizashi signed by Kanesada. I am preparing to send this blade for Shinsa, as it is not papered, and would love your help to see if it is worth sending, and if it would pass the Shinsa with a slightly "tired" shinogi? If there are any experts on these smiths of Mino school, any help would be appreciated to help ID the generation and approximate time that this Wakizashi was made. It came to me in a Shirasaya, with no original fittings.

 

The blade is done in shinogi-zukuri style, with a broad Kissaki. The hamon has a very balanced shape, is active, and has beautiful nie in the jigane (very bright nie-nioi) . With extremely beautiful gunome midare. The Nakago has signs of yasurime file marks, and is signed on one side "Kanesada" (thank you for help in translating on the translate forum) Any help would be greatly appreciated, look forward to sending this for Shinsa and getting my first papers complete! :)

 

Measurements:

 

Nagasa: 16.5 Inches

Nakago: 4 3/4 Inches

Sori (Curvature): 3/4 Inch

 

Best,

 

Gordan S

image6_1.jpeg

image6.jpeg

image5.jpeg

image4.jpeg

image0.jpeg

image2_1.jpeg

image2.jpeg

image19.jpeg

image20.jpeg

image7.jpeg

image8.jpeg

image9.jpeg

image10.jpeg

image11.jpeg

image12.jpeg

image13.jpeg

image14.jpeg

image15.jpeg

image16.jpeg

image17.jpeg

image18.jpeg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Gordon.

 

What can you tell us about the boshi?  I think I can see higaki yasurime which would accord with Mino den.  Does what you see confirm that this is a Mino den wakizashi?  The mei does not look very well done and for all the work of putting this through shinsa you might only end up with, at best a certificate that confirms it as signed by Kanesada.  What will that tell you?

 

I am sure others will make suggestions but in this case I don't think I would trouble.

 

All the best.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, Geraint said:

Dear Gordon.

 

What can you tell us about the boshi?  I think I can see higaki yasurime which would accord with Mino den.  Does what you see confirm that this is a Mino den wakizashi?  The mei does not look very well done and for all the work of putting this through shinsa you might only end up with, at best a certificate that confirms it as signed by Kanesada.  What will that tell you?

 

I am sure others will make suggestions but in this case I don't think I would trouble.

 

All the best.

Thank you Geraint. The Boshi extends out and appears to follow the hamon on one side, the other side not as visible as polisher tried to keep the geometry of the blade. You can see details of the temper process in the tip under specific light conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Gordon

I agree with Geraint - such a pain when they only give the maker (who you already know) but nothing else except what you can already see

Ask the board members what they need to know and if any other images required

I'm sure this will give you a better answer

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My comment is based just on photos, so I may be wrong. But as far as I can see, the polish is not good. Even if it was meant to be KESHO, it does not really follow the HAMON closely.
In general, I share the opinions expressed above - it is a decent and authentic WAKIZASHI, but the market value does not justify a SHINSA.

  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very personal opinion:

 

Such sugata typically goes to shinshinto or more likely Momoyama to Kanei period. Yasurime's state here and nakago condition is more consistent with the earlier date. The work etc. consistent with period's Mino examples.

Its probably either the first Aizu Kanesada (Kanei period) or immedeately preceding Mino Kanesada generation.

Its does appear authentic in all aspects.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nothing wrong with it as an item in your collection. Decent sword, genuine and not in terrible condition. Far better than many do early on in their collecting. But like others above, what would you gain from a piece of paper here that tells you who made it?
Save that money towards your next purchase, and enjoy the waki as is. You are doing just fine so far.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/7/2021 at 10:50 PM, Rivkin said:

Very personal opinion:

 

Such sugata typically goes to shinshinto or more likely Momoyama to Kanei period. Yasurime's state here and nakago condition is more consistent with the earlier date. The work etc. consistent with period's Mino examples.

Its probably either the first Aizu Kanesada (Kanei period) or immedeately preceding Mino Kanesada generation.

Its does appear authentic in all aspects.

Thank you very much for your input here! I am also of the belief that it is the first Aizu Kanesada as the original owner had a similar hunch. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/8/2021 at 2:28 AM, Brian said:

Nothing wrong with it as an item in your collection. Decent sword, genuine and not in terrible condition. Far better than many do early on in their collecting. But like others above, what would you gain from a piece of paper here that tells you who made it?
Save that money towards your next purchase, and enjoy the waki as is. You are doing just fine so far.

Brian, thank you very much for your valued opinion and taking the time to view my

Nihonto. I was under the impression that Shinsa is the only way to get the true story about this waki. I was also under he impression that the value of the sword would increase with these papers.


If this is not the case, I will simply keep it in my collection as a prized piece and happily enjoy the hamon and geometry for years to come! It is the Nihonto of my dreams, and as the temporary owner of this blade, I vow to take care of it so that others may appreciate it for centuries to come. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/7/2021 at 7:34 PM, ROKUJURO said:

My comment is based just on photos, so I may be wrong. But as far as I can see, the polish is not good. Even if it was meant to be KESHO, it does not really follow the HAMON closely.
In general, I share the opinions expressed above - it is a decent and authentic WAKIZASHI, but the market value does not justify a SHINSA.

Absolutely agreed here, the polisher is not classically trained but did a good job in my opinion. The picture has been fit to screen for the forum, so the detail is grainy, but in person it looks much better. In your opinion - what would be the market value here without papers? I was under the impression that without papers the value does not appreciate as much. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/7/2021 at 7:53 PM, Valric said:

Market value will not increase here with papers once you account for the cost of the process. Better off to keep it as is or move it on. 

Hello, could you please advise market value so I can compare it to what I paid for it? Thank you in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

I agree with Ken. A nicely fitting and complete KOSHIRAE may result in a higher market value. You can check that easily by comparing it with other private offers in that quality range.

 

Hi Rokujuro, what I am not understanding is how is this blade, attributed to the same tosho and in Shirasaya is going for 6500$, find link below:

 

https://www.artswords.com/aizukanesada.htm

 

The only difference is that the blade in the link has the papers, and is in a slightly better polish and geometry. So do papers then really make that much difference in the value of the sword? Or am I missing something here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Tokugawa Gord said:

The only difference is that the blade in the link has the papers, and is in a slightly better polish and geometry. So do papers then really make that much difference in the value of the sword? Or am I missing something here?


1) What Brian said; but also

 

2) When we’re talking about a signed Shinto wakizashi, condition and validity of signature matter very much indeed (regardless of papers, though papers make something more marketable because most buyers rely on papers to some extent). 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gordan,

putting a price tag on an item is one thing, selling is another! While prices for SHINTO WAKIZASHI may vary widely depending on condition and features, most will fall in the $ 700 to $ 1.000 range. So I think you did well with what you paid, if that included the (not so good) polish. I think in most cases, collectors can be happy to get the money back they invested.

If you want to make a really good investment, you should buy a van Gogh, a Renoir, or a MASAMUNE blade (with papers). Then you may make some money in a resale. 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite old. Please consider starting a new thread rather than reviving this one, unless your post is really relevant and adds to the topic..

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...