Show Us Your High Class Gunto

[Guest]

Hi Leen, your Kamon is called Goka Ni Mitsu Tomoe (Three comma shaped Jewels within a five segment stylised Melon)  

 

Hi John, your Kamon looks like Mitsu Ni Mitsu Gashiwa (Three Daimyo Oak Leaves within a Circle) 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Really happy with this, a rare and magnificent Type 98 with silver plated fittings, family name in silver and very high quality Mumei Gendaito.

 

 

[IJASWORDS]

Beautiful John, that light tan/grey is very normal with the silver fittings. 

[vajo]

Nice Sword John!

[Bruce Pennington]

That guy had a cushy job during the war! Not even a door-dink on the saya!

[NathanLM]

This is my favorite thread and should really be pinned to the front page. Here is my second Gunto and I think “high class”. Blade is ca. late 16th century signed Katsuie. This one has really ignited the fire; this may become an addiction. Any info on the mon?

[IJASWORDS]

Here is a '94 double hanger, blade is a bo-hi, dated Eiroku 3rd year (1560), signed Taira Moritsune, pretty longish blade at 28 inches. Old but good polish, my guess is was probably in a kyu-gunto mounts pre war, and remounted for WW2. Not bad for its age. 

[ChrisW]

A shame the kyu mounts didn't survive with it!

[Dave R]

 Why do you think it was in Kyu mounts earlier? 

[IJASWORDS]

Dave, of course not 100% certain, but the nakago was cut and modified some time between when it was made and WW2 mounted. 

[Michael 67]

my Hayama Enshin from 1915. The tsuba is a monster

[Bazza]

I have seen a Shingunto with a "monster tsuba".  What do we know about them???

 

BaZZa.

[Bruno]

This one I get recently has no high end koshirae nor is in great polish but the blade itself is of very good quality.

 

It is signed Sanemichi which is thought to be an art name for Tanabe Kuniyoshi, student of Kato Masakuni, a quite rare sword by this smith.

[David Flynn]

Kai Gunto, with Shinto blade (posted in Kambun)......

[NathanLM]

Let’s keep this thread going. Here’s a new one for me. I’m told the mei translates to : Miraculous Takeyoriwake Abe Hiroaki made this. I’m just getting into collecting swords. The mei on this is what really drew me in. Nagasa 26.5” and total length is 39.5”

[Bruce Pennington]

Let’s keep this thread going. Here’s a new one for me. I’m told the mei translates to : Miraculous Takeyoriwake Abe Hiroaki made this. I’m just getting into collecting swords. The mei on this is what really drew me in. Nagasa 26.5” and total length is 39.5”

That's a great Rinji-seishiki, Nathan! Is it star-stamped? The blades in the double-release button saya tend to be gendaito.

 

Also, I love this mei, as it shows the mei-cutters were human too. He clearly skipped one of the kanji for the "44" and added it above the one he made the first time! I do the same thing when I'm making a big poster, like for a garage sale. My mind is 2 letters ahead and I skip a letter sometimes (heck, Ido that typing!).

[Ray Singer]

Hi Bruce, I believe the 2 kanji above nen are a zodiac date: "Kinoe-saru". 

 

甲申

 

It is not unusual to see zodiac dates offset this way. See below for a link to another example:

 

 

https://www.samuraisword.com/nihontodisplay/other/Yoshindo_tanto/ATT00037.jpg

[Bruce Pennington]

Well, how do you like that! I am familiar with the zodiacal system. Just never seen them offset like that. Very interesting! Thanks for sharing that.

[NathanLM]

Yeah Bruce, the star stamp is just to the left of the top mekugi Ana.

[Bruce Pennington]

What are the stamps in the nakago mune?

[Ray Singer]

I think that 神妙 (Shinmyo) is some type of title or designation that was bestowed. Perhaps someone here knows more clearly.

 

Miraculous Takeyoriwake Abe Hiroaki made this.

 

神妙建依別阿部弘昭造之

Shinmyo Tateyoriwake Abe Hiroaki kore o tsukuru

[NathanLM]

Thanks Ray. Yeah, I can’t find any information on Abe Hiroaki. I wonder if he often signed by another name. I was told that tateyoriwake is highly associated with Kochi prefecture and that there were other smiths with the family name “Abe” working there. But, I haven’t found anything.

[PNSSHOGUN]

I have seen a Shingunto with a "monster tsuba".  What do we know about them???

 

BaZZa.

Bazz they can be found on early Type 94's, you can see the difference in size from:

 

A: "normal" thinner Sukashi Tsuba, the most commonly encountered on Type 94/Type 98

B: Thicker and slightly larger Sukashi Tsuba found on earlier Type 94's

C: "Monster" size, found on the early high grade Type 94, perhaps only made by one or two Koshirae suppliers?

 

[MarcoUdin]

Impressed, 'C' looks like a brick. Could be a blunt weapon of its own.

[IJASWORDS]

Monster?

[Bruce Pennington]

????

[IJASWORDS]

Hasn't been any action here for a while, so here is one. A 1943 Akihide. Bruce reminded me about canvas combat covers. 

[Bruce Pennington]

B.E.A.U.tiful!

[PNSSHOGUN]

That Habaki and polish is exceptional. It seems utterly mad today that officers really carried such fine & valuable swords like these into battle, yet here they lie before us in all their splendor!

[Dave R]

That Habaki and polish is exceptional. It seems utterly mad today that officers really carried such fine & valuable swords like these into battle, yet here they lie before us in all their splendor!

 

 More likely a higher end "desk jockey" or staff with that sword.