WW2 military katana signed Kanetaka

[Sunny]

 

This standard length katana blade is in excellent condition with a beautiful suguha hamon.

The tsuba and seppa are marked # 7.

There is some slight damage to the saya.

The signature is Kanetaka and there is a small arsenal stamp and it is dated 1943.

There is also inspection paint on both sides of the tang with red paint on one side and black on the other.

It is a standard length katana.Please DM your email for more pics if you are serious about buying. 

$1600 US shipped express surface parcel with tracking.

I'm open to an offer.

No trades.

 

 

 

 

[Kolekt-To]

What is known of the smith? Seki? RJT? Ranking?

[Sunny]

I know the stamp is a Nagoya cheif inspector arsenal stamp

You can find the signature and some info on the Japanese sword index website.

I believe this smith is an above average swordsmith of the 1940's.

I haven't done much studying of recent smiths but  this katana is not machine made and the quality of the hamon looks of a gendaito.

Your best bet is to ask another member with a lot more knowledge of WW2 smiths.

[Sunny]

12 hours ago, Kolekt-To said:

What is known of the smith? Seki? RJT? Ranking?

not sure if you were addressing me or someone to make a comment with a far greater knowledge than me on WW2 smiths so I just commented below with some small info.

[Sunny]

On 7/3/2021 at 10:57 AM, Steven Edmund said:

 

This standard length katana blade is in excellent condition with a beautiful suguha hamon.

The tsuba and seppa are marked # 7.

There is some slight damage to the saya.

The signature is Kanetaka and there is a small arsenal stamp and it is dated 1943.

There is also inspection paint on both sides of the tang with red paint on one side and black on the other.

It is a standard length katana.Please DM your email for more pics if you are serious about buying. 

PRICE DROPPED to $1300 US shipped express surface parcel with tracking.

I'm open to an offer.

No trades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sunny]

Price dropped to $1300 US

[Sunny]

Price drop to $1000 US

[Bruce Pennington]

On 7/3/2021 at 11:57 AM, Steven Edmund said:

small arsenal stamp and it is dated 1943.

Steven,

Could I beg photos of the date and the "Na" stamp for my Stamp Survey?

 

Good luck with the sale!

[Sunny]

1 hour ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Steven,

Could I beg photos of the date and the "Na" stamp for my Stamp Survey?

 

Good luck with the sale!

There's no need to beg Bruce.

You're my peer and I would be delighted to help you in anyway I can.

I believe it's a chief Nagoya inspection stamp and the date is 1943.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Steven!  June 1943 to be exact, and you've just provided the only month missing in my survey for 1943!  I had blades from every month of that year except June, and now I do, thanks to you!

 

So, you have "bragging rights" if you want to claim them as the only "known" blade inspected by the Nagoya Arsenal in June of '43. 

[Kolekt-To]

RJT smith Koketsu Kanetaka?

[ChrisAWilson]

I'd buy this for myself if I hadn't just bought a NCO 95 off another member on here!!!

[Sunny]

4 hours ago, Kolekt-To said:

RJT smith Koketsu Kanetaka?

Not too sure .... I was wondering the same thing.

The hamon on this blade has some quality to it. 

It's a Tachi length though

[Kolekt-To]

3 minutes ago, Steven Edmund said:

Not too sure .... I was wondering the same thing.

The hamon on this blade has some quality to it. 

It's a Tachi length though

When you say Tachi, you mean standard Gunto length (typical for a Type 98), correct? It's not a wakizashi, is it?

[Sunny]

Nagasa: 66.4 cm.  Sori: 1.5 cm.  

Moto-haba: 3.1 cm.  Saki-haba: 2.2 cm.

Moto-gasane: 0.7 cm.  Saki-gasane: 0.5 cm

signature is on the right side of the tang mei like an old tachi mei 

[Sunny]

10 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Thanks Steven!  June 1943 to be exact, and you've just provided the only month missing in my survey for 1943!  I had blades from every month of that year except June, and now I do, thanks to you!

 

So, you have "bragging rights" if you want to claim them as the only "known" blade inspected by the Nagoya Arsenal in June of '43. 

oohhh that's great Bruce

I wasn't aware of that.

Just so you know there was a pair.....one was a wakizashi for a smaller military dress Koshirae.

Do you think I should keep this sword ?

If you are putting together a book or documentary /journal / article may I please be mentioned for the photo ?

If not it's cool.

I just thought it would be neat.

Thank you so much for letting me know though.

If you would like a photo with a cleaner background please let me know.

[Bruce Pennington]

The RJT Kanetaka is the only one listed on the Nihonto Club Swordsmith listings.  Of course, I have come across a smith, here or there, that wasn't on their list, but I've often seen where there were 3-5 guys that went by a same name and they were all listed.  This name only has one guy listed, so my money is on the RJT one.

 

https://nihontoclub.com/view/smiths/list?id_op=%3D&id=&name_op=contains&name=kanetaka&kanji_op=%3D&kanji=&province=All&start_era=245&school_nid=All

 

[Sunny]

2 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

The RJT Kanetaka is the only one listed on the Nihonto Club Swordsmith listings.  Of course, I have come across a smith, here or there, that wasn't on their list, but I've often seen where there were 3-5 guys that went by a same name and they were all listed.  This name only has one guy listed, so my money is on the RJT one.

 

https://nihontoclub.com/view/smiths/list?id_op=%3D&id=&name_op=contains&name=kanetaka&kanji_op=%3D&kanji=&province=All&start_era=245&school_nid=All

 

Thanks for the link I too saw this in the Japanese Sword Index of smiths and signature examples but wasn't sure and didn't want to mislead someone if i was wrong.

I'm still very new to WW2 and modern smiths.

Thanks again for all your time Bruce.

[Bruce Pennington]

3 minutes ago, Steven Edmund said:

If you are putting together a book or documentary /journal / article may I please be mentioned for the photo ?

Ha, no book in the works.  Just compiling files on all the RJT blades/smiths I can come across.  I do have your name documented on this file though, so if anything like that ever happens, I promise you will be listed as the source.

 

As to whether you should keep or sell, ..... only you can say.  My collection has the gunto in it that I wanted for a purpose (I wanted a fair example of each of the services, and each of the variations), so I'll never sell mine.  Some guys have more gunto than they really need, so they'll sell some and save for something special.  There are a hundred different reasons guys keep or sell.  That's going to depend on your collecting goals.

[Sunny]

Just like you I a wanted a fair example of a WW2 sword for my collection for the time being.

Something else has caught my eye though for a more than fair price.

I have a wakizashi in military dress but the sword in the fittings is a suriage blade of high quality from the Kamakura period and that one I am going to hold onto.

Thanks so much for keeping me in thought for your documentation.

It's greatly appreciated.

 

[Sunny]

12 hours ago, Kolekt-To said:

When you say Tachi, you mean standard Gunto length (typical for a Type 98), correct? It's not a wakizashi, is it?

This item is now sold 

[Sunny]

11 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Ha, no book in the works.  Just compiling files on all the RJT blades/smiths I can come across.  I do have your name documented on this file though, so if anything like that ever happens, I promise you will be listed as the source.

 

As to whether you should keep or sell, ..... only you can say.  My collection has the gunto in it that I wanted for a purpose (I wanted a fair example of each of the services, and each of the variations), so I'll never sell mine.  Some guys have more gunto than they really need, so they'll sell some and save for something special.  There are a hundred different reasons guys keep or sell.  That's going to depend on your collecting goals.

Looks like this item found a new home....

I'm sad about it.

This sword held up close behind serious blades known for cutting when it came to tameshigiri.

Has a lot of weight to it though which helps.

Made a small donation to the house.

thanks again for your guidance Bruce.

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Steven Edmund said:

I'm sad about it

Understand the feeling.  Just remember, we are simply caretakers for these fine blades as they travel through time!

[Sunny]

24 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Understand the feeling.  Just remember, we are simply caretakers for these fine blades as they travel through time!

That's very poetic of you Bruce and it actually soothes the pain a little more.

[Bruce Pennington]

1 hour ago, Steven Edmund said:

very poetic

Glad it helped.  But I was just passing the phrase along from the wise sage @16k.

[Kolekt-To]

FYI Bruce, I will be the new caretaker of the Kanetaka. Steven's deal was too good to pass up! It looks like great example of a Type 98, and it will soon be on display as the centerpiece of my collection. I feel fortunate to receive it - will be in good hands. At this point, I only collect Gunto and it will fit right in.

[Sunny]

10 minutes ago, Kolekt-To said:

FYI Bruce, I will be the new caretaker of the Kanetaka. Steven's deal was too good to pass up! It looks like great example of a Type 98, and it will soon be on display as the centerpiece of my collection. I feel fortunate to receive it - will be in good hands. At this point, I only collect Gunto and it will fit right in.

I'm very glad.

I had a good feeling once we chatted that it would be appreciated.

I just left the post office.

emailed you the tracking.

[Kolekt-To]

1 hour ago, Steven Edmund said:

I'm very glad.

I had a good feeling once we chatted that it would be appreciated.

I just left the post office.

emailed you the tracking.

Good to know - thanks Steven!

[Kolekt-To]

Hey guys, I want to let you all know how pleased I am with the Type 98 I purchased from Steven - very happy! It arrived this afternoon and, after admiring all aspects of the piece, I set about putting it on display. It is the new centerpiece of my growing collection and I think it looks fantastic. Much gratitude to Steven for a great deal on this Gunto - thank you Steven!

 

Best regards,

 

Geoff

[Sunny]

Your words are very kind and thoughtful Geoff.

I'm glad it found the right home.

 

-Steven