eBay "Rai Kuniyuki Wakizashi"

NTYu · November 28, 2021

I recently came across this eBay listing for a Wakizashi with a Rai school mei that the seller claims to be Rai Kuniyuki. I am not even a beginner at Kantei so would like to seek feedback from you all.

Looking at the pictures, it seems clear to me that the Mei is not that of Kuniyuki 来國行 or any of the well-known Rai school smiths I can find. The second kanji may be mitsu 光, and the third kanji maybe kuni 國 (yet it doesn't match the signature styles of the Rai smiths for this character). The first two characters also appear very new if this is indeed a Koto.

Other than that, the wide Suguha hamon and its extension pass the hamachi does indicate this is a suriage blade cut down by a lot, and perhaps the hamon does generally fit the Rai school style? It seems to me that the hamon is too straight/regular for this period though. Overall the blade is out of polish but not in bad condition I think, I would think this is a fake but again I am not experienced. Thought it would be a nice academic exercise to learn more about blades like this.

The seller does have a negative feedback for refusing to deliver a sold sword in another eBay auction. Here's the link, with more pictures and measurements:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224705458005

Geraint · November 28, 2021

Dear Mason.

Welcome to NMB! You have obviously done quite a bit of research which is very refreshing, keep it up. Your comments about the mei are spot on, this has nothing to do with the great Rai Kuniyuki. Just to add to your observations the position of the mei on the nakago is wrong as well.

The seller states that this is a shortened tachi ,I see nothing in the photographs would support that, although the photographs are not great and do not show you all that you need to see. The nakago jiri and overall shape of the nakago do not suggest that it is suriage, but rather an ubu wakizashi. It looks as though whoever added the mei mucked about with the nakago a great deal.

I'm sure others will chime in with more but it's great to see someone who has done their research.

All the best.

Sunny · January 27, 2022

Ken-Hawaii · January 27, 2022

One of the key things to remember, is to buy the sword, not the mei.

Marius · January 27, 2022

Mason,

Well done with the mei!

It looks like a Kaga shinto, Kiyomitsu perhaps. It is machi okuri rather than suriage.

It seems like a nice sword.

ROKUJURO · January 27, 2022

The NAKAGO of this blade looks as if it was welded onto a blade. The material seem wrong/not of the same age and the filing close to the MEKUGI-ANA as well as the colouration look strange. But that may be a light effect on the photo. Tha 'MEI' is very questionable, and the NAKAGO JIRI perhaps wants to look like KAGA, but these are quite different.