IJASWORDS

Mal, if you look at the OSHIGATA section of the JAPANESESWORD INDEX site you will find 6 KANESANE/KANZANE. ,

Bruce, you know I like to add to these little mysteries. Here's one for you, actually 4 on one Kabutogane. Star stamp, with 2 unknowns next to it.

SOLD.

Gone!

Christmas must be in the air to offer for sale this KAI GUNTO at such a crazy price. A nice blade made by HATTORI MASAHIRO ( I don't know if he was related to HATTORI HANZO, who made the Kill Bill sword, one can only speculate!). The mei from Slough and the sword attached, this is NOT made of rust proof stainless steel. Koshirae is premium ray skin, plus working locking mechanism, and Navy premium sun-ray seppas. The sword did not come with two hangers, as is sometimes the case, but I will throw in a second one if that bothers anyone. Kai Gunto, are not that common, as many went to the bottom of the sea during the war. I will post this express, with tracking included for AUD1400, thats just over a grand US. This is definitely better and probably cheaper than a martial arts sword used for cutting etc, it is genuine WW2 Japanese, and will hold its value.

Great collection John.

No dates, sorry.

I have observed quite a large number of non-traditionally made, oil tempered Showa-To, having very a regular SANBON-SUJI Hamon. Being war time knockouts, I wonder why this regular style of Hamon keeps occurring. I would assume it takes longer to prepare to make it. Is there some significance in its ownership/performance/aesthetics/salability? I would be interested if anyone out there has information as to how and why it keeps popping up on otherwise basic swords.

I can read UJIFUSA, but I am struggling with the rest of the mei. Could someone be kind enough to translate the full mei.

Need photos of full blade and all fittings. Painted writing is probably assembly numbers .

Bruce, their lack of interest also surprised me. As you know, I was at Pearl Harbor last year, and even offered to donate it personally. Sent email and letter. OK, it is obviously a Japanese war time piece of propaganda, but it may contain something interesting, and besides the great photos, there are facts and figures in the many pages of printed material. See attached for example.

Bruce, your wish is my command. As a "fly boy" yourself, I put a couple in of fighters and bombers on flight deck. Also note the aerial recon shot of "Battleship Row', and the overlay describing the ships. I don't read Japanese, so I don't know if they were taken the morning of the attack, or by recon spy flights some time earlier. This Japanese war time publication is the only one I have seen, and I still think it belongs in Pearl Harbor museum.

Are they then artificially patinated?

I have enough RS (type 3) mounts to compare subtle differences in the casting of the hangers. Pictured are a number of varieties, some with subtle differences, that have come from different molds. There are some obvious differences in the up-market varieties, even then, there are differences in detail.

Ian, thanks. The mei was translated from the FUJISHIRA book. The odd style KANJI is a type of the period, 1400-1500's, and no longer used.

As the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor approaches, thought I would share some pages from a WW2 Japanese publication, detailing their attack. The book contains the strategy, officers, transparent overlays of recon photos, maps etc. I have offered this to the Pearl Harbor Museum, but no reply. Hope you Japanese military buffs enjoy. More photo's can be posted if there is interest.

Unfortunately, no.

Another old blade, this one in KAI GUNTO Navy mounts, at 52 cm some would call this (wrongly) a submarine crew sword, due to its shorter length. The large ray skin "eyes" on the SAYA are quite unique. I think it is made by KANETSUNA in the 1500's, but I am open to more knowledgeable translators.

Even a number 9 hidden here.

A recent acquisition.... All the fittings have a Japanese number 9, even the locking clip.

Dawson page 301, Tokyo Police Lieutenant.

Bryce, some other suspension mounts. With variations. Gunto nerds really love this stuff.

Answering George's question on the dome headed hanger, they show up occasionally. This is on a KANESANE.

If the bride allowed it, my whole house would look like Tim's. I make do with shop fittings display cases, and PERSPEX stands I designed and had LASER cut and fabricated.