P-37 Kai Gunto Mei : 伊 奈 波 INABA?

[tbonesullivan]

I guess this isn't quite the standard request. I know what the characters are, but I don't know how to read them. This is a P-37 Kai Gunto, probably a stainless steel blade. It's got the Navy anchor stamp on the tang.

 

It's inscribed 伊 奈 波.  Most of what I am finding out there has this as part of a larger signature, 伊 奈 波 兼 吉, or INABA KANEYOSHI.

 

Is this a shortened version of the signature by the same smith? Or a different smith?

[BANGBANGSAN]

It's the same smith, there are a lot his Kai Gunto only use only 伊奈波.

There is one on Military forum

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/31436-kai-gunto-katana-sword-for-review/

[tbonesullivan]

Thanks!  That thread mentions a real hamon on the one they have, but the one I have doesn't look to be "real". Maybe just acid etched.

[Bruce Pennington]

On 3/9/2020 at 2:45 PM, tbonesullivan said:

It's inscribed 伊 奈 波

David,

Could I get a photo of the full nakago showing the Toyokawa stamp?

[tbonesullivan]

On 9/7/2021 at 11:08 PM, Bruce Pennington said:

David,

Could I get a photo of the full nakago showing the Toyokawa stamp?

 

Sure! If you search the website we sell them on, ima-usa.com, you can usually find them. Here are both of the examples we have had. One is definitely more carefully written than the other.

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

@Kiipu - here’s two fine examples of the large and small anchors.