Help With Kozuka Mei

[kotachi]

I have had this small kozuka blade kicking around for a while in the safe and I have lost the documentation on the kanji. I though it was saved in my email but can't find it. Anyway would any members of the board care to help with translation. I think I remember this being a showa era smith but it's been a while since I acquired and I just can't remember much about it.

-Jay G.

[Shugyosha]

Hi Jay,

 

Noshu kuni Seki ju Kanetsune.

[uwe]

As John said,

but with lacking the character “州” (shū) for state or province in “濃州“ (Noshū).

[kotachi]

Thanks so much, this is super helpful. I googled him and this turned up from jp-sword.com. 

 

Seki Kaji Tosho

 

During WWII, more than 200 sword smiths worked only at Seki province to supply qualified swords for their soldiers.  Their names began to appear in Seki Tanrensho Booklet printed in 1939.  Several smiths in this list worked as Rikugun Jumei Tosho (e.g. Nakata Kanehide) and produced both good and poor blades together. However, most of these seki smiths produced low grade Showato and should not be regarded as a Gendaito.  The list shows their smith name and real name.

 

兼常 (Kanetsune)

Real Name:  西村 一二三 , google translate said either its pronounced  Nishimura Ichizo or Nishimura Hifumi?

 

Do any members think this is the guy? The blade looks like it has nice hada and a nioi based temper with kinda flamboyant tobiyaki, plus their is not stamps on it. I would think it is gendaito even though Kanetsune was not recorded as an RJT smith?

[SteveM]

I think its an homage to the Muromachi smith Kanetsune. 

The blade itself is probably Late Edo period. 

[Brian]

Yip, you would rarely if ever find a kogatana by a wartime smith. They usually are inscribed with the names of famous smiths, and most predate the war by a hundred years or more.

[kotachi]

Thank you everyone so much for the information. I always thought it was much younger since it seemed in such good condition and had such a flashy temper line. I always learn something new every time I post here. One more photo just as thanks.

[Brian]

It's a really good kogatana.

[kotachi]

Oops, guess I mixed up my nomenclature in the title of the post. Won't confuse kogatana with kozuka again. 

[Babu]

Nice kogatana if you can match the mei to a known example that's papered your onto a winner IMHO.

But like it's already been stated most where just homages to famous smiths.

Good luck with your search.