mecox

Tachi has been SOLD, thank you. Mal

Currently on hold

Type : Chigo-zashi (boys formal sword) in tachi style. Also called “chigo-to”. Ubu: all original Mei: Ietsugu Age : considered to be Taisho/early Showa Koshirae : in full original tachi koshirae of ito-maki style in green, total length is 67 cm. The kodogu all have matching engraved design, tsuba is tachi-style aoi-gata shape, has two engraved dragons each side and looks to be made of lead. Two matched pairs of seppa. Tsuka is well bound with quality same and has matched copper menuki (may be ceremonial bow and bag design). Saya has interesting brown lacquer with imbedded flake in good condition. Habaki is copper, one-piece well made with diagonal filing design. Nagasa : 38.5 cm. Sori : 1.8 cm Motohaba: 2.3 cm Nakago: length 10.7 cm, yasurime is sujikai, tip is katayama-gata typical for Kaga province. Hamon Type : suguha Jihada : not obvious Flaws : fine tate-ware. Description: Sword has a forged iron blade of good shape but basic manufacture. It is polished but not well finished. Suguha hamon is also basic although appears to have nioi sections. The sword overall is a well proportioned small scale tachi and in very good original condition. The ni-ji mei of IETSUGU 家次 is well cut on katana-mei. (There was a prominent line of Ietsugu tosho in Kaga Province in the late Koto and into the Shinto period, but this name not reported in modern times). The style of this sword is probably not for “Boys Day” but is for the older samurai tradition of the young son attending a festival, and these mounts are also called Iwai-zashi (“worn to the fesitival”). No sword stand is not included. Sword Location : Brisbane, Australia Will ship to : most locations Payment Methods Accepted : Paypal SOLD

Kumazawa Kanetoshi looks to use the go Seikosai, born Meiji 32 (1899) April 20, registered as a Seki smith on Showa 17 (1942) October 21, living in Seki-machi, Kifune-cho.

Mei: Naosuke. date Showa 19 (1944) January. Probably Seki smith Noguchi Kenichi Naosuke, born Taisho 8 (1919) January 14 and registered as a Seki smith Showa 18 (1943) Dec 11. Does this have any stamps?

@Bruce Pennington @Joseph P. there looks to be an error in the Sesko list with two smiths (from original Seki list): Made in November 1944. I think you have the name right. Sesko lists 2 by that name working during the war: "MICHIZANE (道真), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Michizane” (道真), real name Kosaka Takao (小坂隆男), born February 20th 1921, he worked as guntō smith and died December 17th 1964 MICHIZANE (道真), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Michizane” (道真), family name Nagao (長尾), he worked as guntō smith, ryōkō no retsu (Akihide) There is only one MICHIZANE and his real name was NAGAO TAKAO 道真　長尾　隆男　born Taisho 10 (1921) February 20, registered as a Seki smith on Showa 16 (1941) August 7. He was a student of Asano Kanezane. In 1942 Banzuke (Akihide) listed as Nagao Michizane. Looks to be also read as MICHISANE, but more likely "zane" is correct as a student of "Kanezane". These NOSHU examples with Sho stamp look to be katana-mei and well made Showato. Your blade is later war Nov 1944 and as noted through Nagoya Arsenal with small Seki stamp and Gifu stamp. Also is signed tachi-mei and in rinji seishiki koshirae. "Zane" is cut slightly different.

Joseph & Bruce, well I give up. He is an early war Seki smith. Can read: Seki ju Kawa # Kane # saku. Plus Sho stamp. So family name of Kawa # (looks a bit like Kawasaki). Tosho name of Kane # ( looks a bit like Kanemune or Kaneizumi?). Its beyond me. Possibly unregistered, but has a stamp. Need to get the expert @Nobody

Gracja, this is probably a very early war sword made in Seki. The nakago (hilt) is badly rusted, and there are probably some extra kanji further up. It is likely to be: 濃州関住二十三代藤原兼房作之　　　Noshu Seki ju Nijusan Dai Fujiwara Kanefusa saku kore "Fujiwara Kanefusa 23rd generation of Seki, Mino (Noshu) made this. His family name was Kato and given name Koichi. A good quality smith. Maybe hidden up under the tsuba is a stamp (maybe a sakura flower?).

As noted Ido Hidetoshi, a competent Seki smith in the Amahide workshop. Examples and his background in this NMB Download:

Looks like "Kanenao saku". There was a productive Seki gunto smith Ishihara Kanenao, but this mei is very different, but is very roughly cut.

As above Fukumoto Kanemune of Amahide workshop. Showa 18 (1943) September. Looks to have a small "na" stamp for Nagoya Arsenal. For this workshop go to NMB Downloads, Member Articles, find Amahide.

Nicolette, as noted above it is a WW2 blade by a Seki smith called Kanefusa. You can find a summary of him and the context in NMB Downloads as "Japanese SWORDSMITHS IN GIFU 1937. Go to top of page bar, Downloads, Member Articles. Looks like the only part of the fittings that is original is the wooden saya with the suspension ring. The cane wrap is later.

The book by Chris Bowen was published in 2017 and released in association with US Japanese Sword Club-Midwest. Book condition is not an issue. Thanks Mal Cox

Well I have not seen your sword, and he did die in 1939, but I was going on the way the Kane-kuni is cut. Looks to me also the one in Slough p. 45.

Nicholas, your blade looks like Ogawa Sentaro Kanekuni.