Inherited Sword, looking for help Identifying maker.

[MrReaper2u]

Hello,

 

Recently inherited a sword and having trouble identifying the maker... Hoping you all can help.

 

It appears to have markings at the beginning saying NO SHU JU and at the end saying SAKU but I cannot figure out the rest. I thought at first it was a Kanesane or a Kanetaka but not sure.

 

Looks like a partial Showa stamp at the top of the tang but there are no arsenal marks or Kokuin.

 

It is all in pretty rough shape... Pretty sure someone tried to clean it years ago and did a wonderful job of rusting the blade

 

Anyways, any help is appreciated!

 

[MrReaper2u]

Here are a couple more pictures....

 

[Misconstrued]

This is the first time I've seen red stingray skin and a Tsuka of that style.. Civilian Tsuba and Civilian Tsuka with a gunto leather covered saya. I sadly can't translate the signature, but it is in rough shape as you said. You already are knowledgeable to know that cleaning anything is a big nope. I'm more confused on what style that Tsuka is, first time I've ever seen one of that style.

 

-Jace R.

[Kiipu]

濃州住中島国重作 = Nōshū jū Nakajima Kunishige saku.

In Swordsmiths of Japan by Markus Sesko he is mentioned as having passed away on 1944-10-27.  His name is given as Nakajima Hiroshi 中島･寛.

@mecox

 

 

[mecox]

As Thomas noted, mei is Noshu Ju Nakajima Kunishige Saku.  Blade has Sho stamp so probably 1942 or earlier.  His real name was Nakajima Hiroshi and was born Meiji 33 (1900) Nov 23 in Gifu.  He died in 1944 Oct 27 age 44.  He registered early as a swordsmith in Seki on Showa 14 (1939) Oct 25.  When he registered his address was Kajita village in Kamo district (to the east of Seki).  In 1954 Kajita merged with Tomida and became Tomika.  In the war there appear to be a group of smiths working together in Kajita.  The fittings on your sword look to be a post-war composition, maybe for iaido? 

[Bruce Pennington]

Quite an interesting piece.  Leather ito.  Can you tell what the mekugi is made of?  The remains of the leather cover over a civil saya says, to me, at least the saya was original to the war period.  I have seen a few showa stamped blades in civil fittings, then refitted for the war effort.  No idea how or why the blade went civil first.  But it's not unheard of.

 

I'm impressed by how deeply that Showa stamp was imprinted!  Maybe the nakago was still hot when struck? 

 

This is the first Kunishige blade I've seen with a stamp of any kind.

[MrReaper2u]

Wow, you guys are awesome!

 

Was definitely not expecting to get responses so quickly and so in depth.

 

Interested in Misconstrueds comment about the red stingray and Tsuka style... is it indicative of anything in particular?

 

As for the Mekugi, I cannot tell, however, if it is not synthetic I would guess it is horn or hoof. It is definitely not Bamboo or wood of any kind.

[Tensho]

FWIW..The ito isn't alternating like it should be. 

[Geraint]

There are many things wrong with the tsuka, profile, section, alternating ito and diamonds. As my father would have said, "t's a bent as a dogs hindleg!"  This part is not Japanese, most likely a post war repair attempt.  Nothing to learn from that so back to the blade folks.

 

Forgot to mention leather 'kashira'.

 

All the best.

[MrReaper2u]

Does anyone have pictures of other Nakajima Kunishige swords? I have been searching since you guys told me he was the smith but I have been unable to locate any.

 

Curious to compare what I have to other examples.

 

Also, curious if you all had this sword, what steps would you take, if any, to "clean/fix it up" or would you not waste time with it?

 

Any way to tell if it was done traditionally with Tamahagane and water quench vs. mill steel and oil with the blade looking like it does? I can take more pictures and close ups if it would help...

[Kiipu]

Josh, do an Internet search using "濃州住中島国重作" and a couple will show up on Japanese websites.  So far, all are in civilian fittings so this could apply to yours as well.  There was a surge of interest in the traditional mounts in the 1930s and 1940s in Japan and they are illustrated in period books, periodicals, and catalogs.  As Bruce Pennington indicated above, many of these civilian swords were later adapted for military use such as yours.