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Watanabe kanenaga tanto


Matsunoki

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I am not sure if I should post this here or in the General Nihonto forum. It is not a military sword but is (I think/hope) by a good Showa smith. If I have got it right it is signed “Seki ju nin Watanabe Kanenaga Saku”and dated 1937. It is in terrible polish….remains of perpendicular scratches etc and is in a shirasaya that someone has adapted to hold it. There is thankfully no serious damage though. They are not great images but I used the lighting that at least showed some of the visible activity. It certainly looks lively but it’s “had a life”. Personally I’ve never seen nie that “heavy” or pronounced(if it is nie) There are also clouds and streams of fine black konie that won’t show in the images scattered in the ji. The polish obscures the hada. Any/all comments or observations greatly appreciated. I’m just getting into later blades….there are some still in the UK!

Nagasa 28.5cm (39.2 overall)

motokasane 6.22mm (6.29 at thickest part of nakago)

 

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OK, ill stick my head above the pillbox.

altho i have never studied this smiths work in hand i have a few issues i would like to raise.

firstly the nakagos finished like kawamura Kanenage, yet this smith mei reads  watanbe Kanenaga. 

 

the mei is alarming and incorrect for this smith signed Noshu Seki. 

 

i would say it strongly suggests gimei, but OR COULD be a students work as the mei is rough as guts

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Hi Lonely Planet

thanks for looking and commenting. As this is not really a military sword I also listed it under the Nihonto forum (maybe not such a bright idea but it has a foot in both camps). The link is below and a few have posted. In it is a comparison nakago to one made for Hitlers ambassdor with exactly the same nakago sugata and yasurimei and very close calligraphy. There is also one on P53 of slough listed as shoshinmei with near enough exactly the same calligraphy……and the same “Seki” kanji…….imo! I’m not sure if the calligraphy is “rough as guts”. I think it is certainly very very bold but well cut. I would welcome your views if you have time to look at the other post and Slough. All the best. Colin.

 

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It takes years to spot gimei, and involves looking at the strength, direction, and style of strokes. I fear none of us are there yet. But if you compare closely, you will see a lot of inconsistencies.
Not saying it's gimei or it isn't. But you have to accept that this isn't a sure thing. The points that match are the easiest ones to fake.
It needs a shinsa I guess.

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Brian…..I totally agree it needs a lovely shirasaya, polish and shinsa. Trouble is stuck here in the UK…..no chance really unless I wave goodbye to it for a few years! If anyone can suggest a way this can be done given these chaotic times and dodgy postal systems I’d love to hear from you. I doubt its value would justify using an agent? I acquired it from probably the most knowledgeable UK dealer who I’ve known for over 35 years…..he was totally sure.

 

lonely planet….thanks…I’m with you! I’d bet my house it’s right (if I was a betting man)

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Colin, if you do anything other than 'the right thing' I assure you that in the fullness of time you will regret it.  As you get, make that grow, older and you accumulate experience and judging expertise with regard to sugata and the state of good vs not so good (or even bad) polish your senses of appreciation will let you know whether an earlier decision (i.e., now) was the right thing or not.  This is a road I have traveled for decades and there is no easy solution other than to travel the road as one sees it.  It is exciting with occasional head-butting against walls, but the experience is priceless - and there will be regrets...

 

BaZZa.

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Hello Bazza, if I grow much older it’ll all be over! Wise advise, thank you. I have travelled this Nihonto road before. My first collection had over 100 blades of all variants, ages, qualities etc from a lovely Heian tachi in Muromachi court mounts to Yasukuni shrine examples. I sold them all 35-40 years ago (I try not to think about it). The intervening years was spent on Meiji works of art…..cloisonné, mixed metalwork, Satsuma, okimono…….but I’ve just sold my entire collection to return to where it all started…Nihonto. Trouble is my knowledge (what there was of it) lies buried deep in some redundant brain cells and my library is definitely out of date. The trouble over here in the UK is that the required restorers are few and very far between not mention waiting lists of years apparently. It’s very frustrating but I would never take short cuts. Good swords are in short supply as well…..and the worlds postal system seems to have broken down so that  hampers things as well as does our current Border Force attitude . Heyho….it’s still great fun. Thanks for the contact. All the best. Colin

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Colin, 

 

I agree with Bazza. There is no short cut when you want your sword to be properly polished.

 

You need to have it polished by a toshishi. You have 3 of them outside Japan but they have a waiting list of several years so sometimes it is better to send it to Japan, and yes you will need an agent for that (please ask Chris BOWEN at kuribo@charter.net or ejapaneseswords for help and advices), he will provide you the best service and avoid you any problems. An agent won't cost you much and he will handle everything.

 

According to Chris Bowen : "This is a genuine work of Watanabe Kanenaga. It would be accepted at shinsa depending on the condition, which is hard to tell from the photos with any clarity". Parcelforce in the UK is fine for sending swords out of the UK as I just received one in less than 4 days....

 

Using other polishers will be a waste of time, of money and will reduce the value of the blade. Many before you tried and burnt their fingers. Still today, owners prefer to use a local polisher to avoid the hassle of paperwork and waiting time. Big big mistake, they always end up with a poor polish.

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Hi Colin .

 

 I have just had a shira saya made for a Tachi blade of mine , handed back last weekend at the reginal Token event in Scotland , if you want a shira saya made contact

Mike Hick-man Smith , he has access to some very nice Honoki wood from Japan,  and it is now in a que for a polish .

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Thanks Ray. I do want to start a fight (my english is not good enough for that anyway!:laughing:) but the NBTHK does not sanction the use of amateur polishers, in other words, they do not give an "ok"....

 

Maybe less than half of owners use a proper polisher. It is creating a huge pool of poorly polished swords at best, and at worst, the destruction of uncountable numbers of blades. It's an incredible waste carried forth by ignorance, hubris, and a lack of true respect.

 

When you have your sword polished in Japan thanks to a experienced agent you are 99,99% garanteed to have a top end polish. By using a self thaugh polisher your are almost certain to have a bad polish and at the very best a very average one.

 

 

 

 

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Hello Raaay and Bruno

thank you both for your time and your helpful comments….greatly appreciated. I’m going to think about it all for a little while. I’m not keen to wait ages for anything nowadays so might just live with it “as it is”. I am confident it is “right” and thus it’s a pleasure to own an item by such an important modern/Showa smith.

 

Bruno…..how does Chris Bowen know about this Tanto? I have not heard from him directly but it’s extremely reassuring to have such a definite opinion. If you read this Chris….thank you.

 

Finally ….everyone…..PLEASE don’t let this thread become a debate about “togishi”! 
All the best to all of you……out there somewhere on this planet.

Colin

 

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2 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

I’m going to think about it all for a little while. I’m not keen to wait ages for anything nowadays so might just live with it “as it is”. I am confident it is “right” and thus it’s a pleasure to own an item by such an important modern/Showa smith.

Wise words, sometimes doing nothing is better than doing something that will have a negative effect. The next owner hopefully will be in the position to do it right. Caring for these blades is our responsibility and we should be aware that that extends to who we sell to as well. We should strive to place important works in a situation that will see them properly cared for and preserved, our final act of respect and stewardship.

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Bruno 

I do not want a fight , but , the polisher in question will not thank me for this  who has been a very good friend of mine for over 30yrs .

 

But when you have been told by NBTHK  to sit in the front row of the annual polishing seminar,  so you can be   issued with a NBTHK  certificate and told you are now ready to polish and submit your blades for judgement to the NBTHK  in front all the polishers and senior judges who attended the seminar ,  that again is enough of an

endorsement for me . 

 

as Colin said , no more debate  about amateur polishing  please. 

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