Help to differentiate fake from real

[Fran36]

Dear all,

 

I come to you after navigating for quite long. I think this is the right site where I can get the truth about my recently bought katana in an antique shop. The antique shop assured me that the katana was brought from Filipinas where was "abandoned" in the WWII but I would like to be sure.

 

Please find attached images from the kanji of my katana. Do you think you can help me?

 

Thank you very much in advance for your help.

 

Fran Veiga

 

 

 

 

[drdata]

Hey Fran, welcome.

 

I suggest you post a full pic of the tang (nakago), and the blade, with some close ups of the latter to help confirm.

 

I'm no expert but the tang workmanship seems rough and the edges misshapen. In general real nihonto have carefully finished tangs.

 

Other here can confirm, especially with added pics.

 

Regards

[george trotter]

hi Fran,

Generally a Japanese chisels his mei (signature)...which leaves a series of cuts with metal pushed to each side to make an "edge" to the cut. In your case, the mei seems to be scooped out, leaving a furrow with no edges...not a normal thing. Japanese chisel "displaces" the metal to each side...this scoops it out.

Too early to say not Japanese (without more pics), but looking that way...at least I have not seen this style before.

George.

[Stephen]

you might say its to close to tell

[IanB]

Fran, As has been said, the so-called chisel used to cut a signature was really a punch that displaced the metal. Your images suggest that the original surface of the tang has been filed off after the strokes of the kanji were made. This is also suggested by the apparent corrosion within the strokes and the tang surface (although that might just be a photographic effect). I look forward to more images.

Ian Bottomley

[Fran36]

First of all, I really appreciated your interest and your quick answer to my post. Thank you very much.

 

You are righ about pictures. They have been taken too close and can cause confusion.

 

Attached you will find new pictures of my katana. I have a question as a beginner in this fascinating world: do these kanjis mean anything?

 

Thank you once again.

 

Fran

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jean]

100% CHINESE FAKE

[Mark]

the blade construction is clearly not Japanese. there are many websites that have pictures of this type of copy.. see the heading above "fake swords" check the pictures of grain/hada

[Jean]

http://www.aoi-art.com/

 

Open any of the katana files, open the image put your blade beside and play to the game of the 7 errors.

 

Give us then your feedback, it is the best way to learn

[drdata]

Sorry for the bad news.

 

When the grain actually looks so loud as to be real wood its a dead giveaway. Way too much Damascus like action here.

 

regards