Bibliography of Japanese Modern Edged Weapons, 1868-1945

[Bruce Pennington]

So, if the blade was dated 1934, then it must have had a remount after the 98s came out?

 

He notes the patented ishizuke is made by "Wakasa".  My source (was it Thomas?) had the shop as "Wakasei".  Maybe just a problem of Japanese to English?

[Kiipu]

Mal & Co., Ltd, has started off the New Year with yet another tome about gendaitō 現代刀 swordsmiths.  This time around, he has focused on the smiths of Aichi Prefecture, which is adjacent to Gifu of Seki fame.  This missive runs to 69 pages and is currently available in the downloads section at the top of the page.

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Swordsmiths of Aichi Prefecture (Owari & Mikawa) of the Showa Period. Tōshō Aichi Shōwa 刀匠 愛知 昭和. 2022.

[Kiipu]

Pennington, Bruce. Stamps of the Japanese Sword. Version 8.6. 2022-03-13. 54 page monograph in PDF format. Can be downloaded via NMB.

Stamps of the Japanese Sword

[Kiipu]

On 7/28/2021 at 3:19 PM, Kiipu said:

The 1997 F&G book, Japanese Military and Civil Swords and Dirks, mentions in the bibliography a Japanese language work entitled Teikoku Rikukaigun Guntō Monotagatari by Okochi, Tsunehira.

 

At long last, I tracked this down to an actual source via a Russian webpage.  It is not coming from a book but rather a series of articles.  I have been able to reconstruct the citation for part 2 of the article or series?

 

Okōchi Tsunehira 大河内･常平. Teikoku Rikukaigun guntō monotagatari 帝国陸海軍軍刀物語 [The Story of Imperial Army and Navy Military Swords]. Part 2. Rei 麗 No. 192 (1981). Tōkyō 東京: Tōken Shibata 刀剣柴田.

 

6 Оокоти Цунэхира. Тэйкоку рикукайгун гунто моногатари 『帝国陸海軍軍刀物語』. Повествование об императорских армейских и морских военных мечах (Часть вторая). Ежемесячное издание "Восхищение". Токио: Токэн Сибата. 1981. № 192. С. 10 (на японском языке).

 

Below is the link to the Russian webpage.  The Russian article talks about the Iida scabbard lock and includes a picture of Iida Kunitaro.

Японский армейский меч и затворное устройство Иида

[Kiipu]

Mal & Co., Ltd., has been burning the midnight oil so as to bring us his next missive on Japanese gendaitō swordsmiths.  Ehime Prefecture is one of the four prefectures of Shikoku 四国 [four provinces].  This is the second tome by Mal that covers Shikoku.

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Showa Period Swordsmiths of Ehime Prefecture 愛媛県. 2022. 134 pages.
 

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/files/file/86-showa-period-swordsmiths-of-ehime-prefecture/

 

[Itomagoi]

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Showa Period Swordsmiths of Ehime Prefecture 愛媛県. 2022. 134 pages.

 

I can't find the file :-(

[mecox]

Peter, I found a few errors and an update and so withdrew it.  Should be back up in a week or so.

[Itomagoi]

I understand. I'm looking forward because I have a blade from Takahashi Yoshimune and from Torio Hiromasa :-)))

Thank you!

[Kiipu]

On 12/1/2020 at 10:23 AM, Kiipu said:

Miyazaki Masa[o] 宮崎･昌幸. Imperial Japanese Daggers, 1883–1945. 1980s.

 

While looking through my files, I ran across the following "Fixed Price List" from October 1996.  As I think it is germane to the topic, I will post it here.

 

Quote

96.  Several years ago Mr. Masa Miyazaki provided line drawings and information on Japanese dirks to a magazine in Japan called RANRU which was also the local auction.  These drawings ran over many months.  Some time later Masa put a 32 page booklet showing Japanese Naval dirks with the English translation and used this booklet as an advertisement showing that he wanted to buy these Japanese Naval dirks.  There is a lot of information in the booklet (8 ½ by). $12.50

 

[Brian]

Ehime file is updated and the link above fixed. Mal is sharing high level info and research with us, and we owe him a huge thanks.

[Kiipu]

Martin, Paul. The Yoshihara Tradition. 2005. 31 pages. It was written in 2005 as the main part of an unpublished catalogue to accompany the exhibition of the same theme that Paul Martin curated in the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California.

Background information: New Article - the Yoshihara Tradition

Download link: The Yoshihara Tradition of Japanese Sword Making

[Kiipu]

Watson, Harry Afu, translator. Nihon Tō Kōza: Volume 5, Shinshintō Kantei. Afu Research Enterprises, Inc., 1992. The Nihontō Kōza 日本刀講座 [Japanese Sword Lectures] was originally published in the 1930s and totaled some 20 volumes. They were re-edited by Honma Kunzan 本間薫山 and Satō Kanzan 佐藤寒山 between 1966–1970 and published in a 10 volume set. Volume 5 第５巻, entitled shinshintō kantei-hen 新々刀鑑定編, came out in 1967 and covers the shinshintō era of 1772–1925. There are at least three different printings of the translation noted so far. English language, hardbound, 8 x 11 inches.

Volume V, Shinshinto ISBN 1-888612-00-2

[Kiipu]

Kapp, Leon, editor. Yoshindo Yoshihara and The Yoshihara Tradition 吉原義人刀匠とその一門 [Yoshindo Yoshihara tōsho to sono ichimon]. San Rafael, California: San Raphael Token Benkyo Kai, 2005. Softcover, quarto, 72 pages. Produced in conjunction with an exhibit at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California, from March to June 2005.

B720. Yoshindo Yoshihara and the Yoshihara Tradition

Yoshindo Yoshihara and The Yoshihara Tradition

 

A link to the museum's website.

USC Pacific Asia Museum

Edited October 23, 2022 by Kiipu

[Kiipu]

 Mal Cox has updated his digital book on the swordsmiths of Kaga Province 加賀国, which is now part of modern day Ishikawa Prefecture 石川県.  This book will be of interest to both Nihontō & gendaitō collectors.

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Kaga no Kuni: Swordsmiths 加賀國. Updated. 2022. 224 pages.

Kaga No Kuni: Swordsmiths

[Brian]

It's an amazing and detailed publication. Huge thanks to @mecox for sharing it with us.

[mecox]

Thanks Brian,  it was interesting to summarise the unique history for my own understanding.  The folk in Kanazawa museums are also proud of this history and have some good exhibitions.  I did contact the local Token Kai but unfortunately no response.

[Kiipu]

Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Nihontō to seinan sensō 日本刀と西南戦争 [Japanese Swords and The Seinan War]. 2000. A 43-page monograph with text only.

 

Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Junsa taiken no rekishi 巡査帯剣の歴史 [The History of Wearing Swords by the Police]. 2003. A 72-page monograph with drawings.

 

Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Nihontō teiten shuppin sōdō 日本刀帝展出品騒動 [Controversy over the submission of Japanese swords to the Imperial Art Exhibition]. 2004. A 58-page monograph with mainly text.

Edited January 25, 2023 by Kiipu

[Kiipu]

Additional information about John Plimpton and his upcoming book can be found at the link below.  Information courtesy of @Kotetsu1959.

John Plimpton and his book Swords of the Emperor

[Kiipu]

Ran across this over at @Grey Doffin website today.  Grey has posted several pictures which are just stunning.  I wonder if @Spartancrest knows about this book?

B951. Late Edo and Meiji Period Sword Guards and Fittings

 

Late Edo and Meiji Period Sword Guards and Fittings: Collection of Kiyomizu San’nenzaka Museum 幕末・明治の鐔・刀装金工〜清水三年坂美術館コレクション [Bakumatsu Meiji no tsuba tōsō kinkō: Kiyomizu san'nenzaka bijutsukan korekushon]. Supervised by Murata Satoru 村田･理如. Maria shobō マリア書房, 2008. Japanese & English text, 159 pages.

[Kiipu]

Cox, Malcolm E. Showa Period Swordsmiths of Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu, and the Kokura Arsenal. 2024. A4 size, 149 pages, B&W & color illustrations.  Besides gendai Fukuoka swordsmiths, this study also covers the arsenal markings used on RJT blades made under the supervision of Kokura Army Arsenal.  For this reason, it covers some of the surrounding prefectures under the jurisdiction of Kokura Army Arsenal.  This is the first serious English language study of this aspect of wartime blade production.

Spoiler

Showa Period Swordsmiths of Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu and the Kokura Arsenal

 

[Kiipu]

Malcolm Cox has released another monograph for gendaitō collectors and it is worthy of taking a close look at.  It can be downloaded for free via the link below.

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Yoshioka Yoshichika 吉岡 吉近, Shimada Yoshisuke 島田 義助, and the WARRIOR Stamp. 2024. A4 size, 47 pages.

Yoshika Yoshichika, Shimada Yoshisuke and the Warrior stamp

[Kiipu]

What better way is there to start the new year than with some gendaitō reading material.  Mal & Co., Ltd have thoroughly revised the two part treatise on Japanese naval swords.  This was a major, full-time, undertaking by Mal & Sueko that took months to accomplish and the results speak for itself.  Do give Mal a big thanks for all that he has done via the download pages linked to below.  Lets support those that help us be better informed collectors.

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Japanese Naval Swords, WW 2: Swordsmiths & Workshops. Part 1. Updated. 2024. A4 size, color illustrations, 132 pages.

Japanese Naval Swords Part 1

 

Cox, Malcolm E. Japanese Naval Swords: Swordsmiths & Workshops. Part 2. Upgraded. 2024. A4 size, color illustrations, 166 pages.

Japanese Naval Swords Part 2

[Kiipu]

Below is the citation for the recent Plimpton book.  This is a sword only book and thus no coverage of Japanese dirks.  I would recommend acquiring a copy of the 1997 F&G book first before the Plimpton book.

 

Plimpton, John E. Swords of the Emperor: A Guide to the Identification of Imperial Japanese Swords, 1873–1945. Nashville, TN: Headstamp Publishing, 2022.

Swords of the Emperor (Standard Edition)