Kai Gunto Signature Help - Tan Stamped

[zook]

Hi guys -  

I have a Kai Gunto that I am wondering if you can assist me on.    I can’t find a reference for the smith, and I am struggling to translate beyond the “no shu seki Ju” and “forged this” at the end of signature ...  help please!     Also a note, just above the mei is a faint stamp.  I blew up the pic (the power of iPad photo) and was able to discover  the “Tan” stamp, which I guess reinforces the fact that this is gendaito.   Pics attached.  

 

 I welcome any comments/corrections to my limited progress in trying to translate this!    Thanks in advance for any assists!

 Dan   

[ROKUJURO]

Could be KANEKUNI.

[george trotter]

Jean is correct.

NOSHU SEKI JU YOSHISADA OGAWA KANEKUNI KITAU KORE

Ogawa Kanekuni of the Yoshisada line of Seki in Noshu forged this. I don't know enough about the Tan stamp to comment on forging methods. I've seen it before on WWII/Showa era gunto swords..usually of 'better quality".

Ogawa Ichiro Kanekuni was registered as a swordsmith in Seki on 26 Oct 1939. Slough p.45 gives his oshi and lists him as showato and gendaito maker.

Regards,

[David Flynn]

I believe he was Mukansa post war. I have only seen a few swords with the Tan stamp.  I would conclude, all the ones I have seen were Gendaito and good quality.

[ashibagou]

This Ogawa Kanekuni (小川兼國) is different from Mukanasa Ogawa Kanekuni (尾川兼圀) even though they are related.

 

https://markussesko.com/2018/08/11/mukansa-ningen-kokuho-list/

 

Ogawa KANEKUNI 尾川兼圀, real name is Ogawa Kunihiko 尾川邦彦, was born in January 25, Taisho 14 (1925). He joined to Ogawa Kanekuni Sword Forging Studio 小川兼國刀剣鍛錬所 in Showa 14 (1939) to learn sword making technique and worked in Chiba Sword manufacturing factory 千葉刀剣製作所 during Showa 17- 19 (1932-34) as an official army sword maker with the initial sword smith name KUNITADA 圀忠. He himself joined to the battle line in China.

After the war, he again started making sword for Iaido practice for some time. In Showa 47 (1972), he changed his mind to study traditional Japanese sword forging then again became a pupil under Kanako Magoroku KANEMOTO 金子孫六（兼元）. He officially licensed from the Agency of Cultural Affairs as a traditional Japanese sword artist in Showa 52 (1977) and established his studio in Hachiman, Muge-town, Seki ciry, Gifu prefecture. He won a prize of KUNZAN-SHO in Heisei 10 (1998) and 13-16 (2001-2004) awarded with the same prizes continuously. Japanese Sword Preservation Society (NBTHK) nominated him as the top skill prize MUKANSA award in Heisei 18 (2006) and finally he won the honor prize of Gigu Important Intangible Cultural Property in Heisei 20 (2008). Died in November 26, Heisei 24 (2012) at 87 years old.

[zook]

Wow - fascinating and THANK YOU everyone for the commentary and history.   What is most intriguing, if I have this information correctly (?) is that he started at a VERY young age, and would have forged this sword as a young apprentice?!?    I guess one can assume the quality of the sword can be limited by that level of experience, compared to the older smiths.    This places him at age 14 when he joined OKS forging studio.   Very interesting to me.  I really appreciate this thread.  Thank you George, Jean, David, Jinsoo ..  very good info.   Dan 

[ashibagou]

Hi Dan

 

No. I don't think your blade is Mukansa Ogawa Kunihiko. I guess he is Ogawa Ichiro. See below.

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=46IYtI0nkiEC&pg=PA134&lpg=PA134&dq=ogawa+kanekuni+sesko&source=bl&ots=BRGa17XWSx&sig=ACfU3U2eb_ia7yoIvPcW4YB1W4Zi5Gipeg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjh-qrv3-ngAhUDNn0KHa0VDZEQ6AEwA3oECAgQAQe

[zook]

Oh yes - timeline and age certainly makes more sense!