DRICKS Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 I have a sword that has a gunsui blade that has been remounted. I found some old pictures of the tang and I think it is these. Please translate them for me. Thank you Quote
Ray Singer Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 Date is 1944 (Showa 19). Mei, I am not certain. Kane__. Perhaps Kaneyoshi. Quote
SteveM Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 Looks like 兼立 to me. The same mei (different sword) in this thread below? If so, is it read Kanetatsu, or Kanetachi? Is it, as John suggests, connected with 兼達 (Kanetatsu)? Sounds plausible. Maybe the beginnings of another knot that needs unravelling. Quote
Kiipu Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 If he is from Seki, as many swordsmiths mei that begin with 兼 are, the person to ask is @mecox. Quote
DRICKS Posted February 10, 2022 Author Report Posted February 10, 2022 Thanks to all for your help. I posted the sword about 12 years ago on SFI which is gone now I guess. The only thing I remember was the maker not the whole translation but I think they said maker was Kane Kune or Kane Kuni or something like that. Quote
Kiipu Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 5 hours ago, DRICKS said: I have a sword that has a gunsui blade that has been remounted. Rereading your post, I see that you mentioned a gunsui blade 群水刀. In that case, the signature would be that of Kanetomo 兼友. When time permits, can you post pictures of both sides of the tang showing the full length? Knowing that @SteveM likes to dig deep, below is a link to a Japanese language article by no less a person than Ohmura sensei. 群水刀 Gunsui-tō Quote
DRICKS Posted February 10, 2022 Author Report Posted February 10, 2022 I will get it out of safe tomorrow and take new pictures. The pictures here are about 12 yrs old and I did not tag them but I think it is the gunsui blade. Above pictures are the complete inscription of both sides of the tang if it's the right ones. Thank you Quote
Kiipu Posted February 10, 2022 Report Posted February 10, 2022 Could be a different sword as all gunsui are clearly marked as gunsui. Below is the mei encountered so far. 群水作 = Gunsui saku. 群水之作 = Gunsui kore saku. 群水兼宗作 = Gunsui Kanemune saku. The swordsmiths associated with the gunsui project are as follows. 高橋定平 Takahashi Sadahira (継政 Tsugumasa). 龍眠斉兼友 Ryūminsai Kanetomo. 兼宗 Kanemune. The Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords by Markus Sesko has a nice English language summary about the gunsui-tō on page 81. Quote
DRICKS Posted February 10, 2022 Author Report Posted February 10, 2022 I think the pictures I posted are from my Wakizashi. I got the sword out took some pictures. The tang is blank on oneside and blade is 26 inches. The scabbard is brown. Here is the signature. Thank you Quote
DRICKS Posted February 10, 2022 Author Report Posted February 10, 2022 Here is both sides of tang. Quote
Kiipu Posted February 11, 2022 Report Posted February 11, 2022 Could be one of Kanetomo's apprentices that went by the name of Kanekuni 兼国? Ryuminsai Kanetomo 龍眠斉 兼友 Quote
DRICKS Posted February 11, 2022 Author Report Posted February 11, 2022 I think that's what they said years ago on SFI but I lost the bookmark. Is it gunsui and does it say the year? Thanks a bunch Quote
DRICKS Posted February 11, 2022 Author Report Posted February 11, 2022 The picture of tang at top is the wrong sword. Does the the pictures of signature at the bottom say gunsui and the year made? Thank you Quote
SteveM Posted February 11, 2022 Report Posted February 11, 2022 Yes, the bottom one is 群水兼国作 Gunsui Kanekuni saku Gunsui sword made by Kanekuni. No year on this. 1 Quote
DRICKS Posted February 11, 2022 Author Report Posted February 11, 2022 Thank you SteveM and everyone else. Great forum Quote
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