Translation Help

[mnocita01]

Hi Everyone,

 

I'm very new to this and would really appreciate some translation assistance. This sword is from WWII and I'm very curious as to what it says. I apologize but I cannot seem to figure out how to tilt the image properly, but the beginning of the inscription should be on the right side of the image.

 

Thank you so much,

Michael N

[Ganko]

It is not cut too well, somewhat abbreviated.  I don't know the first two characters but the maker is Ujifusa

[mnocita01]

Wow, thank you so much. I really appreciate the info. The cut does look sloppy in my absolutely amateur opinion, far less neat then other signatures I've seen on this forum. Would you have any recommendations on how to find out more about this Ujifusa?

[Ganko]

Wow, thank you so much. I really appreciate the info. The cut does look sloppy in my absolutely amateur opinion, far less neat then other signatures I've seen on this forum. Would you have any recommendations on how to find out more about this Ujifusa?

Other members can probably read the first two characters and perhaps supply more info.

[mnocita01]

Other members can probably read the first two characters and perhaps supply more info.

Thank you, I really appreciate your help. 

[mnocita01]

So after some cursory research, I found examples that bear a resemblance to the sword in my possession. It appears that the inscription, based on these other examples may be "Wakasa no Kami Ujifusa" but in an abbreviated form. The issue is, this is a very notable and old smith who worked in the Tensho era. Likely forgery then? 

 

Attached are two examples of his signature from other blades, and the version on mine again for reference.  

[ROKUJURO]

Michael,

please sign all posts with your first name plus an initial. You can fix that in your profile.

Your blade was perhaps not made by a traditional swordsmith, but by someone in a factory who signed for traditional reasons only. UJIFUSA was not necessarily the name of a worker.

Does the tang show any stamps?

[SteveM]

篠田氏房

 

Shinoda Ujifusa

 

WW2 swordsmith

[cisco-san]

Hello,

 

from Markus book:

UJIFUSA (氏房), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Ujifusa” (氏房), real name Shinoda Hiroshi (篠田寛), born May 20th 1912, student of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永) and Katō Jumyō (加藤寿命), he worked as a guntō smith, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Third Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

 

As Jean already mentioned, please sign all posts with your first name plus an initial. You can fix that in your profile.

[Bruce Pennington]

Not an identical mei, but similar:

http://japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/ujifusa2.jpg