Hi all!!!! Inherited Kai-gunto, mysteries need solving

[Importtuner13]

Just got a Kai-gunto from a family member, not concerned with authenticity as I know for a fact it was taken off the dead officer who wounded my great uncle at Tarawa. My uncle was wounded by same sword. Great history, right?? Well, anyways....I can't read kanji, so I would like some signature translating help. Unfortunately, when I try to attach the image of the signature, it says file size is too big, and I don't know how to scale files down. I know the sword is magnetic (not stainless) as well. It has a hamon! I'm excited to find out more, please help!

[Importtuner13]

I took a picture of the picture and it reduced file size lol here's the image!!!

[Gabriel L]

Rotated image.

 

The mei appears to read as follows:

 

濃州関前川助房作

Noshū Seki Maegawa Sukefusa saku (made by Sukefusa Maegawa in Seki, Mino Province)

 

However, I think I have made a mistake somewhere, because that doesn't quite work; I can find no matches for such a smith. I am possibly mis-ID'ing one or more of the four 前川助房 kanji, though I can't imagine which one; they seem right to me. Alternatively, I have the mei right, but the smith is poorly documented. Or something else is going on… if I do a google search I find a few Chinese sword discussion forums, which raises an eyebrow.

 

I hope another NMB member will be along to help, but in the meantime, please post more photos of the sword.

 

EDIT: How interesting, this Yahoo Japan page seems to have a similar nakago and the mei is transcribed the same way. Might this be an undocumented guntō smith?

[Importtuner13]

Thank you so far for input Gabriel. I can guarantee it is 100% authentic as I have a pic of my great uncle in the military hospital at Honolulu holding the same sword as I have in my possession, and it has been safely guarded since it was acquired. Here are a couple more pics. I am being as discreet as possible as it is a priceless heirloom and my most prized possession. Can never be too careful.

[Geraint]

Dear, (Discretion should not prevent you adding your name as per board rules),

 

From what we can see so far this is a kaigunto with the rather attractive lacquered same saya, unusual, and a combat cover. The blade is likely to have a small stamp in the nakago somewhere near the signature, pictures of that and the blade flat on so that we can see it all would also be useful.

 

All the best.

[Jean]

Dan R.,

 

[Importtuner13]

Fixed it jean, sorry, new to forum. My bad.

[Kai-Gunto]

Fast looking, Nice rayskin saya with leather combat cover.

I will look closer at the photos tomorrow.

[Importtuner13]

New pics!!! There is a marking above the signature....and there's another piece of signature under the rust!!!! I can't really Make the rusted part out, but you can definitely see some strikes. Also a pic of the tip, and of the hamon. And the full blade

[Surfson]

It's a nice naval officer's sword. The showa stamp above the signature means that it is an arsenal blade and most likely not hand forged. The mounts appear to be very well preserved, and I would estimate its value between $1000 and $1500 or so.

[Importtuner13]

Thank you so far for all the help. As it is magnetic I can assume it's not stainless, correct? Is this rather uncommon to have a real steel blade? I'm really looking for the history behind it more than its price tag. I've found out kai gunto are more rare than shin gunto, but am having a hard time sourcing the history behind it. I'm assuming if it were captured from the battlefield in 1943, it would be an earlier production sword, correct?

[Geraint]

Hi Dan.

 

If you have done some research you will have noted that stainless steel blades have a completely different appearance on the nakago, (the magnet test is fine but some stainless is magnetic and you don't need it to see this.) It is not uncommon to find normal steel blades in kaigunto, though probably less common to find the stainless ones in shingunto mounts.

 

As to the date, as there is none on the sword all you can really assume is that it was made in or before 1943, the pattern was introduced in late 1937.

 

The lacquered same saya is not common, most are plain black, some have a different lacquered fish skin but yours has the full deal. It also has a combat cover which is slightly unusual, though given that you know where the sword was captured this makes sense.

 

It's a nice example and deserves to be looked after quite apart from your own important family history.

 

Enjoy.

[zentsuji2]

Lovely piece of history,

Keep it in the family,the saya is a beauty,and it's high quality fish skin.

 

Congrats on your sword,I was told there was 1 naval sword to every 10 army swords made.

Get the history altogether, and medals documents.

You will have a stunning display.

And you have a naval sword knot, getting harder to come by, especially now the Chinese are so adept at fakes.

Thanks for sharing,a piece of your family history.

How long is that blade?

 

Regarding the history, it's possible it's a marines sword, there are numerous search pages, search ija marines,and images and, where your family member fought,see what you can find.

Seki blades are never nice to kanji readers as they are always chippy,and not we'll signed(some exceptions before I get hung are),still a piece of history with a tangible story,congrats!

Best regards. Ian Bellis

[Importtuner13]

I measured it before at just over 26 inches. l Wish I knew more about the maker of this blade. Not a word about them. I know it was taken in Tarawa at the battle of Tarawa . Definitely a marines sword.

[zentsuji2]

Sorry Dan

Is that the cutting edge,tip to habaki.

Or the total length of the sword.

 

 

I like it,even if it is undocumented,don't be downhearted, many documented smiths have little to nothing written about them.

Seki was a hub for swords in the war,and many were mass produced.

But to have one that was used, and a story proving this is as good as any untraditional made blade,that is documented.

There are provincial smiths, that made,beautiful blades, but we're never documented,as they didn't have selling skills, or were family village smiths,some say they made blades better than many documented smiths.

I asked for length as I would imagine a naval wakazashi would be rare as hens teeth.

Let us know.

Regards. Ian Bellis

[Kai-Gunto]

Heres a wakizashi in kaigunto mounts. 21,25 inch nagasa.

Not shown in photo. It has a black leather combat cover on the saya.

[Geraint]

And another, though of course two do not mean that they are common.

[Importtuner13]

The length of the actual sharp part of the blade is a hair under 26 inches. As for the history, enclosed is a picture of my great uncle, who was the one who had the sword. This pic is him holding it while STILL IN THE HOSPITAL in Honolulu, recovering from being stabbed by it. Talk about great family history, right? *image is cropped to fit largest allowed size:/*

[Importtuner13]

Found another signed by my smith! It's in French, nothing google translate couldn't fix. This is exciting! Seems like a rare smith .

 

 

Here's the link. http://www.naturabuy.fr/shin-gunto-offi ... gle.com%2F