What 'da Heck?! - Kantei Needed!

[Bruce Pennington]

Found on this Guns.ru Russian site.  The blade looks old, can't speak to the horimono so opinions needed.  But then there's that "Japan M.I." stamp!  What do you think we're seeing here?  It's a 2017 thread showing a blade being sold on Yahoo.

 

I personally am thinking it was a real blade, but a modern sword shop, logo stamp, "spiffed it up" with the horimono.

 

Thoughts?

[IJASWORDS]

Dunno Bruce, but a similar one of mine has a similar dedication to the TAGA SHRINE in Japan, and the God of protection, DAIMYOJIN lives there. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

The Mei is xxxx Mitsu, it looks Shin-Shinto/Meiji era.

[Bruce Pennington]

The Ruskies said it's "Norimitsu".  It looks like it was put on with a hot knife in soft butter.

[Shugyosha]

A genuine blade and I'd guess shinto or late Muromachi. The mei is Norimitsu - it's not well done, but if you are going to spend a lot of time on adding horimono to a blade you would at least give it a more attractive signature if you were in the business of creating fakes so I feel it's probably genuine.

 

The inscription Kasuga Daimyoujin (春日大明神) refers to a composite deity enshrined at at temple in Nara: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kasuga-taisha - this one might be original to the blade - there seems to be a deeper patina (or more crud) in it. I'm not sure about the dragon - from the photos it seems relatively well done for an amateur add-on but would agree with Bruce that it feels newer. The "bonji" on the other side look pretty poor when compared with the dragon, however, and I wonder if someone decided to get creative with the dremel to hide a ware or add a bit of bling as Bruce says. Anyway everyone knows that more carvings make a blade better right?

 

I've no idea where the "made in Japan" thing comes from. I'd guess that it is engraved rather than stamped as you would either need to heat the blade up or hit it pretty hard for it to be that. I don't think it's a bade guess for it to be the mark of the company that did, or shop that arranged for, the dragon carving.

[Geraint]

Dear All.

 

I hate to disagree with John but I think the 'Japan' logo has all the hallmarks, (forgive the pun), of being stamped.  Not too difficult given that it is in the softer part of the blade and would not have needed heat.

I have not seen it's like before on a sword but it reminds me of the export/import marks on other goods.

 

All the best.

 

[Shugyosha]

No problem Geraint. I’m far from infallible. 

[vajo]

Genuine or not. I miss the stainless steel guaranteed stamp too. 

 

That stamp is so stupid. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks guys.  I don't know that there was an "industry standard" for shops putting their logo on stuff.  But, my very limited observation of the practice makes it seem that their logo went on the stuff they actually made.  Like the "N" in diamond on some dirks or the "W" in diamond of Wakase Co. that made the patent-stamped sayajiri with drag.  So, IF that is the norm, then this shop logo would imply they made the blade.  But after hearing everyone's thoughts, I really doubt they did.  I like Geraint's idea of an import/export shop marking the blade for sale on Yahoo with their logo.

 

As to the stamp vs engrave issue, I have a couple others that were stamped in similar locations:

  Stamped

  engraved

 

So it's not unheard of.

[Ooitame]

I would say older blade, very late Muromachi, more likely Shinto, some signs of utsuri. I agree the dragon looks new, maybe the stamp was the engraver.

[David Flynn]

My opinion is that, this is a Showa Period sword.  The Yasurimei, is still very prominent.  As for the made in Japan stamp,  probably sold post war and was added by a dealer.  Maybe for some legal reason.