Type 98 sword with unusual mark on tang

[Butch]

Recently picked up this battle used sword .

The blade is made by Yushu Hojo Ju Hiromasa Saku.

The blade is in very good condition …

the only problem being is it still as the remnants of the thick arsenal grease on it .

when removing the Habaki on both sides of the blade are markings ?

The Tsuka shows evidence of a removal of a Mon.

The Saya again shows evidence of combat use which looks like bullet damage to the edge of the saya .

Regarding the grease does anyone know how to remove it ,

Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Many thanks Gareth

[Butch]

The other side

[Butch]

Some pics of the blade 

[Butch]

Mon removal 

[Butch]

Saya damage

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Butch]

[Bruce Pennington]

Nice gunto, Gareth!

It appears from your photos that the oil is cosmoline.  G.I.s coated swords (and I think other weapons) with it when returning home.  It can be safely removed and many discussions have taken place about how to do that.  You can search 'remove cosmoline' and get 32 pages.  Here's one where Zook describes his favorite method:

Cosmoline for Showato Blade

 

The writing is in the location where polisher stripes are normally seen.  Hopefully someone will translate for you soon!  Very curious, indeed.

[Butch]

Thanks Bruce is the smith a well known one ?

As the blade is really well forged ..

Thanks Gareth 

[Bruce Pennington]

Slough translates his mei as "Yoshu Hojo ju Hiromasa saku" and says he was from Ehime prefecture, made "Medium to High-Grade Gendaito".  I don't know how collectors regard him.  I don't follow the smiths.

[Butch]

Yet again thanks Bruce …

So the marks are from the polisher is this a often occurrence ?

Gareth 

[PNSSHOGUN]

He is quite well regarded and from an excellent group of smiths.

[Butch]

Thanks John the blade is well forged and other than a few bits of arsenal grease is in great condition and polish …a great untouched example .

Hope someone can help me with the polishers marks ?

Gareth

[Butch]

Have found out some more on the smith rated as Kihin -No-Retsu (made precious works )in one book.

He won 1st Seat (National Swordsmith) Judgement at the 1941 sword making Exhibition .

Gareth

[Bruce Pennington]

@SteveM @Kiipu @uwe @Nobody

[SteveM]

Looks like

 

御研　＝　sword polishing. Not sure of the pronunciation. "miken" I think.　

耕觀　＝　probably the name of the polisher. Again, unsure of the pronunciation. "Kōkan" maybe. Nothing comes up in a search for that name. 

 

 

[Butch]

Thank you Steve for your help …

A friend also contacted me to say the kanji looks like “Honourable Prefix Polisher Ko Kan “

Gareth 

[Butch]

Having looked on the net I did find a sword polisher Ko-Kan Nagayama ?

Thanks Gareth

[Kiipu]

24 minutes ago, Butch said:

Having looked on the net I did find a sword polisher Ko-Kan Nagayama?

 

Here are the characters for Nagayama Kōkan 永山･光幹 courtesy of the NDL.  Unlikely this inscription is referring to him.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Kiipu

[BANGBANGSAN]

3 hours ago, SteveM said:

Looks like

 

御研　＝　sword polishing. Not sure of the pronunciation. "miken" I think.　

耕觀　＝　probably the name of the polisher. Again, unsure of the pronunciation. "Kōkan" maybe. Nothing comes up in a search for that name. 

 

 

Found 觀耕台(farming observe platform）

 https://www.meet99.com/jingdian-xiannongtan-36495.html

 

[Butch]

Don’t want to be ignorant but what does the above posting mean ?

Many thanks Gareth 

[Kiipu]

23 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said:

Found 觀耕台 (farming observe platform）

 

The wrong order of characters my friend.  In this case, 觀耕台 means "viewing platform" while I think the characters would more likely be in the order of 耕觀?  Me thinks Trystan has been imbibing on 烧酒 shāojiǔ!

[BANGBANGSAN]

1 hour ago, Kiipu said:

 

The wrong order of characters my friend.  In this case,  觀耕台 means "viewing platform" while I think the characters would more likely be in the order of 耕觀.  Me thinks Trystan has been imbibing on 烧酒/燒酒 !

I was trying to search 耕觀 first, but nothing came up, so I decided to try the reverse and see what it would be.かんぱい！

[Kiipu]

Cheers mate! 

[Butch]

Thanks lol !!🥹

[Kiipu]

Quote

Nick Komiya 2022-07-15 12:12 PM

耕觀　御研
Koukan Otogi (polished by Koukan) is the sensible way to read it.  耕 means to till the soil and 觀 means to observe.  Not very common kanjis in Japan, so polisher may have been Chinese.

 

I asked Nick Komiya over at WRF to take a look at this and above is his reply.

[Butch]

Having spoken to an elderly friend of mine he reads it as “Honourable polisher” and the name of polisher “Ko-Kan”

Many thanks 

Gareth 

[Butch]

Here is a image of Yushu Hojo Ju Hiromasa  Saku

The sword-smith who forged this blade …