Translation help please

aabderson · October 24, 2023

Can anyone help translate?

Ray Singer · October 24, 2023

Seki Kaneyoshi saku.

Unfortunately, the nakago looks like it may have been cleaned,

Best regards,

Ray

aabderson · October 24, 2023

any idea of the age?

Bugyotsuji · October 24, 2023

The rust on the Nakago will help establish age.

A few pics of the blade shape and steel features will also give more information, besides what you have already read up on the smith(s) with this name.

Bruce Pennington · October 24, 2023

That's a Showa stamp at the top:

So the most likely date of manufacture is 1940-41, though we have seen dates as early as 1935 and a late as 1945, but those are quite rare. The apparent age is likely heavy rust that has been stabalized and/or cleaned.

Bruce Pennington · October 24, 2023

@Ray Singer - is this one: 兼義 ? If so, it is the first one I've seen with that spelling. I have 兼吉 on file, and only one of that one.

Or are we looking at: 兼専?

Thanks!

Bruce Pennington · October 25, 2023

Ray must be busy. Can anyone else help me with which Kaneyoshi this is?

@SteveM?

Ray Singer · October 25, 2023

There are two smiths with that artname documented in Sesko. I don't know which of those two this is.

KANEYOSHI (兼義), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kaneyoshi” (兼義), real name Kawai Yoshifumi (河合義文), born October 25th 1902, nephew of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永), he worked as guntō smith, ryōkō no jōi (Akihide), Second Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)

KANEYOSHI (兼義), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kaneyoshi” (兼義), real name Okada Takeshi (岡田武), born October 20th 1908, younger brother of Okeada Kanesada (岡田兼定), he worked as guntō smith and died March 15th 1972, jōkō no retsu (Akihide), Fourth Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941)