DocTheRoc Posted February 1 Report Posted February 1 (edited) Hi all! Would love some second opinions on a friend of mine’s Guntō. At first glance, the fittings concerned me. However, I had her take some more pictures of the blade, and after walking her through the disassembly, I saw some promising features in the Nakago. To my amateur eye, it looks like it may be a genuine, Mumei late-Edo blade. However, I’ve laid out my thoughts below, and would really appreciate a second opinion. Positives: - Diagonal file marks and a promising Nakago-jiri - Faded hamon - Appropriate Nakago patina - Kissaki and general blade geometry looks decent Negatives (to a genuine Nihontō): - Tsuba seems rough, and the Fuchi pattern is popular with reproductions - Nakago patina is uneven, if at least colored appropriately - Mekugi-Ana position seems off to me, but I have no real concrete data for this observation Thank you! Edited February 1 by DocTheRoc Quote
Ian B3HR2UH Posted February 2 Report Posted February 2 It is almost impossible to give an opinion from these photos without having the sword in hand but here goes The freshness of the nakago and the roughness of the file marks lead me to think that the blade is probably Showa . On the other hand the Habaki is older and points to the blade also being older . The habaki seems not to fit too well though so may be added. The overall impression that this piece gives is one of low quality so I wouldn't be expecting too much . Ian Brooks 1 Quote
ROKUJURO Posted February 2 Report Posted February 2 Vincent, all photos are upside-down. The NAKAGO photos should always be made without HABAKI so we could see the MACHI. Always use a dark background. All photos need to be nicely focused; the blade picture does not allow to see the surface properly. My first impression is it's not Japanese, but better photos might prove me wrong. Quote
DocTheRoc Posted February 2 Author Report Posted February 2 2 hours ago, ROKUJURO said: Vincent, all photos are upside-down. The NAKAGO photos should always be made without HABAKI so we could see the MACHI. Always use a dark background. All photos need to be nicely focused; the blade picture does not allow to see the surface properly. My first impression is it's not Japanese, but better photos might prove me wrong. Hey Jean! As always, I really appreciate your insight. As this piece is a friend of mine’s, I’m working with the pictures I’m given, I apologize. If I get the opportunity to see it firsthand, I will take properly oriented photos with a bit better quality! Quote
DocTheRoc Posted February 2 Author Report Posted February 2 3 hours ago, Ian B3HR2UH said: It is almost impossible to give an opinion from these photos without having the sword in hand but here goes The freshness of the nakago and the roughness of the file marks lead me to think that the blade is probably Showa . On the other hand the Habaki is older and points to the blade also being older . The habaki seems not to fit too well though so may be added. The overall impression that this piece gives is one of low quality so I wouldn't be expecting too much . Ian Brooks Hi Ian! as I said to Jean, I really appreciate your insight on these photos, despite the quality. If I can get the blade in hand, I can get better photos, I shall! The potential for antique Koshirae to a modern blade is also a really good point, if I can get the blade in hand, it’ll be something I look for, for sure. Thank you again!! Quote
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