Echizen junin ? Wakizashi

[Tohagi]

Hello gentlemen (and Lady),

 

I have a cold case for our nihonto detective's community: 

In 2012 I won an auction at Tajan's, a nice little waki out of polish. I let it as it for 13 years...

 

Saturday, my nephew and godson is getting graduated as officer at St Cyr Coetquidan (kind of french Westpoint).

 

I wish to give him this waki as a gift.

 

There is part of a suriage mei: Echizen junin...

 

I was told by a relative at the time that somewhere betwen "not so many" and "few" smithes of Echizen used junin...

 

Here is the case

[Tohagi]

[Tohagi]

 

Suguha hamon, shows a little of good hada (despite out of polish and spider rust)

[Tohagi]

[Tohagi]

If it is usefull, I can provide more pictures...

 

By the way, what is the point of cutting down such a waki on the middle of the mei ?

It was allready quite short ...

[eternal_newbie]

12 hours ago, Tohagi said:

what is the point of cutting down such a waki on the middle of the mei ?

For a blade that was already quite short, the most common reason is due to damage to the hamon close to the habaki. Suriage in this manner preserves its utility as a fighting weapon.

[Tohagi]

Thank you for your answer, I was feeling lonely...

 

I found no example Echizen junin... on index or web. Maybe the nin kanji is another kanji being cut ?...

[eternal_newbie]

55 minutes ago, Tohagi said:

I found no example Echizen junin... on index or web.

Rare, but not unheard of. Try searching the kanji instead: 越前住人

 

There were many smiths who were either undocumented, or had alternative signatures that were never recorded as they progressed in their career. This may not even have been an Echizen smith, but rather one from another province who happened to be moving through Echizen at the time and picked up some work at a forge or apprenticed to a smith in the region.

[Tohagi]

...only one I found is 越前国住人兼則 but it is Echizen kuni junin Kanenori...

 

Maybe a gimeï cut down to look Soshin after all.

[eternal_newbie]

 

and https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b1081647069

 

Keep in mind that the part of the mei describing their location can change often and with the times. Less important than the exact kanji is the chiseling (or engraving) style and location and, of course, the blade itself.

[Tohagi]

Apparently the linck is not avoiable for Europe, I'll try with vpn later.

 

The work on the waki of the video is very close.

Unfortunably the nakago is not shown.

What was the meï ?

越前住人兼則 ?

 

Thank you for your help!

Very appreciated !

 

Best,

Eric

[eternal_newbie]

2 minutes ago, Tohagi said:

What was the meï ?

 

ECHIZEN JYUNIN KANENORI 越前住人兼則 according to the title of the video.

 

The mei of the Yahoo auction link is 越前住人兼中作 (Echizen ju nin Kanenaka saku) so there's at least one other possible maker who signed that way.

[Tohagi]

Very helpfull thank you very much !