BANGBANGSAN

Let him keep it

@Kiipu Thomas Those swords maybe made at the local smith shop by the Japanese Gunto repair team sent from Japan.

Maybe 恆 or 悟 ？

@Bruce Pennington What do you think? 155 or 551?

Thomas Thanks for decode these 篆字。I think they were maybe simplified as 木田芳系 or 木田芳圣 instead of full characters 村田芳経。

Peter Do you have photos of both sides of tang?

韩 was born in Semarang, Semarang City, Central Java, Indonesia.Any one remember those island made Gunto?Some were made at Semarang.

Thomas Here is some info about Han Bing Siong https://www.vriendenvanbronbeek.nl/3 Nieuws20180326ZwaardYutakaishioeda.htm After Gracy dies in 1964, the sword comes into the possession of Han Bing Siong (1932-2005), an expert on the Japanese sword. The sword of Yutaka Nishioeda has been widely published in various books and publications at home and abroad.

TTT

Any fair priced one?

Neil I also had one 1944 Mantetsu with Wavy hamon. Ohmura said:例外的に乱刃が存在する。恐らく特注品であろう。It sould be special order.

Steve Very cool!

@Bruce Pennington 宣威 (Nobutake) is the name 吉原國家 ( Yoshihara Kuniie)use when he worked in Tokyo first.He also use 昭廣（Akihiro). On Ohmura's :各工廠 (造兵廠) 鍛練所で専属嘱託刀匠に依り作刀された鍛錬刀 (茎に刀匠銘と造兵廠標章刻印) 東京砲兵工廠: 横山祐包・森岡政吉、東京第一陸軍造兵廠: 吉原宣威 (昭廣・國家同人)、大阪工廠(造兵廠): 月山貞勝・貞一 (二代) ・貞重・正清、小倉工廠(造兵廠): 白龍子忠孝・平貞重・兼延、 旧兵器廠 善平 他

More

Bruce I will find you more Mantetsu related stuff.

For me, I couldn't part with my gunto that was giving to Flight Engineer 2/Lt Willam Warburton from Flying tiger by the Chinese Communist new 4th army 4th division, which saves him from the Japanese army. Warburton was on B29 from 40th Bomb Group plane #237. It was shot down on November 11, 1944, on the mission to bombing target in Nanking.It's no a pretty sword but the story behind it is priceless. The group photo is NOT 2/Lt Willam's crew but other flying tiger pilots rescued by N4A.

I changed it ,here you go

Tim I use the online perpetual calendar(万年历）to search 1943 April and looking for 鬼宿 on which day. You can also check out this Cross refernce start by Thomas (Kiipu) https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/Japanese-militaria/ae-oea-c-aeoe-e-e-aeoe-799445/#post2187969 It would be nice if you can upload some photos of the whole sword(mount, handle,blade ).Thanks

@Bruce Pennington Bruce， there you go, a Mantetsu fork，thought you might like it.

Tom Is it in Gunto mount?

Thomas Thank you much for that info, it's just what I was looking for.

Found one more smith with Tokyo First (東京第一陸軍造兵廠) 正武 Masatake 昭和十九年六月(1944 June) #644,Type 98,no star.

I found the answer! It's 1943.4.11.Lunar calendar 3.7.

Maybe next time when we saw it ，it already had the copper handle replaced and double priced

That's correct, both swords have Tokyo 1st Arsenal mei and star. And I'm wondering how many smiths use Tokyo 1st Arsenal mei? I knew there are more than a few smith work at Tokyo 1st Arsenal. Now we have 3,勝信 Katsunobu, 尚武 Naotake, and 宣威 Nobutaka. Tokyo Dai Ichi Rikugun Zoheisho (東京第一陸軍造兵廠) These smiths made swords at the Imperial Army's arsenal factory in Akabane, Tokyo (1943-45). These swords are usually inscribed 'Tokyo Dai Ichi Rikugun Zoheisho'. Others may have also worked here on a part-time basis. 1. Nobutaka (宣威) 2. Kanemasa (兼正) 3. Katsunobu (勝信) 4. Morikuni (守国) Other The following smiths include: 1. Those working in the late Bakumatsu period on into the Meiji Period. 2. Smiths not formally affiliated with any of the above groups who nonetheless made swords in Tokyo. 3. Smiths which have not yet been proven to be connected with any of the above groups. Akimi (昭美) (Denshujo?) Akitaka (昭高) (Denshujo?) Akiyuki (昭通) (Denshujo?) Genji (源次) Hisahiro (久弘) Hidetoshi (秀俊) Hidemori (英守) Hirotsugu (広次)/ Hirotsugu (寛次) ( Sokanﾕs son ) Hironaga (寛長) (Enshin ?) Hisayoshi (久義) Ishinsai (一心斎) Kiyokane (清兼) (Denshujo?) Kunihide (国秀) ((kodai Tsunatoshi) Kunimitsu (国光) Kunimune (国宗) Kunihiro (国博) Kunitada (国忠) Kunitaka (国隆) Korehide (是秀) (kodai Tsunatoshi) Korekazu (是一) (kodai Korekazu) Kunimasa (国和) Masatada (正周) ( Suzuki Masaoﾕs group) Masanori (正則) (Joukeishi Masaakiﾕs student) Masakazu (正一) Masanobu (正与)/Masataka (政賢) Masayoshi (政善) Masatsuna (聖綱) Masasuke (正助) Mitsukazu (光一) Miyotaro (三代太郎) Morikuni (盛国) Morimichi (守道) Moritoshi (盛俊) ( Kurihara Nobuhideﾕs student) Morotaka (師敬) Muneshige (宗重) Nanta (楠太) Nankoku (南国) Naokatsu (直勝)/ Naomune (直諒) (Sandai Naokatsu; Naomune is early mei) Naohide (直秀) (Naokatsuﾕs student; Naotane group) Naohiro (直広) Naotake (尚武) Noriyuki (則行) Saneoki (真興) Saneyoshi (真義) (Kato Ichitaro (加藤一太郎); Hanazawa Tanrenjo?) Sanezumi (真澄) Senshu (仙綉) Shizukuni (鎮国) Sukenobu (祐信) Tadakazu (忠和) Takaoki (高興) Takeshi (武) Tokiyoshi (時吉) Tsuguesuke (継え助) Ujiyori (氏白) Yasufusa (康房) Yasushige (康重) (12th generation Shitahara) Yasumoto (康元) Yoshisaburo (与三郎) Yoshihiro (義広) Yoshisada (義定) Youichiro (興一郎) Yoshitame (義為)