Japanese Wakizashi- but from when? I would appreciate some input please

[John Brandon]

Afternoon guys

When you get bitten, you get bitten. A few weeks ago I got hold of a few Japanese swords. Not knowing what I had I posted here for some opinions, and was stunned at the amount of knowledge some people have, in particular Bob Coleman Geoff Ward and Hassiman, and others........ and I thank them thus far, however...............

Today sat 2nd July I ventured to my local auction house to view a Wakizash listed as a 19th/20th century sword. I bid on it, and won, thinking that the handle and blade were much older than the scabbard, or it has been covered in leather during the second world war? Anyway, I was not allowed to "take it to pieces" so no one else had either. When I got it home, I was pleasantly surprised to find it signed ..... Can one of you kind chaps let me know if I have a pup, or the holy grail, it wasn't "dirt cheap" but I was happy with the price. There were very few bids on it, because I think it had been incorrectly listed.

So either I can retire or not (Joke, because I am already retired)

Thanks in anticipation, and sorry the photos are not fab.

[BOB COLEMAN]

John-
The first blade will take me a little time. The second blade is kiku ichi Bishu Osafune ju (a resident of Bishu Provence village of Osafune). The sword maker name is cut off but this is the signature of of the Sukesada who worked in the Genroku period which began in 1688. I can not make out the kanji on the third blade.

[John Brandon]

Aaahhhh it's one blade signed both sides??

[Bruce Pennington]

Isn't the side with the chrisanthimum the date? Are the first two kanji "Ho-ei" 1704?

[ghp95134]

Hopefully this can help you, Bob.

I could make out the first two, and last four kanji of the name; after googling around, I came up with this:

(菊紋)一備前長船住
(Kiku mon) Ichi Bizen Osafune Jū
(Kiku crest) Ichi, Resident of Osafune in Bizen

[Edit: SHOULD BE 備州. The location is -- as Bob correctly pointed out -- Bishu. Same place]

横山横山加賀介藤原祐永
Yokoyama Kaga no Suke Fujiwara Sukenaga

天保十三年二月日
tenpō １３
February 1842

And that name and date fits this entry for the 1st Generation Sukesada. 6th entry from the top of p. 162:
Sukenaga

Here's one done by the 2nd Generation; you can see the signature is the same except for 備陽長船住 and the later date:
http://www.e-sword.jp/img_wp/14/1410-1144ha_big.jpg

It's a huge image, so I'm only posting the URL; image home page here.


--Guy

[ghp95134]

Hello John,

Please show us the full sword blade.

--Guy

[BOB COLEMAN]

I am still confused as to what goes with what. In the future, please post each blade on a separate thread.

[BOB COLEMAN]

John-
I now understand that you did not post the complete tang which is very important. With the normal method of signing a blade, the swordsmith's name would follow. However, there is an exception with this smith. By showing only part of the tang, was the assumption that the rest was cut off. With Japanese swords, we need as complete an image as possible to give you a correct answer. As per Guy, please show complete and partial blade pictures.

[Bruce Pennington]

Hopefully this can help you, Bob.

I could make out the first two, and last four kanji of the name; after googling around, I came up with this:

(菊紋)一備前長船住
(Kiku mon) Ichi Bizen Osafune Jū
(Kiku crest) Ichi, Resident of Osafune in Bizen

[Edit: SHOULD BE 備州. The location is -- as Bob correctly pointed out -- Bishu. Same place]

横山横山加賀介藤原祐永
Yokoyama Kaga no Suke Fujiwara Sukenaga

天保十三年二月日
tenpō １３
February 1842

And that name and date fits this entry for the 1st Generation Sukesada. 6th entry from the top of p. 162:
Sukenaga

Here's one done by the 2nd Generation; you can see the signature is the same except for 備陽長船住 and the later date:
http://www.e-sword.jp/img_wp/14/1410-1144ha_big.jpg

It's a huge image, so I'm only posting the URL; image home page here.


--Guy

Guy, typo - Tenpo "1" is really "10", right? your math comes out right, though!

[John Brandon]

John-
I now understand that you did not post the complete tang which is very important. With the normal method of signing a blade, the swordsmith's name would follow. However, there is an exception with this smith. By showing only part of the tang, was the assumption that the rest was cut off. With Japanese swords, we need as complete an image as possible to give you a correct answer. As per Guy, please show complete and partial blade pictures.

Oh Sorry Bob, and I will endeavour to take some more pictures tomorrow, however it's getting late tonight. I thought that I had taken what I needed to, looks like I have so much to learn about these swords, they are very complicated. All I can say to everyone that has given an opinion thus far............thanks
I found this on one of the sword sites, which, although it looks the same confuses me even more. Perhaps I shouldn't collect anything, just stick to selling 3rd Reich