I am about to purchase. Please help. Gold in signature on tang.

[Winchester]

Friends,

 

Hope all is well wherever this message may find you. I have an opportunity to buy a nihonto from around the tear 1500.

 

One interesting item of note is that the signature is filled in with gold.

 

What is the story behind this? Thank you

[Ooitame]

Hi Brian, any pictures? There are a few reasons, one to preserve the Mei, another to show it off, another it was added after as an attribution, also used for test cuts. There could be more reasons, but it is called kinzogan mei.

[Franco]

A word of caution, these can be genuine, valid, and just as well false, invalid. The sword confirms the mei, and not the other way around. 

 

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

And to see just how much information can be transmitted by a kinzogan, please check out https://www.nihonto.com/about-the-characteristics-and-rules-of-kinzogan-setsudan-mei-with-a-focus-on-the-yamano-family/

 

Don't be too quick to buy a blade just because it has a gold orm silver inlay.