Seki Mitsunobu star stamp

[Matsunoki]

Greetings all. I am learning so much about Showa swords from this forum. Obviously knowledge has greatly increased over more recent years. I am posting this sword to hopefully get all/any comments/opinions/ information but also because hopefully someone might enjoy it.  I believe the Star stamp suggests it is a traditionally made blade? It has two other stamps…one on nakago and one on nakago mune. I believe it is dated 1942 and signed Seki Mitsunobu. From what I can find, he was a young smith who came late to the RJT programme….please correct me. I bought it because I really liked the blade. To me it has “spirit”….flamboyant hamon etc.  The forging is very dense and does not really show in the current polish (wartime??). The Nagasa is 65cm but the blade is quite light and has excellent balance…imo. I believe the smith had some real talent even though young? What do you all think. 
Many thanks. Stay well. Colin.

[oli]

Very interesting hamon. 

 

regards

Oliver

[PNSSHOGUN]

Great blade, quite an anomlay with the Seki stamp AND RJT stamp. Of note are the mounts which usually contain rather low quality Showato and many of us wouldn't bother having a second look just from the mounts.

[Dave R]

 As interest grows, so does the knowledge about wartime blades. It has  been proposed before that the Seki stamp was just a quality stamp from the city authorities rather than a condemnation of being non traditional..... Which the Sho stamp seems to have been.

[Grey Doffin]

Your top 2 pictures appear to show the tsuka with a missing mekugi. If this is the case don't delay in replacing the pin; it is quite important.

Grey

[Bruce Pennington]

2 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

dated 1942

Colin,

I get those 7's and 9's mixed up easily, too.  It's actually September 1944.  B.E.A.utiful blade! 

 

1 hour ago, PNSSHOGUN said:

Great blade, quite an anomaly with the Seki stamp AN RJT stamp. Of note are the mounts which usually contain rather low quality Showato and many of us wouldn't bother having a second look just from the mounts.

Interesting, though, it's got the double chuso. 

 

This discussion has gotten me to check the files.  I have many star-stamped gendaito with small Seki and Na (Nagoya) stamps, so this is not unusual.  What I did find, though, was that with only rare exception (maybe 1) all the small Seki stamps are being found only on RJT star-stamped blades!  The large Seki stamp is different, and was used like the Showa stamp, prior to the Army's take-over of blade production in '42.  I also checked the use of the "Na" stamp, and while it is found on RJT blades, it is mostly found on non-RJT blades more often.   Hmmm.....

 

The small Seki stamp was an inspector stamp for the Nagoya Arsenal.  When Nagoya started using it, the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Assoc stopped using it (the Large Seki).  I believe they switched to the Gifu in Sakura stamp, but that is my speculation.  But, it is interesting to observe that the Nagoya inspectors' small Seki, seems to be only found on RJT blades.  Might have been created as an acceptance stamp by the Arsenal for the RJT system?

[robinalexander]

Killer hamon Colin 🖒

[vajo]

Thats a really nice sword.

Is the ito lacquered?

 

The sword looks great.

[Matsunoki]

6 hours ago, Dave R said:

 As interest grows, so does the knowledge about wartime blades. It has  been proposed before that the Seki stamp was just a quality stamp from the city authorities rather than a condemnation of being non traditional..... Which the Sho stamp seems to have been.

 

25 minutes ago, vajo said:

Thats a really nice sword.

Is the ito lacquered?

 

The sword looks great.

 

4 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Colin,

I get those 7's and 9's mixed up easily, too.  It's actually September 1944.  B.E.A.utiful blade! 

 

Interesting, though, it's got the double chuso. 

 

This discussion has gotten me to check the files.  I have many star-stamped gendaito with small Seki and Na (Nagoya) stamps, so this is not unusual.  What I did find, though, was that with only rare exception (maybe 1) all the small Seki stamps are being found only on RJT star-stamped blades!  The large Seki stamp is different, and was used like the Showa stamp, prior to the Army's take-over of blade production in '42.  I also checked the use of the "Na" stamp, and while it is found on RJT blades, it is mostly found on non-RJT blades more often.   Hmmm.....

 

The small Seki stamp was an inspector stamp for the Nagoya Arsenal.  When Nagoya started using it, the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Assoc stopped using it (the Large Seki).  I believe they switched to the Gifu in Sakura stamp, but that is my speculation.  But, it is interesting to observe that the Nagoya inspectors' small Seki, seems to be only found on RJT blades.  Might have been created as an acceptance stamp by the Arsenal for the RJT system?

Thank you all for your time and comments.

Grey…..the other mekugi is there….just removed it as I was taking images. Thank you 

Bruce….thanks for pointing out my error. I knew it was ‘44 …..no idea why I typed ‘42. Must be my age/stupidity!

Bruce…please excuse my lack of knowledge…what is a Chuso?

Chris…yes the Ito seems to be very lightly lacquered in a brown/maroon colour but is quite “worn”.

[Bruce Pennington]

3 hours ago, Matsunoki said:

what is a Chuso?

Well, now that you ask, I don't know if that is the latch or the button of the latch! Ha!  But RJT fittings seem to almost always have the double release buttons for the latch.

[Bruno]

The hamon is rather disorganized. From a practical standpoint, it's not an issue but from a workmanship and artistic standpoint I find it lacking.

 

I have seen such unbalanced choji hamon on his co-worker's work SUKENOBU.

[David Flynn]

I have to disagree with Bruno on the Hamon.   The Hamon is a good example of Gunome Choji Midare.   I believe the polish lets it down.

[Michaelr]

WOW I think it is a GREAT SWORD with a GREAT HAMON and would be proud to own it myself. Thank you for sharing. Beautiful   

   MikeR

[Matsunoki]

Just a quick but sincere “thank you all” for your expertise and opinions. Best wishes. Colin