cisco-san Posted August 18, 2015 Report Posted August 18, 2015 Hello,I found this interesting blade and I tried to translate the Mei - but it´s struggling me.My reading is X X X X jūnin (住人) X X Kazu/Masa (和) Yuki/Kō/Tsura (行) saku (作). I am also not able to read the very right part.... The blade is dated August 1938 (Showa 13).I found one Kazuyuki, but I am almost sure that this is not the right one and I think it is also not Masatsura (these smiths are signing with different Kanji).from Markus´s book:KAZUYUKI (一行), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Aichi – “Kazuyuki” (一行), family name Suzuki (鈴木), rikugun-jumei-tōshōMASATSURA (正貫), Meiji (明治, 1868-1912), Mikawa – “Masatsura” (正貫), younger brother of Hayama Enshin (羽山円真)MASATSURA (正貫), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Aichi – “Masatsura” (正貫), family name Shōda (荘田), he worked as guntō smith, ryōkō no retsu (Akihide)The seller said that he think that the Kissaki seems repaired because it is not sharp - but I don´t think so... Any help would be highly appreciated.Many thanks in advanceKlaus 1 Quote
Peter Bleed Posted August 18, 2015 Report Posted August 18, 2015 Klaus, You have a neat sword, I am away from my library, but It looks to me like it was made by a smith names Tsukamoto AKIYUKI. who lived inIwashiro, and it has sexy 1938 date. I do not recall this name from the Sendai meikan - I'll check, but it probablyis a s amith from over in whatis now Yamagata-ken. This looks like a nice gendai-to Peter Quote
Markus Posted August 18, 2015 Report Posted August 18, 2015 Hi Klaus, The mei reads "Oshû Iwashiro-jûnin Tsukamoto Kazuyuki saku" (奥州岩代住人塚本和行作) and the left part "Tôyama Mitsuru'ô no teinai ni oite" (於頭山満翁邸内, "made on the grounds of Tôyama Mitsuru"). It is this Tôyama Mitsuru: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dyama_Mitsuru "Kazuyuki" was a name Tsukamoto Okimasa had used for a while. I have to add that info to my Gendai project. 2 Quote
Peter Bleed Posted August 18, 2015 Report Posted August 18, 2015 Thank you, Marcus, but I want an "Atari" for being close. Aki - Kazu ! This is a very interesting sword. Thank you Klaus and congratualtion for a great find! Peter Quote
cisco-san Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Posted August 19, 2015 Der all, many thanks for the great help. @ Markus: from where you have the information that Okimasa signed with Kazuyuki (or Akiyuki) too. I have checked all my books, files... but found no such information. By the way, the knowledge and the willing to help on this board is really incredible. Again many thanks Klaus Quote
cisco-san Posted August 19, 2015 Author Report Posted August 19, 2015 ......and additionaly I have to check if the Mei is Gimei or if it is genuine. Any hint would be great too. Many thanks. Klaus Quote
Markus Posted August 20, 2015 Report Posted August 20, 2015 Hi Klaus, The info comes from the catalog to a 2010 Ise Shrine exhibition that is titled: Gendaito no 100-nen: Fukkô to Keishû - Chôkokan Kaikan 100-shûnen Kinenten: Zuroku (100 Years of Gendaitô: Renaissance and Succession - Commemoration Exhibition to the 100th Anniversary of the Opening of the Chôkokan) 現代刀の100年 復興と継承 徴古館開館100周年記念展 図録 Don't have a copy though but found a reference to Okimasa's earlier name online. Also that he signed with Kazunori (和則) for a while. As for the authenticity, well, my gut feeling tells me that this might be the real thing. Don't know if it would make sense to forge such a rare signature variant of Okimasa (and not a Okimasa mei right away). But you never know these days... Quote
k morita Posted August 20, 2015 Report Posted August 20, 2015 Klaus san, Congratulations,You got a nice sleeper! Atached oshigata is The 3rd sowrd exhibition in 1938. Quote
Brian Posted August 20, 2015 Report Posted August 20, 2015 Congrats! This is me green with envy and wondering why it wasn't me Forum pays for itself again Brian Quote
cisco-san Posted August 20, 2015 Author Report Posted August 20, 2015 Hello all, many thanks for your great help. As already mentioned, this forum is really incredible as well as the help and support from the members and as well the big big knowledge of the members. :bowdown: I will of course keep you updated.... Quote
cisco-san Posted August 24, 2015 Author Report Posted August 24, 2015 Dear Fellows, the worst case happened. I had a sleepless night (no joke!!). :( I lost the bidding battle for this blade. Somebody else had more luck and obviously more money... I just hope that somebody from this great board was the winner and we see the blade with a new polish soon. Klaus Quote
Surfson Posted August 24, 2015 Report Posted August 24, 2015 Sorry to hear that you didn't win the blade Klaus. This raises a question for the board. If you had a high quality signed and dated blade of this vintage in military mounts, let's say a Gassan Sadakatsu, and wanted to send it to Japan for polish and papers, what would be the most expeditious way to do it? Would the blade be considered "modern" and run afoul of the Japanese licensing system? Would it be best to have it put into shirasaya first, or would that make no difference? (preference would be to have Japanese shirasaya made). Is it best to send the bare blade? Would having NTHK papers help to smooth the process? I'm sure that Chris and some of the other NMB members have had experiences with high quality gendai blades like this one and hope they can share their experience and advice. Quote
cisco-san Posted June 24, 2016 Author Report Posted June 24, 2016 I just hope that somebody from this great board was the winner and we see the blade with a new polish soon. Klaus Hello, Sorry to revive this threat. But I still think often about this blade I wonder if somebody on this board either won this bid or if somebody has seen this blade recently. I tried to find it on www again, but no no luck. Maybe I have to wait one more year... thx Klaus Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted June 24, 2016 Report Posted June 24, 2016 Wow. I missed this string. Probably a good thing as I would've tried my damndest to get it. Who ever got made a nice buy (depending on where the bidding ended) Quote
cisco-san Posted June 27, 2016 Author Report Posted June 27, 2016 Who ever got made a nice buy (depending on where the bidding ended) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Signed-World-War-II-Japanese-Officer-Army-Katana-Sword-WW2-Shin-Gunto-Showa-/171896423975?nma=true&si=UU0Z%252FFgCes3f8P2BeIvFvEPQT1g%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted June 27, 2016 Report Posted June 27, 2016 Holy crap! Did someone on the board snap this up? 1 Quote
Surfson Posted June 28, 2016 Report Posted June 28, 2016 Yes, i bought it Joe, I couldn't resist. It is now in the hands of a friend and collector who is having it restored in Japan. Quote
cisco-san Posted June 28, 2016 Author Report Posted June 28, 2016 Yes, i bought it Joe, I couldn't resist. It is now in the hands of a friend and collector who is having it restored in Japan. Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted June 28, 2016 Report Posted June 28, 2016 Really nice! When it's done being polished I'm sure I'm not the only one interested in seeing it. 1 Quote
Surfson Posted June 28, 2016 Report Posted June 28, 2016 I will be sure to get some photos of it. And apologies to Klaus for the sleepless night! Quote
cisco-san Posted June 28, 2016 Author Report Posted June 28, 2016 ............. and apologies to Klaus for the sleepless night! C'est la vie! Quote
Surfson Posted July 2, 2016 Report Posted July 2, 2016 Jean, is that a reference to Monsieur Berry? Americana creeps in again.... Quote
w.y.chan Posted November 13, 2016 Report Posted November 13, 2016 Sorry to hear about this Klaus but I'm not surprise what happened. This is not the first time and won't be the last time somebody mention something nice on ebay and misses out. Never post about anything you want to buy but not bought yet. NMB can be a great source for information however. Wah 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.