george trotter

The name Kuroda means Blackfield....I remember a friend in 1980 who lived in Kyoto whose landlord was Mrs Kuroda...whenever her name was mentioned everyone looked down and you could tell that Mrs Kuroda was a 'tough' landlady...no nonsense. Those were the days...

Duh...stupid me - misread the date. Sorry, I was off track.

Hi Bruce, I have a gendaito in Rinji Seishiki mounts (two buttons). It is by a (later RJT) smith named Tsukamoto Masakazu of Fukushima. It is dated April 1942 and has a number 1129 stamped on the tang tip like this one. I think they are made under similar circumstances in that: both have no star (both made before late 1942 when the RJT blades start to appear) Both have a tang number (probably / certainly a mounting / polishing shop number) Judging from my example, I think this blade shown is probably a gendaito as well, made by a smith who later became RJT. Hope this helps...

Just saw this...sorry to Brian...I know how he feels. About filling the needs of NMB, I agree, the proposed moderators and the dividing up of the sections and tasks seems the best solution. I my case, thank you for the confidence shown to me . I am here to help contribute to gendaito/gunto matters if needed but must say that I am afraid I am about past my 'use-by' date as a moderator . I am definitely no longer on top of any technological needs for being useful on this board, I think I am really just here for giving advice and assisting as I always have as a contributing member. Thanks guys, but I can't moderate.......I'm sure you will fill the gaps as necessary as there is plenty of talent among you all.

Thanks Dee and Sam. I can usually read the rank and the name, but this one was 'different'...so thanks. Appreciated. Regards...

Hi all, sorry to be a pain, but can someone read this for me...I can't be sure ... Thanks...

I agree with Dee Simon...I have seen a couple of returns in the past and, being familiar with Japanese culture, I can tell you from the body language that no-one among the Japanese in the room wanted to be there or wanted a gaijin there 'celebrating' Japanese WWII history. Believe me. Geo.

You can always count on us 'originals' Stephen...we have got your back.

Hi Robert, It looks like the smith name is SADAHARU. I can't find anything except there were two smiths of this name working in Bingo province in the 15-16 century, but yours seems more likely modern WWII period. Maybe some blade photos would help...any date on the other side of tang? Regards... Oh, Ray beat me to it.

Just to help out on the question of the light tan coloured steel scabbard Rinji Seishiki Gunto being found with star stamped blades....here is a photo of one I have. The bottom sword has two chuso buttons and holds the star stamped 62 cm blade by Seki Kanehide dated May 1944. I have seen a few of these mounts with star stamped blades over the years...not common, but there are a number around. Those that I have seen are all two chuso button types. Hope this helps. Regards...

Great stuff Matt, and Bruce. BTW Bruce the Kunihide with 98 on the tang edge is my sword...not a survey...the other two I did come across and record from ebay or somewhere. Always interesting...gotta love the WWII RJT gendaito.

Hey Bruce, Just noticed that Sohei Swords have a Takashima Kunihide signed star stamped sword made Showa 19/12 listed on ebay...they don't show the back edge of the tang but it should have a number (maybe 95, 96?)...anyway, maybe you can email him and and get another tang number with date for Kunihide of Kyoto. He has it listed as 'Gendaito WWII Japanese Samurai Sword Shin Gunto...' Just thought you would like to adsd to your files. George.

Hi Bruce, I added an edit to my last post which confirms Kokura details etc...

Oh, my bad, I quoted Hawley using the wrong MASA kanji... The correct MASATSUGU in Hawley 1981 is: MASATSUGU Buzen/Bungo 1912-42 signed KI MASATSUGU MAS 1645 This is followed by (him again?) as Buzen Kokura ju MASATSUGU, Fukuoka, 1946 signed KI MASATSUGU MAS 1467 Sorry for the 'mis-strike. Edit to add: Just saw your latest comment Bruce...the quote you give there for Kokura is the same details as this second 'corrected' Hawley smith MAS 1465 and 1467. Regards...

Hi Bruce, I think it is as stated, KI MASATSUGU...there is a listing under this name for this smith working in Buzen dated 1912 in Hawley 1981 MAS 1115 and it is followed by the next smith of this name also working in Buzen (son?) dated 1926 MAS 1116.

To quote Robert C Several things can be simultaneously true: - this pattern incorporated improvements and addressed common points of failure based on feedback from the field; - this pattern reduced the use of war-critical materials and was intended to help alleviate the sword availability/cost shortage; - high-quality gendaito were sold to officers at artificially low prices thanks to heavy subsidization by the army through the RJT program. Absolutely correct. Also, based on what I have read on this subject, especially from Nick Komiya's research, is that the term Rinji Seishiki seems the correct 'Type' name for these mounts. The purpose was to ease demand on alloys/brass/ aluminium etc and also to be a battlefield mounting that did not have the faults of the Type 98. The lack of an official 'Type' name/number was because it was not intended as a new Type, but as an alternative mount for those officers who wished/needed to have a 'cheaper' costing mount, thus reducing the overall cost of a service use sword. Just on another point, the variations seen in the mountings of these Rinji swords may just be an example of the usual cost/quality/personal preference variations seen in items of private purchase by officers. Interesting discussion, Regards...

Third one reads Minamoto Yoshichika kore (o) tsukuru (Minamoto Yoshichiks made this). Regards...

Interesting discussion...difficult to work out a smith's total for WWII but if he was a RJT he was supposed to forge 10 swords per month. Here are a couple of 'titbits' I have seen over the years: First, on the question of 10 RJT swords per month...This figure was stated by the RJT smith Enomoto Sadayoshi and is quoted in 'The New Generation of Japanese Swordsmiths' by Tamio Tsuchiki pp.161-163. Second, on this figure the actual production of the RJT smiiths Tsukamoto Masakazu and his brother Kasama (Tsukamoto) Kiyokazu of Koriyama City in Fukushima are given in the book "Rikugun Jumei Tosho no Shuen' 1 994 by Aizu Bunkazai Chosa Kenkyu Kai, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima pp.58-59 as: In the six months between 15 August 1944 - 26 Feb. 1945 Masakazu made 62 RJT swords and his brother Kiyokazu made 59. Masakazu and Kiyokazu were invited to become RJT in Late 1942 (i.e. Nov-Dec) and probably did not receive RJT supplies until Jan 1943...By my calculation, this 10 blades per month equates for Masakazu (whose pre-RJT) blade I have) of a total of of 315 RJT blades for 1/1/1943-15/8/1945 which is the period he was RJT. This figure tallies with 'minimum' of 10 RJT blades per month for RJT smiths. Hope this helps. BTW...nice to have you with us Dee.

Wow, naughty dog. I hope you make a quick and full recovery. Regards, George.

RJT rules say RJT smiths had to sign and date their swords themselves.

Thanks for the info Bruce...I see it is dated Dec 1943...so it is like most steel scabbards have seen (i.e. dated 1943 - 1944 - 1945). I wonder what the earliest dated Rinji Seshiki steel scabbard sword will be?...hope we get a few more replies. Regards,

Interesting, Not that I am fixated on the steel scabbard type, but I did wonder when they started and I did think I had not seen any early dated ones - not before 1944 in my case - and the types I have seen are both showato and RJT blades with star stamp. The gendaito blades I have seen are all 1944 and all have two locking buttons. The showato examples have only one. So, maybe the steel scabbard type came out late war in Seki area due to the need to produce scabbards quicker (hand made wooden/lacquered scabbards must have taken longer/cost more?) Be interested to see if any steel scabbard blades are dated 1943 or earlier.

Yes Bruce, those regulations are (I think) the only guideline details I have seen as to blade length etc for Type 94 / 98 sword blades. I do have another related gunto question for you however....what is the earliest date on a blade mounted in the steel scabbard Rinji Seishiki style sword mounts? I ask this as I think this mounting came out a bit later than the usual lacquered wood scabbard type RS and as you have the best database of such things, I wondered what is the earliest dated example you have recorded...1942?...1943? I also think that they all come from the Seki area? I have one dated May 1944 by Seki Kanehide (star). Just wondering Bruce...hope I'm not a pest... Regards,

Smith's signature says NO-SHU KANE-TOSHI SAKU KORE (Kanetoshi of Noshu made this)...Noshu is the old name of Gifu Ken. I'm sure one of the members will give you some personal info on this smith. Regards.

Maybe email the Christies salesroom listed on your catalogue and ask them to send a copy? You never know...they might reply... Regards.