Tachi or katana - can you identify this historical Japanese sword?

[helen]

Can anybody tell me whether this a katana or a tachi? If so, can you perhaps reiterate the difference? I remember reading somewhere that it had something to do with the nature of the fittings (for wear with civilian or military clothing) rather than the blade itself but conflicting with this, I have an echo in my head saying that katana blades were slightly shorter than the tachi they began to supersede in the 15th century.

This sword is 96.5cm long in its entirety and the blade down to the tsuba is 74.5cm. It is part of the collections at the Pitt Rivers Museum, donated in 1911. The menuki are in the form of crayfish and the FuchiKashira is of brass, with floral patterns. The tsuba is not quite round, with little piercing and depicts a dragon. There is no date approximation or smith information given on its accession record (probably no-one has had the chance/had the skill to take it apart to look for any signatures or dating on the tang).

I know a picture cannot always suffice to tell all that's necessary but if anyone can advise in any way, I'd appreciate it.

[Eric K.]

a Tachi has more of a curve than a Katana and your right they're usually a little longer also. It also describes a way a sword is worn. so if you wear it blade down in your belt/sash its a Tachi, wear the same sword blade up.......now it's a Katana cool huh?!? hahahaha

Actually 74.5cm is a little long but from the curve I would say Katana

Eric

Edited April 29, 2008 by Eric K.

[helen]

Thanks Eric, that was helpful...it does still seem to be bit of a puzzler...I agree with you about the overall impression of a Katana (that was what it was originally documented as in the Museum's records) - it was just the length that made me want to research it a bit more and see if it was a tachi. The main reason for wanting to know either way is that, just as you describe how the blades were worn up or down, the same principles apply to display and I'm concerned that we exhibit it the right way up in the Museum! It would be just our luck to have a Japanese visitor who might not be best pleased to see their cultural heritage displayed improperly! But this is highly unlikely and to cover ourselves we'll probably be non-committal and put 'tachi or long katana' or similar on the label! Besides, there was no neat historical cut-off between the production of the two kinds, it was more gradual, and this sword may well be one of the 'intermediate' examples. So, it' s more a question of my curiosity now...!

We did ask a professional armourer and swordsmith who'd trained in Japan and lived locally to come inspect the sword. Obviously he had the benefit of being able to see it up close and his assessment leaned towards a tachi. Anyway, if you are interested, I include his comments below...

Cheers,

Helen

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"At first glance this sword has the fittings and amounts of a Tachi including the Ashi, which are the straps, allowing this type of blade to worn from a belt blade down. This type of sword was popular up until the 16th?17th centuries, when they were slowly replaced by the katana.

"On examination, the blade does not exhibit enough curvature, in the blade shaped (Sigata) to represent a older period tachi, as these had a substantially curved blade due to the original design made for use on horseback. It possesses a temper line (hamon) of Gunome style, which is semicircular or cloverleaf in appearance, a medium-sized point, Kissaki. Japanese sword blades should be of approximately equal width from hilt to tip and here there is moderate wear to the blade ? it tapers markedly from halfway to the tip (the impact area) suggesting moderate cutting use and consequent sharpening. There is a great deal of activity in the hamon. The grain (jihada) takes a fine wood grain effect called Itame. The blade also exhibits a high degree of shine in contrast to the grey, velvety appearance of correctly polished older blades. As well as some damage of rust and pitting, which I imagine are due to prolonged contact with the scabbard, there are also some scratch marks, which were probably made in a attempt to remove earlier marks on the blade. The high degree of shine could be due to inappropriate polishing, which makes it difficult to spot the grain and activity in the blade without use of a magnifying glass.

"The fittings (sword mounts, scabbard etc.) are typically of Tachi fashion, again looking to a bygone era in Japan's feudal history and workmanship. They include carrying mounts, a carrying strap and caps on the end of the scabbard. Any scabbard with such mounts? is for a tachi. Katana scabbards didn?t have ?carrying mounts? as they were worn simply thrust through the belt. The blade collar, called a habaki, is filed with diagonal burrs in a style called ?Yujo?.

"There is some damage on the bindings of the hilt, and scabbard, again, I imagine, due to storage conditions.

"The Tachi reappeared in the Edo period, where it was worn mainly as a court sword or dress item, used to show the wearer?s rank and position in society. So although this sword imitates a 15th century Bizen style, it probably dates to the mid-late Edo period (Shinshinto 1781-1876), when it became popular to copy tachis from earlier times but with shorter, slightly straighter blades."

[Eric K.]

Good deal just name it "Nihonto" and that will cover all your bases it means "the sword of Japan" and everyone will be happy whether it's a Katana,Tashi,Wakizashi and actually with the date given the name would be even more appropriate since this name was given in the late Edo period

Eric

[Eric K.]

One last thing then I'll shut up. If the Saya and all the "furniture" is Tachi, thats fine but I still think the blade is a Katana. Who knows when or why everything else was put on.

I've seen what appeared at first glance to be a Gunto WW2 blade but once taken out of the Saya and taken apart it was actually a very nice and very old Koto blade which no one would ever call a Gunto even tho the furniture sure was.

regardless it seems to be a very nice blade and thats what really matters anyway.

Eric

[Brian Wolfe]

Just to add to what Eric has said, when you display this katana (which is what you have) be sure the blade is up and the handle is to the viewer's left not their right. A right facing handle is a sign of readyness to defend your home and could be taken as an insult. All of mine are to the right but then that the kind of person I am. Bushi all the way!

Cheers

Brian

[Eric K.]

Brian your absolutely right.....mine are to the right too

Eric

[helen]

Thanks for your comments and suggestions gentlemen...as a peace-loving museum, handle to the left it is!

Helen