Bruce Pennington

delete, posted on wrong thread.

Like the broken clock, I'm bound to get one right now and then!

Hey, who needs A.I. - I can prove Abe Lincoln shot JFK.  I have a photo of him with the rifle!

Hi Frank,

There are guys that give a more comprehensive history, but essitially, the Kikumon indicated the smith was on retainer with the Shogunate.  

Awaiting smith name translation, but appears maybe "Kanesada"?  I don't have any blades with that name and a Kikumon.  And forgive me, but while the mei looks great, that Kiku looks like it was cut by a small child!  Like maybe it was added later by someone that really didn't know how to do it.  Hope I'm wrong, but Youzee Wowzee!

5 hours ago, mecox said:

May 1942

Yikes! Thanks Mal.  Doesn't happen as often anymore, but I still get 5's and 6's mixed up sometimes.  I'll correct the chart and file!

I'll give you a couple links, but the article we wrote, that Thomas link above, extensively includes all known sources.  You will find interesting stuff on the following, but they won't have near as much as our all-encompassing article.

The Whole Aspect of the Koa Isshin Sword -Ohmura

Koa Isshin Mantetsu - Japaneseswordindex.com

Mantetsu - South Manchurian Railway Sword - Our Article

A June 1942 Hiromasa, sent to me via email from Robinalexander.  Nakago only photos.  Has the Yama Ho stamps. 

@mecox

Just a reminder.  We had been discussing a June '42 Masatsugu on another thread and it was said that it might have been too early for the RJT star to be present.  After logging this Hiromasa, I was reminded of 3 earlier blades:

STAR Blades

So June '42 wasn't too early. 

Yes!  Pristine fittings!  Thanks for the added photos.  Turns out we already have that blade on file.  Trystan - @BANGBANGSAN - brought some photos to us back in May. Don't know where he saw it.  He didn't have fittings photos, though, so glad you posted!

Serial is "HO 171" which puts it in the 5th series of blades Mantetsu made.  Assuming they used the fiscal year on their dating, we're talking Feb - Apr 1940 with your blade.

Paul,

Is there a smaller stamp above the signature line, possibly underneath the metal fittings?

Hi J!

If you pull the bamboo peg and slide the rest of the hardware off the blade, we can see the full signature.

Also, it would be nice to get a shot of the full sword in fittings, and bare blade, full length.  You might have an older, family blade there that has been re-fitted for WWII.  The tsuba (handguard) is civilian while the other hardware shown is military.  It is common to see a mixture of civil/military parts on the civil blades refitted for the war.

9 hours ago, raynor said:

Actual humans sit down and give feedback on the answe

Is that something WE can do as we "chat" with it?  Or is that something that is set in stone before the bot is released into the wild?

It is under the handle on the back edge of the tang.
 

Ron, you're killin' me, man! Ha!  

It's a zodiacal date (probably year of the tiger) which comes out to Winter 1939.  Well next time your have the time to root it out, I sure would appreciate that serial number.  It is how we track these.  It will look something like these:

more

Here's what I have:

Wow!

Hope that rabbit can swim!

Great sword, Didier, with plenty of personality!  I agree the patina on that sarute matches the kabutogane.  Could have been something the owner put on himself.

@mecox I do have a June 1942 Masatsugu with star (and Na Ho), posted by @Shuriken.  Photos available if needed.

I also have another Feb 1942 Masatsugu, with similar painted numbers (A19) and Na Ho.  Must have both been fitted from the same shop.  That one has an aluminum saya, and no leather.

13 hours ago, John C said:

A Christmas present?

 

John C.

I can PM my address to you, if you get an early start on your Christmas shopping and giving!

Love to see photos of the whole sword, too.  Both sides of the nakago, serial number on back edge (as Thomas requested) and fittings.

The side you show says "Asia is One Heart" or "Asia is United" - Koa Isshin - and was the slogan of the push to unite the 7 "tribes" of East and S.E. asia under one roof of Japan.  

The lower portion saya "Mantetsu made this".

The other side will show the date.

Quite popular swords, if you are looking to buy it.

Scott,

Do me a favor and post a full shot of the tang (nakago) of the other side too.  Might check near the top, and on the back edge for small stamps.  Thanks!

A star seems the most likely.  I only have 4 other HIromasa with various stamps on file and 3 of them are star stamped.  The other does not.  The only other stamp that would be a primary suspect on that spot, in 1945, is the Gifu stamp, but with Hiromasa being from Ehime, that seems pretty unlikely.  So, I've filed it as a likely star stamp blade.

Matt kindly sent us this photo of that serial number, for the record. The katakana is partially struck, but it should be SE 2431 of 1944 Spring.

I'm going to list this one as a souvenir as it has the date scratched on the blade "24 Dec 50", blade only, being sold on this ebay sale.  I'm calling the painted number "37" unless someone has a better read on it.

@mdiddy @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN

Matt, just saw this 1944 Mantetsu in MRS fittings, with the "REN I" stamp.  Sale ends in 5 hours!  Any chance of getting a photo of the serial number, PLEASE!

*RARE MANTETSU* WWII Japanese Samurai Sword SHIN GUNTO WW2 KATANA TYPE 3 RAILWAY

Found a second Masanao, Takayama Forge, souvenir #86.  For sale on this ebay page.  Photos don't show the top of the nakago very well, but it doesn't appear to have an anchor stamp.