mecox

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.

Thanks Thomas, will incorporate. As a note: Chris Bowen contacted me finding a few "errors". I had got info from him, but this seems extra. I have asked Brian to withdraw the paper now, so I can correct it.

This summary attempts to clarify the variation in kanji used for Showa period tosho namde KANEKUNI and the duplicate use of family name OGAWA by different Seki smiths. These variations can be confusing in the translated literature, especially the kanji for “Kuni”. Hopefully, there are no errors in this paper! Available in NMB Downloads:

Probably is Ishin Shiro Sadahiro, born Taisho 14 (1924) March 12, registered as Seki smith Showa 16 (1941) April 11. Also looks to have a Seki stamp.

Yes as noted looks to be Seki smith Noguchi NAOSUKE born 1919 and Seki registered December 1943.　

Dropped price to AUD 125 (approx US$ 97) plus shipping AUD 30 (US$19).

Kevin, more background (from the Sesko lists): UJINOBU (氏信), 1st gen., Daiei (大永, 1521-1528), Mino – “Ujinobu Ganmaku” (氏信岩捲), “Nōshū Ganmaku Ujinobu” (濃州岩捲氏信), “Ganmaku” (岩捲), “Kiyomizu-jū Ujinobu” (清水住氏信), “Nōshū-jū Ganmaku” (濃州住岩捲), he lived in Mino´s Kiyomizu (清水), was a later smith of the Jumyō lineage (寿命), and the most representative smith of the Ganmaku group, somewhat standing-out itame mixed with masame, gunome-midare in ko-nie-deki with sunagashi, partially some dark areas appear in the ha, he was active until around Tenbun (天文, 1532-1555) UJINOBU (氏信), 2nd gen., Genki (元亀, 1570-1573), Mino – “Nōshū Kiyomizu-jū Ganmaku Ujinobu” (濃州清水住岩捲氏信), “Ganmaku Ujinobu” (岩捲氏信), “Ujinobu” (氏信), gunome-midare in ko-nie-deki, some blades show horimono, wazamono, chū-saku UJINOBU (氏信), 3rd gen., Keichō (慶長, 1596-1615), Mino – “Nōshū Kiyomizu-jū Ganmaku” (濃州清水住岩捲), “Kiyomizu-jū Ganmaku” (清水住岩捲), Ujinobu” (氏信), it is said that he bore the priest rank of a hokkyō (法橋), successive generations Ujinobu moved around Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673) and Tenna (天和, 1681-1684) to Owari province

Matsuda Kanetaka was an early wartime smith in Seki, born 1911 and registered 1939 October. See info in paper on Swordsmiths in Gifu 1939 in NMB Downloads (link at top of page under Downloads, Members Articles)

Looks like Ganmaku, more from Sesko to check: GANMAKU (岩捲), Eiroku (永禄, 1558-1570), Mino – “Ganmaku” (岩捲), “Nōshū Kiyomizu-jū Ganmaku” (濃州清水住岩捲), he was a late Jumyō smith (寿命) who lived Kiyomizu (清水) in the Ibi district (揖斐) of Mino province, the Ganmaku group included several smiths who all signed with this name, some sources consider the 1st gen. Ujisada as founder of the Ganmaku group, see also entry “UJISADA (氏貞), 1st gen., Daiei (大永, 1521-1528), Mino,” the more commonly accepted theory says that Ujinobu (氏信) was the founder of this group because the Ujinobu smiths often signed with the supplement Ganmaku, see also entry “UJINOBU (氏信), 1st gen., Daiei (大永, 1521-1528), Mino” GANMAKU (岩捲), Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Mino – “Nōshū Shimizu-jū Ganmaku” (濃州清水住岩捲), some sources list him with the characters (岩騫) for “Ganmaku,” mokume, gunome-midare, chū-suguha, chūjō-saku

Hizen ju Harima .....and shortened. It could be the following (from Sesko): Note the kanji for "ma" is unusual, plus hamon of various choji. But I am not sure. TADAKUNI (忠国), 1st gen., Keian (慶安, 1648-1652), Hizen – “Hizen-jū Harima no Daijō Fujiwara Tadakuni” (肥前住播摩大掾藤原忠国), “Harima no Daijō Fujiwara Tadakuni” (播磨大掾藤原忠国), “Hishū-jū Harima Nyūdō Fujiwara Kyūtetsu” (肥州播摩入道藤原休鉄), “Harima Nyūdō Fujiwara Kyūtetsu” (播磨入道藤原休鉄), the 1st gen. Tadakuni was born in Keichō three (慶長, 1598) as second son Hirosada (広貞) who changed his name later to Yoshiie (吉家), real name Hashimoto Rokurōzaemon (橋本六郎左衛門), he signed first with Hironori (広則) but changed his name with receiving the honorary title Harima no Daijō in Kan´ei eleven (寛永, 1634) to Tadakuni (忠国), his nyūdō-gō was Kyūtetsu (休鉄) and he died on the 22nd day of the fourth month Genroku four (元禄, 1691) at the age of 94, dense and standing-out ko-itame with ji-nie all over the blade which appears as konuka-hada, the hamon is mostly a flamboyant and excellently tempered chōji-midare or gunome-chōji, but also a chū-suguha is found, during his early years he signed the character “ma” (磨) in “Harima” (播磨) with the variant (摩), it seems that he changed towards the common way of writing at some time during the Shōhō era (正保, 1644-1648), in later years he returned to (摩), some say that all blades signed with the variant (磨) are actually daisaku-daimei works of the 2nd gen. but this can´t be proofed, wazamono, jō-saku

HIZUKE NO HON Malcolm and Sueko Cox Printed 2007 (now updated copies) The aim of this book is to help reading Japanese dates on swords. It shows different systems, types of signature (mei), list of nengo with kanji, map of provinces, and explanation of zodiac date system. The book contains tables of dates from 1000 to 2028 (Reiwa 10), with nengo, western year, zodiac and other cycles. Ways of writing dates are summarised also key events of Japanese (sword) history. It has 26 full page of oshigata from 1186 to 1943, with mei and dates in Romaji and kanji. Book is soft cover, 29 x 20.5 cm, 75 pages in length. The book will be of particular use to new folk to the study, plus mature followers whose recall capacities are fading (I use it regularly!). Book is AUD20 with airmail to USA of AUD28 (total AUD48 approx. US$30).

Noshu ju Murayama Kaneshige saku, Seki, born Meiji 42 (1909) July. There are several Kaneshige. This is in Slough p. 64-65

Seki ju nin Takeyama Yoshinao saku. Sho stamp. YOSHINAO 義尚: real name Takeyama Tsutomu (武山勲). Born Meiji 39 (1906) August 17, older brother of Yoshitomi (義臣). Reg. Showa 14 (1939) October 27 (age 33). Rikugun-jumei-tōshō. Died Showa 57 (1982) July 11. Akihide 1942: Jōkō no retsu (5/7). Second Seat at 6th Shinsakuto 1941). Example mei: (“Seki Fujiwara Yoshinao”) (“Noshu Seki Takeyama Yoshinao saku” SHO), (“Seki Fujiwara Yoshinao saku” SHO), (“Seki Fujiwara Yoshinao saku kore”) (“Noshu ju Takeyama Yoshinao kin saku”) (“Noshu Seki ju nin Takeyama Yoshinao kin saku” SEKI).

Kumabe Tadatoshi was an excellent smith from Kumamoto, produced gendaito through the war, also Kumabe Tadatoshi was one of 13 tosho selected by NBTHK to make swords for the 59th reconstruction of the Ise Shrine (scheduled for 1949 but held in 1953). Background and examples in paper on Fukuoka Prefecture Kyushu, in NMB Downloads (see top line of NMB front page)

Looks like Nobumitsu 信光　with date of Showa 19 (1944) January. Also has a NA stamp 名　for Nagoya arsenal. There was a Nobumitsu in Gifu : Sukemitsu (Sako) Shinichi (born 1905/06) died 1993 July 21. He is in Slough p. 135 but not sure if him.