Another 98

[Windy]

Originally posted this in the translation section, a 98 I've had a look at.

Those wiser than me suggest Kunifusa, possibly '43?

Seems to be in reasonable condition. Metal painted saya.

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, September 1943. Can't speak on the smith name.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Kunifusa

[Windy]

Would that be Kojima Kunifusa?

I've found two Rai Kunifusas, but the mei looked slightly different.

[SwordGuyJoe]

Yes. Kojima Kunifusa from Seki.

[Windy]

Oh dear...I appear to have picked up my 3rd gunto.

Was watching the auction and thought the last bid was a bit low, so had a cheeky one, and won.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I ended up with a Yoroi the same way.

[Windy]

Once I pick it up, I’ll give it a bit of a clean and get some pics.

[Windy]

  On 9/12/2017 at 3:17 AM, Bruce Pennington said:

Yes, September 1943. Can't speak on the smith name.

Is it not May?

[SwordGuyJoe]

Yes. It's May.

[Bruce Pennington]

Yup, I see it now.

[Windy]

Is this a marking towards the end of the nakago?

[Windy]

Other than this, I’m struggling to find any other marks. Is this odd, considering the blade is from an established Seki Smith?

[Shamsy]

Not sure about the mark (or not), but unmarked/signed/stamped swords are not at all uncommon. More surprising is that some frankly average blades were signed. When you are producing blades for quantity and demand as opposed to art I'd think you wouldn't be so inclined to put your name to it. Like if a famous famous fashion designer had to quickly produce a huge clothing range for Wal-Mart.

 

Bear in mind that sometimes painted kanji were used, for presumably assembly purposes.

[SwordGuyJoe]

I completely see where you're going shamsy. Keep in mind that these "smith's" were not trained fully, nor did the VAST majority go on to make swords post-war. So a designer, they are not. So some of these "average" (very nice way of putting it ) were in their realm of masterpiece.

[Bruce Pennington]

It's kanji, but I don't know what it is.

[Windy]

A slightly better pic...

[Bruce Pennington]

At first I thought it was katakana letters, but now I can see it's not. Maybe someone who reads Japanese can tell us what this is:

[Windy]

Could it be as simple as 65?

[estcrh]

  On 9/23/2017 at 10:29 PM, Shamsy said:

Not sure about the mark (or not), but unmarked/signed/stamped swords are not at all uncommon.

Any ideas of why these showato ended up not being stamped in some way, especially the ones made during the war, I have several unmarked ones as well.

[Windy]

The bit I don’t get is the lack of seki or other armoury mark, given that Kunifusa was well known to be a Seki Smith?

[Stephen]

Posted Today, 12:49 PM

Could it be as simple as 65? 

 

Or roku san    63?

[Windy]

  On 9/26/2017 at 6:42 PM, Stephen said:

Posted Today, 12:49 PM

Could it be as simple as 65? 

 

Or roku san    63?

Yup...thought that too.

Guess it’s maybe a stock number or something similar?

[SwordGuyJoe]

Any markings on the fittings?

[Bruce Pennington]

  On 9/23/2017 at 8:36 PM, Windy said:

Other than this, I’m struggling to find any other marks. Is this odd, considering the blade is from an established Seki Smith?

Matt, I particularly enjoy the stamps on gunto, and to my knowledge the answer to your question is unknown. There is an interesting page on Ryujin Swords that postulates the Showa stamp was only used on blades sold through the Officer Clubs, so theoretically, a blade sold through a private shop would not have one. Such a circumstance MAY also account for the lack of an arsenal stamp. Seki stamps before 1940 were a swordsmith guild mark, but once the mark was taken over by the Arsenal inspectors, like your 1943 blade, it wouldn't be there if the blade wasn't sold through the arsenal?

 

The stamping process is one of the least known aspects of the gunto manufacturing world.