potential purchase,

[Meiji H]

Hi,

I,m looking to purchase a wakazashi that has a signed tang, can anyone help with the translation please.  

any help appreciated. 

C

[ROKUJURO]

Hi Colin,

welcome to the NMB forum!

Your WAKIZASHI (not Wakazashi) seems to be signed HIDA no KAMI FUJIWARA UJIFUSA.

https://www.nihontocraft.com/Hida_no_Kami_Ujifusa.htm

I will add that a signature alone is not always enough to assign a blade to a swordsmith. The features of a blade have to be confirmed by the characteristics of the swordsmith's certified works.

If you showed us the whole blade (tip-uwards, plain dark background, dark room, light from the side, naked blade/no HABAKI), the sword experts here may give you a more competent comment on it.

 

[Meiji H]

Dear Jean C san, many thanks for this swift response and the wealth of information, quite amazing!  My apologies for the spelling of Wakizashi , I do know this but seem to have made an error in my haste. I have not got a good photo of the Wakizashi as you describe with a black background, but attached some which show the other side of the tang, the hamon is visible, which looks like notare, as is the kissaki. sorry I'm on a steep but very enjoyable learning curve. 

 

Regards

Colin H

[ROKUJURO]

Hi Colin,

take your time to make good photos in case you want help, so we can see details.
The above additional photos do not show much. There seems to be a HAMON, but no details like NIE, NIOI or HADA are visible.

Again, for good contrast images, use a plain dark background and a dark room (which will avoid reflections), preferably with a single spotlight, and show the whole blade tip-uwards, without TSUBA, SEPPA, or HABAKI.

Your sword looks like an authentic civilian Japanese blade, mounted in a military SAYA (= leather covered scabbard). HABAKI looks nice, TSUBA cannot be seen properly. Is there something (a date?) chiselled on the URA (other side) of the NAKAGO? The photo does not allow to see it clearly.    

Private swords (not always "family heirlooms") are seen being adapted for combat use in WWII with a military SAYA and, sometimes, other military mounting parts. The original WWII blades were mostly in the 630 mm range, but other dimensions occured as well. WAKIZASHI sizes are less common. 

[Meiji H]

Hi Jean C,

Many thanks for this . Unfortunately the Wakizashi is not in my possession so I cannot get any more photos. However, I'm going to make an offer for it and if successful I will post more details with the proper lighting and background. 

Can I take this opportunity to thank you for your invaluable assistance and swift responses. I have to say I have looked at various posts in the forum and everyone is so helpful and understanding. I will catch up on some reading so I can be much more proficient with the terminology; I have Paul Martin's, Japanese Swords and Armour and Colin Roach's , Japanese swords, so I'll read these first. Any other suggestions welcome. 

 

My thanks once again you have been most helpful.

 

Colin H

 

 

 

[raaay]

Hi Colin 

 

not sure where in the UK  you are , but you may want to consider becoming a member of the UK Token Society , they have regional meetings all over the UK .    

 

PS. and at most meetings there are some nice swords etc. for sale by the members .

Edited February 20 by raaay

[Meiji H]

Hi Ray, based in Inverness, many thanks for the recommendation , I'll certainly do that. 

New to the forum but very keen to learn. For us Scots it was very much Thomas Blake Glover opening up the culture of Japan to Scottish entrepreneurs and businesses back in 1850  / 1860  , a fascinating period of history often forgotten, but one where the first items of Samurai Armour ever came to light in the UK. My great grandfather ,from Iona, working in Japan as an engineer / surveyor from 1868 to 1876, visiting curio shops and purchasing Yari and Katana and various other items that I remember seeing in my youth. 

Meiji H 

 

 

 

[Meiji H]

[ROKUJURO]

Colin,

thank you for your kind words!

Your grandfather was in Japan as one of the earliest Europeans and just at an important threshold of Japanese history! He would have seen medieval Japan trying to become a modern nation in a very short period of time! How fascinating that must have been, and how difficult with no internet to ask question, no English speaking Japanese, and no Westerners knowing manners nor language!

That would be a topic for a nice film!

[saemonjonosuke]

That’s true — some Japanese spoke only Dutch…

 

[ROKUJURO]

Dutch is not a language, it is a throat disease! 

[saemonjonosuke]

From the perspective of someone living in a deep valley, you have a point.

[Meiji H]

Many thanks all. 

My Great Grandfather lived in Edo (Tokyo) at the Ministry of Public Works, he was Surveyor-in-Chief to the Emperor of Japan. He and his wife learned Japanese and had a great respect for the culture. Both were great friends with many influential Japanese officials but in particular Hirobumi Ito, Yoso Yamao, (both members of the Chosu 5 who spoke good English ) also Sano Tsunetami and General Saigo Tsugumi the brother of Saigo Takemori, 'The Last Samurai'.  Saigo Tsugumi is in the picture above in military uniform.  

[Bugyotsuji]

Hi Colin, have you committed to buying this wakizashi, whether it is legit or gimei (falsified signature)?

[Meiji H]

Hi Piers

Yes, if i can get it for a good price. I'm not going to go crazy in case it is a gimei, as I am now aware there are quite a few around,  but will offer my max. 

I will post on this thread if successful.... already nervous...