My Mitsunaga blade

[Quinn]

Hey all, I’ve been slowly making a little progress in learning more about this sword I inherited. Through the efforts of others in this group, I have tried to put together a sort of profile of the sword and it’s maker. Any corrections and insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

The signature reads “Mitsunaga” who i did find listed in one of the publications as a gunto smith from the Seki province. I’m told his real name was Noguchi Heiichi and he was born July 5th 1918. The list mentioned that the smiths of this area produced both “high and low quality” blades. Generally referred to as “showato” (is that correct?), I found a list that categorized these swords by the quality of their forging. That led me to start to classify each characteristic of the blade. Here’s what I’ve learned so far based on some identifying guides others have made.

 

1. It seems to be a Shinogi-zukuri shape

2. it had a chū kissaki 

3. it has an Ihori style spine 

4. If I am seeing it correctly, it’s possibly a omoru boshi

5. if there is one (I’m too untrained to be sure) it would be a masame style hada 

6. it’s faint, but there seems to be a present sugu hamon. Oil or water quenched, I don’t know.

 

with this information and the list of 9 grades of quality of these kinds of swords. My best guess would be a “koa-isshin mantetsu-to” showato sword. In other words, Manchurian steel that was partially forged, partially engineered. It would have been differentially hardened, with water as a quenching agent. That is IF I am correct that it possesses both a hada and hamon.
 

I know there’s a size limit for photo uploads so I will try posting some here. I might link to a drive folder for more pics.
 

drive folder with all pics: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-Vh65R2UlgVjcW7VM__7627m5QL_DJ8Y  

 

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Quinn, difficult to determine due to the condition of the blade. From those photos this looks to be an older blade than WW2 era Mitsunaga, probably Shinto or Shin Shinto; a real Samurai sword. For the record individual smiths were not known to make Koa Isshin Mantetsu style blades by themselves, these were made in Manchuria and will be signed appropriately.  

[Quinn]

Also in regards to the tsuba: it’s shape is Mokko gata and the rim is maru Mimi style 

[Quinn]

1 minute ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Hi Quinn, difficult to determine due to the condition of the blade. From those photos this looks to be an older blade than WW2 era Mitsunaga, probably Shinto or Shin Shinto; a real Samurai sword. For the record individual smiths were not known to make Koa Isshin Mantetsu style blades by themselves, these were made in Manchuria and will be signed appropriately.  

Thanks so much for the info! Were you able to see the photos in the drive folder?

[Ken-Hawaii]

OKay, Quinn, I found your post. Not all of your Google photos would open, but I can see enough to comment.

 

There is actually a method to kantei (evaluating) a blade. Let me refer you to https://markussesko.com/kantei/, which is a university-level post by our most-prolific NMB member, Markus Sesko. The first feature to look at is sugata, or shape, which will tell you the jidai (age) of the blade. Yours looks to be late Muromachi to early Shinto, but you'll have to dig in, & start learning both the individual terms, & the history of how & why blades changed.

 

Yes, I think WOU is near Salem, but I havn't been out there since my grandson started college, so I don't know much about the area.