Sword Info

[SamSwo]

I wonder if anyone can give me more information on this sword ?

 

 

 

[ROKUJURO]

Jo James,

welcome to the NMB forum!

The TSUBA seems to be of the NANBAN type. The NAKAGO (= tang) photos are a challenge as they are not well focused. Please use a plain dark background, light from the side and orient photos blade-tip vertically upwards so reading is easier. 

There are no photos included of the blade, so not much could be said on it except that the NAKAGO looks KOTO to me. Signatures are not always authentic! 

[Jussi Ekholm]

I think my first guess would be Yoshifusa (能房) from Kongōbyōe (金剛兵) school. Could you perhaps take clearer picture of the signature? Of course it might be very difficult as it is bit worn down.

[Rivkin]

Second that it does look like late Muromachi Kongobye.

[SamSwo]

thanks for your help - apologies slow reply. I’ve added more photos, hopefully useful ?
 

 

[SamSwo]

A few more - very ornate fuchi  

 

Edited Sunday at 04:43 PM by SamSwo

[SamSwo]

One more - menuki 

Edited Sunday at 04:57 PM by SamSwo

[Kantaro]

 

Edited Sunday at 05:02 PM by Kantaro

[SamSwo]

A few more where I’ve tried to clean up the signature with photoshop 

[SamSwo]

Close up on inner face of fuchi - looks like makers mark but don’t want to clean up myself obvs so this is best I can get image-wise. A circle with inner dot and maybe 2 or 3 additional marks to right.

Edited Sunday at 06:17 PM by SamSwo

[ROKUJURO]

James,

all NAKAGO photos (except one with a date) cannot be read as they are upside-down. Please do not shoot the photos at an angle but right from above. The TSUBA and FUCHI photos are not oriented correctly either. The NANAKO-JI of the FUCHI is of low quality, the horses are hopefully a bit better (if I could see them properly).

It is difficult to give an opinion of a sword only with photos, so these should be as good as possible. Just look at how swords are presented in books !

[ROKUJURO]

18 minutes ago, SamSwo said:

Close up on inner face of fuchi.....

This low resolution photo is not helpful; it could be anything. FUCHI are usually not signed or marked on the inside.

[John C]

Jo James:

This last bit looks like part of the date. All that I can see is a day (auspicious) in the eighth month. I don't see the era or year listed above. 

 

John C.

[flemming]

Jussi is right, this is signed "Kongohyoe no-Jo Yoshifusa Saku", and dated "a day in August". That unhelpful date is frequently seen with Kongohyoe blades made during the Muromachi period. 

There were 2 Yoshifusa smiths, and I suspect this may be the work of the second, 1469 peak period, Hawleys reference YOS 1226. Rather than pictures of the furniture that have nothing to do with the sword, I would have expected some of the standard measurements, like Nagasa, Kasane, etc. to determine the exact period. This nakago appears to have been cleaned, hence the vertical marks that look almost made with a file. The rust appears to have some shale-like patches, so one might suspect it has been in a fire. I would check it out for being re-hardened.

Lloyd

[Bruce Pennington]

Jo James,

They are looking for a bare blade photo with the following measurements:

 

Also, a couple close shots of the blade body showing hamon (temper pattern) and blade tip are helpful.