Sho stamped blade (Dec. 1939)

[cisco-san]

Hello,

 

I am wondering when exactly the Sho stamp has been introduced.

My understanding is, after 1939.

I am asking because I have seen on eBay a blade - signed Seki ju Kanemich saku with Sho stamp (hard to see...), but dated Dec. Showa 14 which mean Dec. 1939?!

 

Any advise would be very appreciated.

 

Many thanks in advance.

Klaus

 

 

[Bencld]

Komonjo blade I suspect. Be advised he has a reputation. Search the board to find out !

[vajo]

Hello Klaus, i see nothing wrong with this mei.

It is possible that it was stamped at this date or later.

[PNSSHOGUN]

Nothing wrong with this one. Once they start faking stamped showa-to they've totally lost the plot.

[David Flynn]

I have nothing more substantial than what I have been told and that is, either began in 1938, or standardised, in 1938?

[Bruce Pennington]

Like David said, the orders to begin stamping blades were published in 1938, but it wasn't widely practiced until '40. That doesn't mean that stamping wasn't done before that, though. As it has 2 mekugi ana, it must have been remounted at some point. Maybe the Sho stamp was added during the remount? Both options are possible.

[David Flynn]

Bruce, I don't believe swords with the two mekugi ana, are remounts.  I've seen too many many and most are in type 98s.  My guess is that,  the smith puts the original hole and the koshirae maker adds the second.

[Dave R]

 There's a lot of remounted blades in type 98 mounts. Any blade made before 1934 is going to be a remount, and there are swords made after that date that started in Buke Zukuri koshirae, and were then put into Shin Gunto a few years later.

 

 There is also the factor of repaired swords, with the hilt being one of the most frequently damaged parts. 

[Bruce Pennington]

As in all things Gunto, I can see both scenarios as possible. If David's is correct, for this blade, then the stamp is likely original to it's manufacture, making the stamp one of the earliest I've seen. If Dave's, then the stamp could be original or added at re-mount. As with many areas of our hobby, I wish we knew more about the actual workings of life in WWII swordmaking. If stamped during re-mount, I wonder who would have done so? I don't picture a koshirae fitting shop using a showa stamp. Kevin, Ryujin Swords, speculates that the Sho stamp was used by the Officer Clubs that sold gunto. If true, then maybe the sword was brought to a Club associated shop for remount, and consequently stamped.

 

Going with Occum's Razor, with the simplest answer often being the correct one, I'd have to bet this was an original stamp at time of manufacture.

[Dave R]

 I belong to a couple of different clubs where Nihonto often go on the table for discussion, and the general opinion is that you only see the blade in it's last set of mounts, never the first... With the exception of Showa Gunto, and even then, not always.

[cisco-san]

Many thanks for the very informative comments.

Highly appreciated!

 

[Bruce Pennington]

OLD THREAD WARNING!
 

Updating this in case it shows up in an internet search

 

I have 7 1939 blades on file with the Showa stamp.  In fact, I have a blade in every year from there, back, to 1935.  So, it seems the stamp began in 1935, going by survey data.