Identifiy Japanese Katana

[BOB COLEMAN]

Stu-
Thanks for obtaining the translation. The majority of this signature is what are now considered obsolete kanji. Prior to the war, the Japanese language included over 120,000 kanji. The educational system instituted by MacArthur cut that down by 3/4. The entire monting is quite well made and appears to be contemporary to the blade. The tsuba is the famous sea cucumber motif originated in tsuba made by the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Our thanks to Guy as this was a case of not having the answer. It is quite unusual to see a wakizahi mounted in old style mounts all being from the war era.

[Alan M]

Fantastic Stu , i've learnt quite a bit from this and please pass on my thanks to Guy for his input! I have been back and forth to this thread and found it a bit of a brain teaser and now the fuzz in my head has cleared LOL. I would like to ask Guy if the date could also be translated as 1879 , as my first impression was that it is a slightly older blade from looking at the condition of the tang and its square butt , the shape of the blade that has a very flat sori or curvature and a nice hamon with a good turn back of the boshi , this added to Bob's feelings that the fittings looked to be late Edo period . Incidentally , the saya looks beautiful , does anyone know if the design on it represents anything or is it simply art ?

As for the numeral stampings , i was thinking maybe it could represent Yin and Yang which i have read is synonymous to the mountainous region of Chugoku , but i may be way off beam here !

[Alan M]

Stu-
Thanks for obtaining the translation. The majority of this signature is what are now considered obsolete kanji. Prior to the war, the Japanese language included over 120,000 kanji. The educational system instituted by MacArthur cut that down by 3/4. The entire monting is quite well made and appears to be contemporary to the blade. The tsuba is the famous sea cucumber motif originated in tsuba made by the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi. Our thanks to Guy as this was a case of not having the answer. It is quite unusual to see a wakizahi mounted in old style mounts all being from the war era.

Bob , do you recognize the design of the menuki ?

[BOB COLEMAN]

The design of the menuk is quite difficult to tell. The tsuka has a very fine leather tsukaito. I believe the design in gold on the saya represents pine needles. It is likely the fittings are all Late Edo except for the saya. This is difficult to determine just from pictures but is the most likely answer. I believe the blade is a well made gendaito that was assembled for an individual of means.

[azaffiro]

Wow. Please don't mistake my silence for being unappreciative. I am just in information overload. Thanks to all of you for all of your determination and information thus far. I seriously thought this was going to be easy!

[Alan M]

The design of the menuk is quite difficult to tell. The tsuka has a very fine leather tsukaito. I believe the design in gold on the saya represents pine needles. It is likely the fittings are all Late Edo except for the saya. This is difficult to determine just from pictures but is the most likely answer. I believe the blade is a well made gendaito that was assembled for an individual of means.

Pine needles , yes , i'm seeing that , thanks Bob .

[Stu W]

Wow. Please don't mistake my silence for being unappreciative. I am just in information overload. Thanks to all of you for all of your determination and information thus far. I seriously thought this was going to be easy!

No worries, we understand. In fact we all learn from conducting an analysis of a piece like this.

I will speak with Guy again on the issue of date and get back to the thread ASAP.

Regards,
Stu

[ghp95134]

...I would like to ask Guy if the date could also be translated as 1879 ....

Yes, these years are in 60-year cycles. It could also be sometime mid-February 1879.

The chart I found begins in 1924. According to the chart, the 己卯 year begins 2/19/39 (Sunday) and 60 years later in 2/16/1999 (Tuesday). A 60-year regression would place the 己卯 year in Februray (mid month), 1879.

I wonder about the "Dai Rentai" inscription, though....

[Stu W]

Hi Guy,

Welcome. its good to see you joined our happily little group!

Regards,
Stu

[ghp95134]

...Bob , do you recognize the design of the menuki ?....

It looks to me like the obverse and reverse of a straw hat atop an oar. I can't see the rest.

Though this man is wearing a conical hat.


I used to have one like this:


--Guy