Mei translation

[ruddiger]

I have four swords my grandfather brought back from Japan. One is I believe a navy officer sword, one has a serial number stamped on the blade. The two that I am more interested in have what I believe to be older blades with chiseled mei on the nakaga.  The shorter blade with the niji-mei measures 19 7/16 inches. The longer sword measures 35 5/16 inches and is inscribed on both sides. I would love any information or maybe point me in the direction of someone in the Denver area that could help.

[xiayang]

The long blade is signed:

於東都長運斎綱俊造 = made in Tōto (i.e., Tokyo) by Chōunsai Tsunatoshi

慶應二年八月日 = on a day in August Keiō 2 (1866 CE)

 

The short blade is signed:

吉光 = Yoshimitsu

[Stephen]

Kevin nice inheritance!

I hope they're in good shape

The Chōunsai Tsunatoshi is a big name not the biggest but still a valued sword I hope the condition is shown. I would love to see how good of shape its in. 

After morning coffee I'll give you some more info.

[Stephen]

PS maybe share the Navy and NCO in military section.

[Stephen]

http://www.sanmei.com/contents/en-us/p1561.html

 

A search of his name is probably faster. 😉

[Stephen]

TSUNATOSHI (綱俊), 1 st gen., Tenpō (天保, 1830-1844), Musashi – “Katō Hachirō Tsunatoshi kore o tsukuru” (加藤八郎綱俊造之), “Katō Tsunatoshi tsukuru” (加藤綱俊造), “Tōto ni oite Katō Hachirō Tsunatoshi kore o tsukuru” (於東都加藤八郎綱俊造之, “made by Katō Hachirō Tsunatoshi in the eastern capital [= Edo]”), “Ushū Yonezawa-jū Katō Chōunsai Tsunatoshi” (羽州米沢住加藤長運斎綱俊), “Chōunsai Tsunatoshi” (長運斎綱俊), “Chōunsai Tsunatoshi tsukuru” (長運斎綱俊造), “Efu ni oite Katō Chōunsai Tsunatoshi” (於江府 加藤長運斎綱俊, “made by Katō Chōunsai Tsunatoshi in Edo”), real name Katō Hachirō (加藤八郎), he came originally from Dewa´s Yonezawa (米沢) and was like his father Katō Kunihide (国秀) a student of Suishinshi Masahide (水心子正秀), he moved to Edo during the Bunsei era (文政, 1818-1830) where he worked in the residence of the Uesugi family (上杉), the daimyō of Yonezawa, around the first year of Ansei (安政, 1854) he left his gō Chōunsai to his son Koretoshi (是俊) and changed his pseudonym to Chōjusai (長寿斎), he died on the fifth day of the twelfth month Bunkyū three (文久, 1863) in the Uesugi Edo residence at the age of 66, like his brother Tsunahide (綱英) he too hardened a tōran-midare but his best works are in the Bizen tradition, the jigane is a dense ko-itame with ji-nie which tends to muji, the hamon is a ko-chōjimidare or ko-midare in nioi-deki with tight nioiguchi, the bōshi is a smaller midare-komi, the jihada can also be a dense mokume which tends to muji but which also show mixed-in ō-hada, blades are generally rather long, have a deep sori, and a thick kasane, jō-saku

[Stephen]

https://nihontoantiques.com/project/chonsai-tsunatoshi-fss-845/

 

https://www.aoijapan.net/katana-kato-chounsai-tsunatoshi-the-first-generation/

 

few more but you get the picture

[ruddiger]

Any idea on the age of the Yoshimitsu? Sorry I didn’t respond earlier, I am about the most computer illiterate person alive. I did not see any of these comments until last night. Thank you, very much for the info you guys have provided.

[ruddiger]

This is the Yoshimitsu. 

The Fuchi pictured here is from the Chounsai, can anyone identify the crest?

[uwe]

At a glance I would say it’s a dragon, so not necessarily a crest!