Another hopeless inheritee who would love ANY help identifying sword and possibly maker

[Njbrez]

Hi guys,

I recently inherited a Japanese WW2 era Shin Gunto from my Grandfather after he passed away. I have been doing my research online and there seems to be alot of variations that can change the story.

 

From what I have found online, I have a Type 98 (that is in pretty poor condition). I pulled of the tsuka and have found an engraving on the handle. Im fairly certain the blade is mass produced and nothing special, but i'd probably like confirmation of this before i do any work cleaning it up incase I ruin something worth restoring properly. There are no marking or stampings in the blade above the tsuba, theres only a single Mekugi pin in the tsuka (which is made of wood) and the scabbard has a flat end.

 

If anyone is able to direct me to a table of Japanese characters that I should start with to cross reference with the ones on the hilt, or if anyone has the knowledge to do it easily themselves that would be greatly appreciated. But i see alot of people make identification posts like this and just expect others to do all the work for them, and thats what i would like to try not to do, you guys have a passion and niche skillset and I would love to get to know this sword better and share that passion.

 

Even just some confirmation of what kind of sword / if it is a type 98......

If any additional photos would help, let me know

 

Thanks in advance

[Ray Singer]

Perhaps: Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Nick, nice piece of family history. You may have some luck having the cloth surrender tag translated as well, if there are legible characters remaining. This often has the name and rank of the Japanese officer.

[Njbrez]

Hey Ray, thanks heaps for the translation. I'll see what I can dig up about that name, knowing the smith now lets me find out so much more about this Shin Gunto

And John, I had no idea that cloth was called a surrender tag..... I wrongly assumed it was just a sale tag from the a shop where the sword was purchased or something similar

 

Its kind of hard to see the ink/writing and couldnt get a very good single photo of it. 
@Ray Singer, can you make anything from my photos of the surrender tag?

[Bugyotsuji]

石田部隊　Ishida Troop/Corps/Unit

前田曹長 Sergeant Major Maeda

[Stephen]

I think I see a small stamp above seki Kanji. Close up will confirm. 

 

Please don't clean the blade other than removing fingerprints if any and keep a light coat of oil on the blade only not the tang.

 

 

 

[Njbrez]

You guys have all been too good to me, your knowledge is unreal

Stephen, good spot! I didnt even see the stamp under all that rust. I have tried my best to get a legible photo without trying to remove/clean up any of the rust

There doesnt seem to be a huge amount of info on Matsuda Kanetaka, do we know how he made his blades/ is there a better way to find more info than just googling him / are there any books I can buy to help me?
 

[Bugyotsuji]

関 Seki indeed, Stephen's eyes as sharp as ever!

[Stephen]

from Marksu book:

 

KANETAKA (兼高), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanetaka” (兼高), real name Matsuda Takaichi (松田高市), born September 16th 1911, student of Kojima Kanemichi (小島兼道), he worked as a guntō smith

[Bruce Pennington]

Nick,

You sound like you'd like to work on stuff yourself.  Here are a couple of useful places to work out names:

On the Home page of this site, upper right corner is a pop-up window of name kanji:

 

A site I use quite a bit is:

 

Seki Smiths (japaneseswordindex.com)

Very easy to use, but the writing on blades is often quite hard to make out, so good luck!  There are a few common ones that you will start recognizing like "Kane" and a couple others.  But it can be tough.

 

I don't remember where I got it, but there is a free downloadable pdf of Markus Sesko's Swordsmiths of Japan, that give a brief synopsis of many smiths.

 

For care of your sword, read this: https://japaneseswordindex.com/care.htm

 

Your gunto is a Type 98 in combat saya or as Ohmura calls it "informal saya".  You can read all about these on Ohmura's free, excellent site: Military Swords of Imperial Japan (Guntō) (ohmura-study.net)

[mecox]

Nick, looks to be an interesting sword that went to war.  The smith is Kanetaka from Seki.  There were two of that signature, but his family name is Matsuda.  Not a lot of info available but here is a summary.

 

KANETAKA (兼高), from Gifu Prefecture, his real name is Matsuda Takaichi (松田高市).  There is a 1937 compilation done by police for the government listing active tosho at that time; there were 34 active tosho  listed in Gifu Prefecture including Kanetaka.  The report describes him as:  兼高 Kanetaka (松田 高市 Matsuda Takaichi), born: Meiji 44 (1911) September 16; registered as a Seki tosho on Showa 14 (1939) October 26 (age 28).  In 1937 he was living at Bugi-gun, Seki-machi, Aza naka-cho.  On registration in 1939, he was still living at Seki-machi, Naka-cho (probably home and workshop).  He trained as an apprentice from Taisho 13 (1924) (age 13) under Kojima Kanetoki (who became independent in 1928, and changed his name to Kojima Kanemichi).  Kanetaka became independent (qualified) in May Showa 5 (1930) (age 18).   In 1937 Kanetaka was an independent tosho (age 26) and he had 1 deshi (student).

When he registered as a Seki swordsmith on Showa 14 (1939) October 26 it was very early and pre-war, and at the age of 28.   In the late 1930's he was one of 15 tosho in the Kanemichi Mon, or group, of  Kojima Kanemichi (小島兼道) who was then well recoginized smith in Seki.  Kanemichi had been a student of the high ranked smith Watanabe Kanenaga. Kanemichi and many of his group registered as Seki tosho in this early pre-war period of  late 1939.

There are quite a few examples of his work, and these have both Sho/sakura and Seki stamps (early part of war).  None of these blades are dated.  They also show variation in mei cutting and in nakago shape, suggesting assistants. The well cut mei are probably "nakirishimei" by a specialist, common in larger workshops.  One example (E) is a custom order, so clearly he was a skilled tosho.  He worked as a guntō smith possibly both in his own workshop (and selling through military organisations?) but also producing for an arsenal.  However, there is no record he submitted to any exhibitions (e.g. 1941, 1943, 1944).  Further, he is not listed in the 1942 Banzuke which compiled and ranked 400 swordsmiths.  These factors suggest he was not around from maybe 1941, suggesting he may have died or even enlisted.  

Examples.

A. Nick's sword: with uncommon cursive script mei  "Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka.   関 住松田 兼高    (Seki stamp  関).

B. Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作     (Sho stamp   昭)  [Stein JSI].

C. Noshu ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州住松田兼高作   (Seki stamp  関  and kokuin hot stamp for "TAKA")  [Fuller & Gregory, 1983].

D. Matsuda Kanetaka     松田兼高  (Sho stamp   昭)    [Fuller & Gregory, 1983].

E. Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作   (Sho stamp  昭)      Oite Tanaka shi motome   應田中氏需  "In accordance to the wishes of Mr Tanaka"

F. Noshu Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州松田兼高作  (3 part "shu") (Seki stamp  関  and kokuin hot stamp for "TAKA").  Nagasa 68.4 cm.  [nipponto.co.jp].

G. Matsuda Kanetaka    松田兼高   (Sho stamp   昭)  Nagasa 71.2 cm.  Unusual stretched out mei.  [ikedaart.com].

H. Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作    (Sho stamp   昭)  [gihei.com].

I.  Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作     (Sho stamp   昭)  Nagasa  69.4 cm.  [aucview.aucfan.com]

J.  Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作     (Sho stamp   昭)  Nagasa  66.2 cm.  [auctions yahoo.co.jp]

K. Noshu Seki ju Matsuda Kanetaka saku    濃州関住松田兼高作  (3 part "shu")   (stamp removed, probably Sho  昭)   Nagasa 67.3 cm.  [google.com.au]     

 

                                                 

[Stephen]

Mal your the man, man!