Who can identify my sword?

[RichardConnor]

I would appreciate any information about this sword.

 

I have posted some pictures online:

http://www.shaolinCOMMUNICATIONS.com/sword.html

 

Thanks for your help.

Richard

[Brian]

Richard,

Can you post a pic of the whole tang including the tip? Some of the pics make it look odd with no real taper?

 

Brian

[Gunome]

Hello,

 

The mei read "Bizen osafune ju yokoyama sukenaga"

tomonari 56 dai mago (56th generation) + date

 

A famous shinshinto smith ! You must compare the mei with oshigata to check it validity. :D

 

Sebastien

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Mei reads (very likely gimei)

 

Omote : Bizen Osafune ju Yokoyama Sukenaga 備前長船住横山祐永

 

Ura : Bunsei ju ni Nen ni Gatsu Hi 文政 十二年二月日

Tomonari gojuroku Dai mago 友成五十六代孫

[runagmc]

Jacques, any particular reason you say probably gimei... or is that just an assumption because of the fame of the smith? From what I can see in the pics, if I was the owner I wouldn't jump to conclusions. But if you see something that I missed, I would be happy to learn from your explanation.

[Jacques]

Hi

 

Sukenaga has changed his way of engraving que ji Suke after Tenpo era. The one we see here is the latter and the blade is dated from Bunsei. You can also notice the ji Naga which don't match.

[runagmc]

Very late Bunsei- 1829... so I wonder when the change took place. I read Sukehira died around this same time. Here's an example from 1831,

[Eric H]

Very late Bunsei- 1829...

The signatures match very well...so I would say it's shoshin mei.

 

Eric

[Jacques]

Hi,

 

Never seen on an other Sukenaga