DocTheRoc

Unfortunately the Kabuto-gane and Ishizuki are missing.

This is also exactly what I was looking for, thank you! I’ll grab a few pictures of the Koshirae, standby

Thank you so much!

Respectfully requesting assistance translating a Mei on a blade in Kai Gunto fittings. An acquaintance of mine inherited a few Kyu Gunto and one Kaigunto, and asked me to help him care for them. Additionally, he requested any additional information about the Kaigunto. After a bit of work, I was able to separate the blade from its fittings, and reveal the Mei. I would greatly appreciate your assistance in translating!

Thank you very much for your assessment, Brian! Hopefully this was at least interesting to people, in that it offers a perspective on how different stamped arsenal blades can be obscured or hidden - at least, I would feel bad if my humble sword wasted some forum space here, ending up being something most people don’t necessarily want to see. Again, thank you very much for your help! -Vincent

Bonjour! Oh I’m very happy with it! I’m just offering more pictures as a case study at this point; it’s fascinating how an expert eye can reveal such an obscured feature like this stamp! I’m glad it’s overall healthy, despite seeing one or two polishes in its lifetime - Vincent

Thank you Stephen, I do value everyone’s more seasoned opinions here, and constructive criticism; even if it’s said in a very open, honest way

Hi Dee! I took some additional photos with the flashlight on - which while the contrast is poor, I hoped would maybe show those areas of gradual patina a bit better - maybe rule in or out (or not?) that stamp. Btw, thank you so much for your kind words, I really do appreciate the opportunity to engage with this community over this piece of history - even if it’s not an ideal example.

I really appreciate your bluntness and willingness to help! You have the perspective of someone steeped in knowledge and appreciation for some of the most beautiful works of art to come out of Japan - genuine Nihontō with unique and well cared qualities. I really respect that seasoned viewpoint, and I respect that you are concerned with making sure I completely understand that quality bar moving forward. At the end of the day, this junker of a blade has taught me so much, through my research and the willingness of people like you to help me; about what to look for, how to differentiate time periods, how aspects of tempering and styles/signatures of the Nakago help provide historical context, and the parts of the Nihontō to most appreciate from an artistic and aesthetic perspective. I am honored and humbled by this experience, and I’ll always have that thanks to this item of someone’s shared history. Perhaps you are right, perhaps I will tire of this blade. Perhaps it was genuinely designed for nothing more than deception and foolishness. But I hope, ultimately, that it serves as a wonderful reminder of the way that a community of likeminded, well meaning collectors and historians came together to help me, for no other reason than a shared experience and love of the Japanese sword. I have this junker to thank, and I think I’ll always respect it for that. -Vincent

Hi there Ian! Why do you say that; should I be disappointed in the answers? Maybe it’s not what most people here want to see, and I do apologize for that if that’s the case - but ultimately it is or was a functional blade that someone clearly felt some sort of attachment to at one point or another and re-mounted in different fittings. Ultimately whether the stamp was removed for possession purposes, or the blade was fitted with antique or modern koshirae, or the blade was used for martial arts or not; I’m honored to continue whatever the humble story of this item might be, Showato or otherwise. One day I’ll get a Shinto or even Koto Nihontō, and I’ll be sure to ask or even purchase one from the community. But, in the meantime, I’m not disappointed by the answers, I’m just glad people took the time out of their day to help me

This is extremely interesting, thank you!! Especially the detail about the smith, and the fittings, I really do appreciate it

All - thank you very much for your assistance. Am I right in assuming, if this was indeed a Seki Arsenal blade, it probably should not have been cleared for export out of Japan? If it is a Showato…might explain why the stamp was filed off!

Thanks! Interesting, I wonder why someone would go through the trouble of removing the dates and stamps, to then use it for martial arts (iaido/battodo?) anyway! I wonder where that puts the fittings, surely newer I assume?

Thank you for your thoughts! It’s very much appreciated!

Thank you for your assessment! That’s very curious, do you think the patina/corrosion on the Nakago is artificial or accelerated in some way?