Hey guys, I'm new to this forum any body know someone that's really good at identifying katanas, older ones, or any of you? You guys sound like you would be knowledgeable in a lot, please let me know. I've been trying to identify this katana for a few years on and off, it's been a while so I forgot who or what I narrowed the crafters down to. I can show pics if needed. Hopefully someone can point me to someone or give me good knowledge. Thanks
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know someone that's really good at identifying katanas
- Thread starter Kimo0331
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Esav Benyamin
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Welcome to Bladeforums.
Always better to start your own thread than to piggy-back on another topic.
Always better to start your own thread than to piggy-back on another topic.
Triton
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I would suggest taking some quality pictures and posting them here. Dr. Stein comes about every now and again, and he's the best I've seen posting here, but there are others that might help you as well. Or you could try over at the nihonto forums, there's all sorts of informed posters there as well.
Esav Benyamin
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Only photo hosting for Registered Users.
The first two instructions will get you up and running. The next two are in more detail for more complex situations.
1. Paid members can upload from their computers, but anyone can open a photo hosting account.
I use www.photobucket.com . Download your pictures and they give you a URL for each picture.
Use the fourth URL, with the tags already in place. Copy & Paste that in your post here.
2. Another way: go to [url]http://www.imgur.com[/url] and upload your image.
After uploading, select the BBCode option - it starts with [IMG]. Copy & Paste to your thread.
3. You should also [URL="http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/353471-READ-THIS-FIRST!-How-to-ask-questions-that-get-answered"]READ THIS FIRST! How to ask questions that get answered[/URL] which includes photo posting instructions.
4. For a detailed TUTORIAL: Displaying your photographs on BladeForums
[url]http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/742638-TUTORIAL-Displaying-your-photographs-on-BladeForums[/url]
The first two instructions will get you up and running. The next two are in more detail for more complex situations.
1. Paid members can upload from their computers, but anyone can open a photo hosting account.
I use www.photobucket.com . Download your pictures and they give you a URL for each picture.
Use the fourth URL, with the tags already in place. Copy & Paste that in your post here.
2. Another way: go to [url]http://www.imgur.com[/url] and upload your image.
After uploading, select the BBCode option - it starts with [IMG]. Copy & Paste to your thread.
3. You should also [URL="http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/353471-READ-THIS-FIRST!-How-to-ask-questions-that-get-answered"]READ THIS FIRST! How to ask questions that get answered[/URL] which includes photo posting instructions.
4. For a detailed TUTORIAL: Displaying your photographs on BladeForums
[url]http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/742638-TUTORIAL-Displaying-your-photographs-on-BladeForums[/url]
My website, The Japanese Sword Index may be of help. It's at:
http://japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm
ALso the message board "Nihonto Message Board" has some of the most knowledgeable
folks in the world (literally). Its URL is:
http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php
Between these sources, you should find most anything you would need.
Hope this helps.
Rich Stein, PhD
http://japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm
ALso the message board "Nihonto Message Board" has some of the most knowledgeable
folks in the world (literally). Its URL is:
http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/index.php
Between these sources, you should find most anything you would need.
Hope this helps.
Rich Stein, PhD
http://s778.photobucket.com/user/Kimo0331/slideshow/Wakizashi
Here is some pictures if anyone can give me any insight. It's greatly appreciated.
Here is some pictures if anyone can give me any insight. It's greatly appreciated.
The kanji read - KaneHisa Saku, which means Kanehisa(smith's name) made this.
There were quite a few Kanehisa from various provinces over several hundred years. Smiths generally did not sign with their real name but an art name given to them by their teacher and related to the school/style they trained in.
Kane is generally related to Mino school and there were many Kanehisa who worked in this school from the 1300's up to WW2 era.
Without being able to see the steel details - hada and hamon, it will be almost impossible to identify your sword completely.
That said, the age on the nakago(tang) could suggest late Koto, early Shinto - so possibly late 1500's through 1600's, maybe early 1700's. Vague, but there you go.
Is this a recent buy, a few years as opposed to being in the family for a while?
I ask because the vertical scratches throughout the sword look like it has been put through the early foundation stones of a polish but then stopped.
There were quite a few Kanehisa from various provinces over several hundred years. Smiths generally did not sign with their real name but an art name given to them by their teacher and related to the school/style they trained in.
Kane is generally related to Mino school and there were many Kanehisa who worked in this school from the 1300's up to WW2 era.
Without being able to see the steel details - hada and hamon, it will be almost impossible to identify your sword completely.
That said, the age on the nakago(tang) could suggest late Koto, early Shinto - so possibly late 1500's through 1600's, maybe early 1700's. Vague, but there you go.
Is this a recent buy, a few years as opposed to being in the family for a while?
I ask because the vertical scratches throughout the sword look like it has been put through the early foundation stones of a polish but then stopped.
Lee thankyou very much with your insight, I've been trying to identify the kanji ( maker) which I'm not good at.The nakago of the hamon looks to be a jizo or a midare Komi. It's really hard to tell because the rust and also probably because I don do this to often.I hope those names are correct.forgive me if I am not using correct terminology.
Yes it's been in the family, I thought it was pretty neat, the maker had to be pretty good, at least I thought.The fuchi has a leaf on one side and a scroll on the other. It does have a stamp underneath which has two lines. I'll post some more pics. Also has two metal flowers on the end of the scabbard.
Yes it's been in the family, I thought it was pretty neat, the maker had to be pretty good, at least I thought.The fuchi has a leaf on one side and a scroll on the other. It does have a stamp underneath which has two lines. I'll post some more pics. Also has two metal flowers on the end of the scabbard.
Lee thankyou very much with your insight, I've been trying to identify the kanji ( maker) which I'm not good at.The nakago of the hamon looks to be a jizo or a midare Komi. It's really hard to tell because the rust and also probably because I don do this to often.I hope those names are correct.forgive me if I am not using correct terminology.
Yes it's been in the family, I thought it was pretty neat, the maker had to be pretty good, at least I thought.The fuchi has a leaf on one side and a scroll on the other. It does have a stamp underneath which has two lines. I'll post some more pics. Also has two metal flowers on the end of the scabbard.
Yes it's been in the family, I thought it was pretty neat, the maker had to be pretty good, at least I thought.The fuchi has a leaf on one side and a scroll on the other. It does have a stamp underneath which has two lines. I'll post some more pics. Also has two metal flowers on the end of the scabbard.
http://s778.photobucket.com/user/Kimo0331/slideshow/
Here the link it plays in slideshow but u can pause each pic
Here the link it plays in slideshow but u can pause each pic
No problem, glad to help.
I think you mean the 'boshi' of the hamon, meaning the shape of the hamon in the kissaki(tip).
The nakago is the rusty end (tang).
The new picture of the kissaki looks good as the tip looked a little compact in the old pics. That could have meant that it had been damaged and repaired, possibly losing a lot of hamon/boshi in the tip, which is not good. Now it looks ok, though.
In that new pic, I see an even gunome hamon, which is typical Mino work. I cannot see the boshi but if you say it is jiso or midare komi, this is also very typical of Mino work. This all backs up the signature, so it is probably genuine and not gimei.
The fittings, whilst nice, are not top quality and do not sell themselves as belonging to any particular school or artist. Likely mid to late Edo period - 1750's to 1850's.
The design on the tsuba is a plum blossom.
So, my opinion would be that this is a wakizashi from the late 1500's through 1600's, made by a Kanehisa in the Mino style. Refitted later in life with mid to late Edo period mounts.
That's not to say the saya or handle are that old, just the metalwork.
I think you mean the 'boshi' of the hamon, meaning the shape of the hamon in the kissaki(tip).
The nakago is the rusty end (tang).
The new picture of the kissaki looks good as the tip looked a little compact in the old pics. That could have meant that it had been damaged and repaired, possibly losing a lot of hamon/boshi in the tip, which is not good. Now it looks ok, though.
In that new pic, I see an even gunome hamon, which is typical Mino work. I cannot see the boshi but if you say it is jiso or midare komi, this is also very typical of Mino work. This all backs up the signature, so it is probably genuine and not gimei.
The fittings, whilst nice, are not top quality and do not sell themselves as belonging to any particular school or artist. Likely mid to late Edo period - 1750's to 1850's.
The design on the tsuba is a plum blossom.
So, my opinion would be that this is a wakizashi from the late 1500's through 1600's, made by a Kanehisa in the Mino style. Refitted later in life with mid to late Edo period mounts.
That's not to say the saya or handle are that old, just the metalwork.
Lee,
Much appreciated, The signature was hard to distinguish for me, it did not match any of the Internet references, but I figured everyone's signature was different. The blade does look to have small damage, theirs a small spot that looks like a layer was taken off. But the edge doesn't look bad except at the kissaki, that's probably as bad as it gets. I have no idea where my grandpa got this but, I also got handed down a Japanese nco sword. He was a marine, I also am a marine, he was in the Korean War. Maybe he acquired it there.but he was also a collector. So I have no idea. I just knew it was something to keep. I never tried to polish or get it cleaned up. I didn't want to mess with the value if it was of any. But Is their a way to get it authenticated maybe. Or certified . I'd like to do something like that for display.thanks again lee. Definently a hobby I'd like to invest in a couple more pieces after some deep research.
Much appreciated, The signature was hard to distinguish for me, it did not match any of the Internet references, but I figured everyone's signature was different. The blade does look to have small damage, theirs a small spot that looks like a layer was taken off. But the edge doesn't look bad except at the kissaki, that's probably as bad as it gets. I have no idea where my grandpa got this but, I also got handed down a Japanese nco sword. He was a marine, I also am a marine, he was in the Korean War. Maybe he acquired it there.but he was also a collector. So I have no idea. I just knew it was something to keep. I never tried to polish or get it cleaned up. I didn't want to mess with the value if it was of any. But Is their a way to get it authenticated maybe. Or certified . I'd like to do something like that for display.thanks again lee. Definently a hobby I'd like to invest in a couple more pieces after some deep research.
Rules here are that we can't discuss valuations which you would need to know prior to deciding about proper authentification/certification.
As two registered users, we can't communicate via pm, so I can't send you any info that way.
Do you have an email you don't mind posting here, or on my 'visitor wall'?
Essentially, prior to any authorized board certifying your sword, it will probably have to have a polish in order for them to distinguish the details.
A proper polish is expensive and can often cost more than a sword is worth.
Depending where you are, your best bet at present would be to get the sword into someone's hands who knows what they're talking about.
An expert with it in his hands should be able to tell you, though without guarantees, whether there are any fatal flaws which could render it worth very little and whether it is worth pursuing polish and papers.
There are a few sword shows in the states, one or two in Australia and possibly in the UK. Everywhere else, bar Japan, you'll be very lucky as they rarely happen, if ever.
Japan is generally the only place you'll get papers, though occasionally the boards will travel to the states for a show. Ditto that for Australia but less often.
Edit - some links on papers and shows.
http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Japan.htm
http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/NTHKoverview.html
http://www.southeastjapaneseswordshowauction.com/other-show-notices.html
As two registered users, we can't communicate via pm, so I can't send you any info that way.
Do you have an email you don't mind posting here, or on my 'visitor wall'?
Essentially, prior to any authorized board certifying your sword, it will probably have to have a polish in order for them to distinguish the details.
A proper polish is expensive and can often cost more than a sword is worth.
Depending where you are, your best bet at present would be to get the sword into someone's hands who knows what they're talking about.
An expert with it in his hands should be able to tell you, though without guarantees, whether there are any fatal flaws which could render it worth very little and whether it is worth pursuing polish and papers.
There are a few sword shows in the states, one or two in Australia and possibly in the UK. Everywhere else, bar Japan, you'll be very lucky as they rarely happen, if ever.
Japan is generally the only place you'll get papers, though occasionally the boards will travel to the states for a show. Ditto that for Australia but less often.
Edit - some links on papers and shows.
http://www.nbthk-ab.org/Japan.htm
http://www.ejapaneseswords.com/NTHKoverview.html
http://www.southeastjapaneseswordshowauction.com/other-show-notices.html
Last edited:
NihontoEd
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Messages
- 691
Lee, I think this sword is signed Kanemoto, not kanehisa.
Kimo, There will be a shinsa this coming February in Tampa where the signature can be authenticated and possibly papered. I will be submitting a number of swords, if you are interested in pursuing this contact me at: Yakiba.com@gmail.com
Kimo, There will be a shinsa this coming February in Tampa where the signature can be authenticated and possibly papered. I will be submitting a number of swords, if you are interested in pursuing this contact me at: Yakiba.com@gmail.com
Moto -元
Hisa - 久
I did look at moto, and you could well be right Ed, but I still think it's Hisa.
Always love it when they get a little artistic with their mei, as if translating them isn't hard enough.
Kimo - either moto or hisa, still looks to be a Mino blade from the period I said. Kanemoto also had many generations working in Mino and could date a little earlier than mentioned.
If you're in the states, I'd take Ed up on his offer as he knows his stuff.
Edit - I believe Ed is correct and it is signed Kanemoto. Do a search for 'Kanemoto mei' and you will find some comparable examples.
Hisa - 久
I did look at moto, and you could well be right Ed, but I still think it's Hisa.
Always love it when they get a little artistic with their mei, as if translating them isn't hard enough.
Kimo - either moto or hisa, still looks to be a Mino blade from the period I said. Kanemoto also had many generations working in Mino and could date a little earlier than mentioned.
If you're in the states, I'd take Ed up on his offer as he knows his stuff.
Edit - I believe Ed is correct and it is signed Kanemoto. Do a search for 'Kanemoto mei' and you will find some comparable examples.
Last edited:
NihontoEd
Gold Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2011
- Messages
- 691
Hi lee,
No problem, at a glance one could have easily mistaken this kanji for Hisa as they do look similar aside from the the lower right leg. I have had 4-5 Kanemoto and have two now, so it is just one that i have seen so often that it is embedded in what's left of my mind
No problem, at a glance one could have easily mistaken this kanji for Hisa as they do look similar aside from the the lower right leg. I have had 4-5 Kanemoto and have two now, so it is just one that i have seen so often that it is embedded in what's left of my mind
Lee,
Thanks for all the info, you helped out a lot. Soother comfort thankyou also! That would be nice to go to. I wouldn't have time. I'll probably just put it away for now. But I still want to find more out about it.Im researching both mei 's. thanks for the links I'll hopefully get time in the future. I run into a few knowledgable people at gun shown every now and again. I'm out of ca, so it would be hard to schedule for Tampa. You guys are AWSOME thanks for the easy welcome to the forum.
Thanks for all the info, you helped out a lot. Soother comfort thankyou also! That would be nice to go to. I wouldn't have time. I'll probably just put it away for now. But I still want to find more out about it.Im researching both mei 's. thanks for the links I'll hopefully get time in the future. I run into a few knowledgable people at gun shown every now and again. I'm out of ca, so it would be hard to schedule for Tampa. You guys are AWSOME thanks for the easy welcome to the forum.