Question on the Japanese signs

[Robert45]

Good day to you all,

 

I am new. Donot know anything about swords. But have one in the house. Heirloom.

 

According to the family of my Dutch wife her uncle ( a captain)  received the sword of his Japanese counterpart at the end of WW2 in Indonesia (then a Dutch Colony).

 

The sword has been packed for at least 20 years. The blade looks great, real steel and shining under some dust may be. The scabbard is of wood lacquered black and covered with a leather jacquet, jacquet has scars, yes.

 

I have taken the sword apart, it measures 88 cm from tip to tip and its bends 2.5 cm over that line to the steel.I will try to send two pictures.

One of the complete sword and anothetr one of the only markings I could find on it. The Japanese characters.

 

Last but not least a darbrown - red tassel was attached to it in the past, my wife has seen it hanging for years, but the tassel is no longer there.

 

Can anyone shine some light on this sword.

Every piece of information will be appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance for your news

 

Robert

[John C]

Did it come with a tsuba (guard) or just what is seen above?

John C.

[BANGBANGSAN]

敏正作。

TOSHIMASA (敏正), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Toshimasa” (敏正), real name Asai Eikurō (浅井栄九郎), born January 15th 1886, student of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永), he worked as guntō smith and died October 25th 1958。

[mecox]

Robert, looks to be TOSHIMASA (敏正) of  Gifu – “Toshimasa” (敏正), real name Asai Eikurō (浅井栄九郎), born January 15th 1886, student of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永), he worked as guntō smith and died October 25 1958 age 72.  In 1942 ranked as  Ryōkō no Retsu (in Akihide Banzuke list).   He is listed in Slough book page 176.   He registered as a Seki swordsmith in Showa 16 (1941) August 18, age 55.

 

 

[mecox]

Good confirmation with Trystan!

[Robert45]

To all of you thank you for your replies.   I have heard from various places now that the the signs could mean  TOSHIMASA SAKU .

I do have the complete sword.  Here below  I will send one more picture of all the parts with sizes. And as I told before I think the sword was handed over at the end of WW2 in The Dutch Indies (now Indonesia) by a Japanese Officer, the counterpart of my wife's uncle who was a Captain in the KNIL (koninklijk nederlands indisch leger OR Royal Dutch Indian Army.

After the War he stayed on in Indonesia until the early fifties. His brother (the father of my wife) also worked in Indonesia in the Sugar Industry and he later got the sword as a present. It always hung on the wall with the DarkBrown-Red tassel that finally got lost over the years. It stood neatly packed in our house for over 20 years. Now it was time to do some checking. What does the sign mean, who made, where does it come from , how old is it and more of those things. Just interest in history.

I appreciate all you people can come up with. Thanks so much

 

Robert                                     PS:::: please note that the copy of the (ASAI ) TOSHIMASA sign with the two hilts/tangs DO NOT depict my sword.  But just two of the three signs on my hilt.   TOSHI  MASA

[Bugyotsuji]

In other words, your blade says: 

敏正　作 = Toshimasa Saku = Toshimasa made (this).

Your tang has no other writing, i.e. no date on it.