Nihonto Club

Hi, It's hard to see from the photo of the signature but it looks to me like noshu ju kaneyoshi.
Have a look at the swordsmith database on this site and you'll see there were a few smiths called kaneyoshi working in Mino at different times.
I wouldn't like to guess which one or if the signature is genuine.
I did find this however,
https://www.aoijapan.net/wakizashi-kaneyoshi-orikaeshi-mei/
The signature looks somewhat similar.

Looper is correct - Noshu ju Kaneyoshi.
The paper is a description of it, written November 1945. The blade is much older, of course.
The writing on the shirasaya repeats the signature (with a couple of characters added), and the length of the blade.

Pete

It occurs to me that the "sayagaki" (writing on the scabbard) is a huge hint.
It says "Noshu ju Seki Yoshisada Kaneyoshi".
"Seki" is a town/region.
The "Yoshisada" refers to "Yoshisada school", of which Kaneyoshi was a member (but note that there may have been several using the same name, like teacher to student, etc.).
Assuming it's accurate, it identifies the specific swordsmith line, and that the time period is 16th century.

Pete

Hi Pete, I had thought that the kanji on the saya were "noshu ju seki zenjo kaneyoshi". I wasn't sure and could be wrong.

Hi

Hadn't expected such a great response - thanks.

As you say, quite a few Kaneyoshis out there but appears could be Muromachi period.
I suppose it's still possible that it's an old blade but with a forged signature, though looking closely at it I can't see that it looks like a later addition, but is it possible that the signature could have been forged about the same time as manufacture or slightly later, making it harder to spot?

I have uploaded another jpg. The certificate is NOT for this blade - I found it somewhere on the internet - should have kept a record of where, but didn't. The photo of the tang is from my wakazashi and shown next to the rubbing from this other blade - they do look very similar. The far right hand column on the certificate looks exactly like the signature on my blade, having only five characters. I had a look at the Kaneyoshis on the swordsmith database here and most signatures seemed to be six or more characters.

Will keep looking - thabks again for input. I have a long way to go.

Andy

My wife read it as "Yoshisada", which would be a kunyomi reading.
It may well be "Zenjo" as an onyomi reading.
The Yoshi and Zen kanji are definitely the same.

Edit: Using a handy online dictionary (I'm at work now), confirmed that Yoshisada and Zenjo are kun/on readings of the same kanji. The Nihonto community uses "Zenjo", so that would be the better reading in this case.

Pete

Would that just refer to the school of Zenjo or the specific name of a swordsmith? ie. Zenjo Kaneyoshi

Found this 'family tree' - looks to be a very detailed tree of the Province of Mino. Zenjo School.
http://www.sho-shin.com/zenjo.html

I note that many of the reference books on Japansese swords can be very expensive. Any recommendations?

Thanks for your help.

Andy

Zenjo would be the school. In the database here you'll quite a few Mino Kaneyoshi's use Zenjo in their signature. Your sword might well be made by one of them. Pete could probably give you good advice on books, I mostly rely on information online and a couple of basic books.

Hi, my single favorite book for basic learning is Nagayama's:
https://www.amazon.com/Connoisseurs-Book-Japanese-Swords/dp/1568365810/r...
There are definitely others that are good. John Yumoto's book is a 'classic' in the West, but it's actually very cursory.
I would probably NOT invest in the "swordsmith list" books, since so much of that info is online these days. Unless you just like collecting expensive books.

Your other best resource, if available, is find a collector's club in your area. Usually called a "Token-Kai".
You definitely want to connect with the Token Society of Great Britain (I assume they would have meetings in London??). A couple of hours with some experienced collectors will teach you HUGE amounts of understanding, of things that are hard to really learn online or with books. For example, someone hands you a blade, and points out what "utsuri" is...

BTW, I have this pair of swords for sale on Ed Marshal's site:
http://yakiba.com/Daisho_Tango_no_Kami_Kanemichi.htm
Available as a pair, or individually. If you want to invest in a blade that is in nice condition, with "papers", etc., I can recommend these :-) . When these blades were polished in Japan 35+ years ago, the broker for the polishing and shirasaya work was John Yumoto.

Pete

Hi Pete,

Thanks for advice - Nagayama it is then - looks to have excellent reviews generally. Only downside seems to be lack of good photographs.
Will check out a local Token-Kai.

Cheers

Andy

Hi Looper,

Thanks for the link.
So, looks like I have an old sword, probably genuine signature but not 100% certain, and if genuine then one of the Kaneyoshi's from Mino province, Zenjo school.
I note that it appears very difficult to even get a professional view on who made certain swords as so many similar use of signatures. Ideally I would like to be 100% certain. I'll keep looking and compiling data.

I do have a couple of other Wakazashi I must photograph and start checking. One is signed Kawachi No Kami Fujiwara Kunisuke, but no paperwork at all.
One thing I do note from this blade is it is much heavier and thicker than the Kaneyoshi. Appears to be gunome tempering/hamon midare-komi point. Again, no idea of signature is genuine but it is an old blade. One downside is there is a slight kink/bend near the point/tip.
Will put together some photographs and post on here.

Thanks again

Andy