Translation assistance on Type 98 acquisition and approx date

[Eds]

Translation assistance on another Katana Type 98 acquisition and approx date-has an inspection stamp I've never seen before

[xiayang]

濃州関住二十三代藤原兼房作之 = Nōshū Seki-jū nijūsan-dai Fujiwara Kanefusa saku kore

 

The stamp is a Seki (関) stamp.

[John C]

 

Ed: Just for further information on the stamp, the following excerpt is from Bruce Pennington's Stamp document (which you can find in downloads)

 

John C.

Seki stamps are seen in two sizes, 5mm(large) and 3mm(small). The earliest large Seki seen, so far, is 1940, so there are both Showa and Seki stamped blades found in 1940- 1942. The stamp was a commercial one, like the Showa, used by the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association.

In 1943, the large Seki rapidly tapered off. Most dated stamped blades that year bore the “Na” of the Nagoya Army Arsenal. At the same time, the first signs of the small Seki began. The Seki Supervisory Unit of the Nagoya Army Arsenal began using the stamp on accepted blades and used it through the end of the war.

3 hours ago, Eds said:

has an inspection stamp I've never seen before

 

[Eds]

Thank you Jan and John.  Would this be a gendiato or machine made ?

[k morita]

Hi,
The tag says:
第一〇號　　(#10). 
侯爵細川家所蔵(Owned by the Marquis Hosokawa family).

 

*However, I don't know if this tag is related to this sword.

[mecox]

This is 23rd generation Fujiwara Kanefusa.  More info here:

 

[John C]

42 minutes ago, Eds said:

Would this be a gendiato or machine made

Does it have a star stamp on the nakago? Yes = could be gendaito; no = then probably not (though could still be if done early enough). Also, look for the tell-tale signs of oil quenching (as opposed to water quenching). A thin dark line at the hamon, dark "bursts" coming from the valleys of the hamon, and a lack of any real nie or nioi. 

John C.

[Eds]

No star that I see. Thank you everyone for the plethora of information and education

Ed S

[Eds]

any advice on repainting / refinishing the paint on a Saya?   such as this one?  or a service that provides it?

[Bruce Pennington]

Ed,

That's an aluminum saya, and while not rare, they aren't that common either.  Quite normal to see the paint coming off.  I don't personally know of someone who restores saya.  You see them coming out of Japan fully restored, but I don't know who would do that in the States.  I tried my hand at it on an NCO saya, and I'm not happy with how it looks.  Tough to get a legit color for WWII Japan, and it looks too new.

 

I'd personally leave it as it is, as it's all original, showing the life of the gunto.

 

[Eds]

Bruce

Good advice. .  .thank you. .  how about getting a Nihonto polished. .  .I have a small nick in a sword that could benefit

[John C]

1 hour ago, Eds said:

how about getting a Nihonto polished.

Ed:

My vote would be no. From what I can see, the polish is old but the hamon is still visible and the rust does not seem excessive. A polish would cost 70-100 dollars per INCH! If the small nick is only in the hardened area of the blade (e.g. does not go up into the hamon) it is not a fatal flaw and is just part of the history. But it is your sword so you would make that call, of course.

John C.

[Eds]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!

[ChrisW]

23 minutes ago, John C said:

Ed:

My vote would be no. From what I can see, the polish is old but the hamon is still visible and the rust does not seem excessive. A polish would cost 70-100 dollars per INCH! If the small nick is only in the hardened area of the blade (e.g. does not go up into the hamon) it is not a fatal flaw and is just part of the history. But it is your sword so you would make that call, of course.

John C.

I believe the going rate for a good polish nowadays is about 100-120/inch, per Bob Benson/Woody Hall. John said it best, the polish is still good enough to not warrant a full polish.