Would like some help with a translation please

[Grayando]

Hi, I have found an old sword belonging to my girlfriends late father. We were wondering if anyone can translate the markings.

 

Advanced thank you for your time.

 

 

 

 

 

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Graham Bond

[Nobody]

南无阿弥陀佛 (Namu Amidabutsu) – a prayer to Amitabha (Ref. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nianfo )

三界 (Sangai) – the three realms of existence

[Grayando]

Thank you very much for the translation, I was hoping it would be a date of when the sword was made. I was wondering how I could get it valued or if it is even worth doing?

 

Again many thanks for your help

 

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Graham Bond

[Brian]

Hi. Please sign all posts with a name as per the rules.

This sword has some pretty bizarre looking fittings. Quite unusual. I think some of them may be late Edo period, to (more likely) Meiji, and I think they are composite and not originally all together.

Blade however could be any date. Would help if you can take some pics of the overall blade, and especially the tang without the handle on. Could be a problem though, as I can't see any mekugo peg to remove and the handle could be glued on. Be cautious and don't use any force.

 

I would also like to see a pic of the wider area shown in pic #1, as I cannot for the life of me make out what that signed part is

Seems to have some type of wheel on it? I am sure a pic of the larger area would solve the quandry.

 

Brian

 

Edit to add: Saw the other pics on the SFI post. The blade doesn't show anything much, and could be Meiji touristy as commented by someone, but the double habaki doesn't indicate that. So maybe a fair blade under those stains and scratches and nicks. You will only know if someone with knowledge is able to remove the blade from the tsuka and see the nakago.

As for value...could be around $400-800 from what I can see. Maybe more if the macabre skeleton fitting intrigues someone. Doubt it is worth restoring as that would cost a lot more than the blade is worth. Leave that up to the new owner to decide on, once you sell it.

[Grayando]

Hi Brian, and thanks for your thoughts.

 

I will try and upload some more photos tomorrow. The piece with the small wheel is on the scabard, their is plenty more detail's on that I have yet to take photos of. My camera ran out of battery, as normal.

 

Im not sure that I want to sell it as I like the design, It was more realy to see if I should have it insured. To you think there would be more details under the handle/hilt, such as date the blade was forged?

 

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oops

 

Graham Bond

[GregD]

The skeleton menuki (Sekigahara) is neet and desireable,usually you just find the skull on fittings.The rest is a hodge-podge of,in my opinion,some decent quality fittings.The shakudo birds on the iron koshira arent badly carved.Wouldent mind seeing the other side of the fuchi,looks like priest bead motif.Overall the tree-bark branch thing is either buisinessman or "retired"(seen this referance in regard to this style of fittings)samurai.

Greg

[reinhard]

What about Ainu work?

 

reinhard

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hi, Meiji period piece, they show up on ebay from time to time. Some are better than others with more interesting parts, but all in all pretty much the same. If memory serves there was someone quite some time ago on this board asking about how to match a missing horn piece or some such thing on one these.