Nice sword walks up to my flea market table

[tokashikibob]

Not your typical flea market find; I set up at the Raleigh this past weekend selling all the estate sale/auction finds I could not sell locally doing my picking, plus garage debris, toys, and even beanie babies.

 

Fortunately, at the last minute I decided to make up a couple of flyers "I buy war relics". Under the hot sun as I stand baking a nice young man with 2 young children who states he may want to sell his Grandfathers WW2 trophy. He says that his Grandpa had this sword surrendered to him. Very interested, I tell him to bring it by as I'll be here all weekend and sure enough he does return.

" Wow, love the chain....., you say you've never had the handle off?", I tell him if there is no arsenal mark it's a nice WW2 sword for any collector.

 

He also tells me that Grandpa is still alive and coming back from Florida next week, I pose a question about this flea market deal, to make sure that Grandpa won't get upset, and if not do you think he'd do an interview for my website. He assures me affirmative in both aspects, then we work on the stuck handle in the back of my van. I get it off with a little persuading and see no arsenal mark and hand drilled hole.

 

I make a fair deal for the both of us as a blade with a living storyboard are relics I cannot pass on, and hopefully Grandpa has an interesting story to share here soon. Came back with less than a half full van so that was a success too!

 

Of course I can't read kanji, so how did I do?

 

Best regards,

Bob

http://www.okinawarelics.com

 

P.S. Even Super Collector Mr. Ed Hicks stopped by and introduced himself and bought a big Asian pot I had for 20 clams (probably priceless), Ed, In case your reading this I still have the Nippon vase!

[cabowen]

Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu Saku. Pretty well I would say!

[tokashikibob]

As always, Thanks Chris! I'll start doing some reading in my books then the net!

[Pete Klein]

You might want to be sitting down when you go on the net...

[runagmc]

Forget the half-filled van... :D only odd the sashi ura looks so different... any better pics so we can try to make out a date... or whatever is there...

[Brian]

And Bob's inbox immediately fills up with people interested in talking a deal.....

:lol:

You may want to find the guy and slip him a few hundred more $'s.

Congrats...wish it was me.

 

Brian

 

Edit to add: Searching this forum is likely to pull up more info on him that the net or the books.

[cabowen]

The date side almost looks to have have been defaced....strange....

[runagmc]

I thought the same as Chris... the yasurime almost looks takanoha in one area...

[Geraint]

And what should turn up on Aoi Art but.....http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-oite-tou ... 2-gatsu-hi

[Ray Singer]

And what should turn up on Aoi Art but.....http://www.aoijapan.com/katana-oite-tou ... 2-gatsu-hi

 

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but interesting to see the Yoshindo sayagaki on that one. It is the fifth Shigetsugu I have seen with one of his sayagaki, three of which were done at previous Tampa shows. I assume this is due to both Kuniie and Shigetsugu having the same school lineage.

 

- Ray

[Brian]

And another one, closer to yours: http://www.aoijapan.com/katanakasama-ik ... tsugu-saku

 

Brian

[tokashikibob]

Thanks for all the feedback on the flea market find! 2014 has to be my lucky year on the Chinese calender as my 3 swords for the year have all been remarkable finds for a novice. My improving skillset in being able to spot these art swords at various auctions and ads are due in large part to you men of this board as you can earn a online master's degree in Nihonto right here!

 

Writing down the name after Chris translated it, I didn't get to look up information until late at night when I pulled Clive Sinclaire's Nihonto for novices book and saw 3 or 4 entries in the index.

Wow, hard to believe the same hands that made this sword made presentation blades for Yamamoto and even Hitler!

 

In regards to the Nakano, I don't see any numbers on date side, as the characters look complex but hard to read, and faint, almost like something you see on a koto blade that is worn, it also looks to be chiseled by a different hand (assistant?).

 

A couple other points where that the habaki / handle was stuck shut by old goo which was all around it and under it. I hope it was not blood but that is what it seemed like....I do not need another ghost problem which was a terrible ordeal in the past but seems to have abated.

 

The handle is in solid shape, only thing there is that it is heavily soiled, so maybe this sword saw many front line campaigns or it was passed around the motor pool in 1945. After I talk to Grandpa those questions should be answered.

 

As far as the blade goes it is free of any defects, and just needs easy polish.

 

Best Regards,

Bob

[cabowen]

And another one, closer to yours: http://www.aoijapan.com/katanakasama-ik ... tsugu-saku

 

Brian

 

The one that Geraint linked to is much closer to the one the OP has found as both are later, daisaku (student work) made for the war (sosho mei). The kaisho mei blade you have linked to is an earlier blade not made for the war and done by the smith himself, so quite different, actually.

[cabowen]

In regards to the Nakano, I don't see any numbers on date side, as the characters look complex but hard to read, and faint, almost like something you see on a koto blade that is worn, it also looks to be chiseled by a different hand (assistant?).

 

Best Regards,

Bob

 

Bob-

 

Can you post some pictures of the complete date side of the nakago? As I said, it appears from the one photo posted that the date has been defaced by chiseling into it....it would be useful to see a full length photo.

[tokashikibob]

Chris, Here are a couple of better shots of the date side. Hopefully it makes some sense.

 

Best Regards,

Bob

[cabowen]

It does indeed look purposely defaced. Very odd. And unfortunately a big negative for a gendaito. Still, a great find.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Why does this never happen to me and why does this have to be Kasama den. A daisaku blade is not high on my list of priorities, but if this bit me in the rear, I wouldn't turn it away....

[tokashikibob]

Any ideas Gentlemen on why it was defaced? Did the Japanese Officer snatch the sword somehow and did not want the "made for" inscription? I can't see any other reason why.

 

Best Regards,

Bob

[cabowen]

I don't think the defaced area was the name of a person who ordered the blade as the position is wrong and there would be no place for the date. I think the date was removed for some unknown reason.