Brian

"YASUNORI (靖徳), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tōkyō – “Kajiyama Yasunori kinsaku” (梶山靖徳謹作), “Yasunori” (靖徳), “Yasunori kinsaku” (靖徳謹作), “Takenori” (武徳), “Daitō ́a-mamori Masamune” (大東亜守正宗, “Masa-mune, for the protection of Greater East Asia”), real name Kajiyama Tokutarō (梶山徳太郎), born February 16th 1881 in Nigata (仁方) in Hiroshima Prefecture, other sources say he was born on April 2nd 1907 but this is disproved by an extant blade dated 1938 and signed with “made at the age of 58,” he was the son of Kajiyama Tomohira (梶山友平) and signed in early years like his father with the name Ujimasa (氏正), he also studied under the Osafune smith Yokoyama Sukeyoshi (横山祐義), on July 8th 1933 he entered the Yasukuni forge and became the smith name Yasunori from the minister of war Araki Sadao (荒木貞夫, 1877-1966), later he became the managing director of the forge, in 1934 he had the honour to for a guntō for the emperor, on September 13th 1934 he received the smith name Takenori (武徳) from general Nara Takeji (奈良武次, 1868-1962), from that time onwards he signed all blades made for the Yasukuni forge with Yasunori and all other privately made blades with Takenori, he retired in June 1940 and returned to Hiroshima, from November 20th 1943 onwards he signed his blades with “Daitō ́a-mamori Masamune” (大東亜守正宗) or just with “Masamune” (正宗), records show us that he made about 1,250 blades for the Yasukuni forge, his speciality was an excellently hardened suguha, he died on January 8th 1954, other sources say it was 1967, kihin-jōi (Akihide), Special Honor Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)."

If you're into the researching aspect of these steels (Japanese swords) then here are a few links to check out. There are many more online. https://mrforum.com/...9781945291173/75.pdf https://www.esomat.o...esomat2009_07018.pdf https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com https://www.hilarisp...169-0022-1000162.pdf https://www.cambridg...a-japanese-sword.pdf https://www.pyrometa...ags2000/pdfs/133.pdf https://www.matec-co...esomat2015_07001.pdf https://www.jstage.j...erseas/1/2/1_49/_pdf https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anh-Pham-119/publication/338464901_Crystallographic_Structure_Study_of_a_Japanese_Sword_Masamitsu_made_in_the_1969_using_Pulsed_Neutron_Imaging/links/5e1680ef92851c8364bd39d7/Crystallographic-Structure-Study-of-a-Japanese-Sword-Masamitsu-made-in-the-1969-using-Pulsed-Neutron-Imaging.pdf https://papers.ssrn....?abstract_id=4692889 http://www.nihontome...e_and_technology.pdf https://www.jstage.j...mon/25/3/25_206/_pdf http://naippe.fm.usp...by/Sawasu_Part_2.pdf Only linking to them, nothing hosted here in case of any copyright issues.

I think it's freely available, used on modern custom knives. Not really suitable for swords, but the piece I have came from Dictum in Germany. Even the Higo-No-Kami knives they sell cheap use some of it. Lots of places to buy it. https://www.dictum.com/en/steel-cc https://www.makermat...japanese-blade-steel https://www.makermat...lections/blade-steel

Jacques, When you see a nakago jiri that is clearly cut off, multiple ana and a hi that is all in the nakago and doesn't extend into the blade.....I expect you immediately think faked to be older, whereas others immediately think o-suriage. But I expect you're constantly walking around hearing zebra instead of horses. They might fake mekugi ana and the jiri, but who on earth adds a short hi and patinates it for no reason?

Keep us posted.

Ok, enough of this. For the record, I asked no-one for any information about anyone. The idea that I "prompted" anyone to ask for info is just a flat out lie. This forum requires people to use a real first name, and we accept that people are who they say they are. Of course there are many posting under pseudonyms. Many with second accounts for various reasons, some of them valid, some for deception. The software tells me most of these duplicate accounts, and most I leave unless there is an issue. No...using a VPN won't fool the software, there are 4 methods it checks. Anyways, people are entitled to their opinions. But those that cause disruption here usually don't last long. Some we tolerate, some reach my limit and are removed. I've been more than tolerant with some insults I've been sent. This thread is a train wreck, and not worth continuing. So another one for the lock. If anyone does care...do I think "Dee" is who she says she is? Not a chance. Do I think "she's a she?" Nope. But I can live with that. Do I think "she" is in the USA? The software says no. Are there other accounts linked to this one...yip. In fact, the software says "she's" in Japan. Go figure. Take that as you wish.

Awesome deal even for modern. Would look great for display or on a sword stand etc.

You'll see far more Baku than elephant on Japanese tosogu. That's why every time I see something resembling an elephant, I think Baku before elephant. In this case, I'm fairly certain it's the former.

位 住 佐 作 兵 利 坂 寿 尾 村 秀 良 花 芳 見 赤 辰 近

Showato, not Gendaito.

Looks to be a baku. Nicely done.

I hear that the author might even be persuaded to sign it Great deal.

Yeah, there is zero doubt that the scabbard is from a different sword. Just very lucky it fits. That said, someone out there will be looking for the sword itself, maybe to restore or maybe for parts. I am guessing it would go higher than $500 as is.

You'd need to see it from the side, but in this case I suspect they cut the mei out as a "slice" and inlaid it into the new nakago by cutting a slide out of that. Looks ok to me. If they were trying to do anything suspicious, they wouldn't have made it so obvious.

This looks like a removed Seki stamp to me, and it's exactly where you would find a stamp.

I saw this one posted on Facebook, and the number of people saying it's likely gimei. Now I know most big names on kogatana are indeed gimei, as a homage. But when this level of detail was put into a hamon, and that can't have been easy, I think we have to at least give it a chance. The Yoshimichi line being famous for Sudareba etc, they did like to experiment with hamon. So for me, I would personally say likely just a homage, but with a chance of being by one of the Yoshimichi line. That said, a mei on a kozuka is never going to match that on a nakago, so only a shinsa would tell you for sure, and is that really worth the expense? The value even if it papered is still moderate and maybe not worth it. So you may just have to keep this one as a nice example of the art. It's already in a decent shirasaya.

Afraid not, confidentiality prevents me from giving out any contact details of any member. But I emailed him, pointed him here, and said if he's willing to contact you, he can do so here. That's the best I can do.

I think you're right (not left) in this case...lol. I think it's MY eyes, not yours. But then I have an excuse. The diabetes is playing havoc with my vision.

Relax Hamish. I doubt your Chinese translations would be flawless either. Some pretty big collections of Japanese swords in China.

Agree, this looks like a British type flintlock converted to percussion. I wonder which artist saw one and decided to put it on a kozuka. Very unusual indeed. The whole left handed thing may be that the artist wanted it facing the other way and just copied the right hand features onto the left side. I guess we'll never know, but it certainly is interesting. Maybe one of a kind.

I've sent this link to the email I have listed in file. If he has any interest, I am sure he will respond. Brian

Looks like a nice day trip, thanks Thomas. Swords and fittings are likely unaffordable at these markets, but sometimes there are nice trinkets like WW2 sake cups etc worth looking for. Will definitely slot that in if I go.

Not sure you know exactly what you are looking for. Mantetsu swords are purchased for their history and as militaria. They certainly aren't bought for their artistic traits. They don't exhibit nice hataraki or interesting hamon. They are arsenal swords, but made using certain techniques that increased their useability. Whether it's cleaned a bit or not isn't the prime factor in owning one of them. If you are looking for a nice WW2 sword with interesting hamon and showing hada/hataraki, then Mantetsu swords aren't where you should be looking. What were you expecting of this sword? It's a factory, not a particular smith. This is like buying a Type 95 Gunto and then lamenting that it doesn't have a nice polish or hamon.

Lol. Lanes strikes again. These are one of the things you see lots of in Japan in antiques stores.

IF I manage to go to Japan this year (and I am frantically saving as I REALLY REALLY want to go) then I'm looking at arriving around the 23rd October until just after the DTI. Sad thing is that this misses the 3rd Sunday of October, and the markets on the 1st Sunday...that's the DTI. Which is a pity, as I love Tokyo flea and antiques markets. Won't be travelling around Japan this time as I limited leave available, and want to spend 4 or 5 days in Thailand for the first time on the way back. Pity...I wanted to see Sapporo for once. But we will have to see if I can swing the trip. As much as the Yen has fallen, the Rand has done worse. I can pay for flights or accommodation...not both. Do as many markets as you can. You may not buy a lot, but it's awesome to see stuff that is actually antique among stuff made yesterday. But there are few bargains. If you can find a private person selling stuff off, you can score. But most are professional dealers who sell online when they are not at the market, and they think every tsuba is worth $500+