Yamato [no] kuni Tadayoshi (大和 国 忠義)

[cisco-san]

Hello,

 

Some weeks ago I bought a blade which is signed

Yamato [no] kuni Tadayoshi (大和 国 忠義)

and is dated

Shôwa Jû Shichi Nen Shi Gatsu Kichi Hi (lucky day April Showa 17 (1942)) 昭和 十 七 年 四 月 吉 日

 

nagasa 69 cm
sori is 2 cm
motohaba is 3,2 cm
sakihaba is 2,3 cm
motokasane is 7 mm
sakikasane is 6 mm

 

Unfortunately I can not find any information about this smith. Except that most probably the smith was/is Suzuki Tadayoshi (based on information from the well known Chris Bowen). I got this information when the blade was offered to me months ago.

 

I tried to find information about this smith in many books as well as on Web, no no luck

Any further information would be great... :-)

 

Another interesting point is that the month is written as "Shi"... which is unusual, at least for me?!

 

Many thanks

Klaus

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Rivkin]

By what is seen in photos this is high end gendaito. Lovely work!

[cisco-san]

19 minutes ago, Rivkin said:

By what is seen in photos this is high end gendaito. Lovely work!

many thanks! :-)

 

This is what Chris wrote, just based on the Nakago picture

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The only smith I find listed who signed Tadayoshi with these kanji in Showa was a Suzuki Tadayoshi.
I can not find any examples of his work to compare with...
The nakago is well shaped and finished, the signature well cut.
Most likely a traditional blade and I would bet it is of good or better workmanship.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Abaris]

You should ask in the correct Military forum. Oretty sure you will get better answers! It looks incredible, BTW.

[Brian]

Seriously nice Gendaito, in excellent professional polish. Congrats!
Maybe a wartime private order, not necessarily made for the war?

[oli]

Nice Nihonto thanks for the pictures , very interesting Hamon, any idea which school influenced this smith?

[cisco-san]

14 hours ago, oli said:

Nice Nihonto thanks for the pictures , very interesting Hamon, any idea which school influenced this smith?

Togishi meant, ko-bizen utsushi

[cisco-san]

14 hours ago, Brian said:

Seriously nice Gendaito, in excellent professional polish. Congrats!
Maybe a wartime private order, not necessarily made for the war?

You might be right. No stamp available....

Unfortunately I got it in Shirasaya without Koshirae.

 

[The Blacksmith]

A beautiful blade!  Shirasaya are good Klaus, nothing to distract from the beauty of the blade!  This was one of the reasons that I collected mainly Shin-Gunto swords, though back in the late 70's and early 80's, not so much was known about all the various different fittings.

Do I see slight utsuri  in some of the pictures?

[cisco-san]

Of course, Shirasaya is good, but if the original Koshirae would be available, this would give us a little hint if it was a war blade or a private ordered (as I have a Yoshikane from this time which was most probably a weeding gift)

Yes, a very slight utsuri can be seen , but it´s so hard to make good pics!

[oli]

Another Showa Tadayoshi: https://www.aoijapan...a-20-nen-5-gatsu-hi/

[SteveM]

5 hours ago, oli said:

Another Showa Tadayoshi

 

That Tadayoshi is a different one, who spells his name differently. The one that Aoi has is 忠喜 (Kawashima Tadayoshi). Relatively famous smith gunto smith.

 

The one that Klaus has is 忠義, who is something of a mystery, but looks like a pretty skilled smith. 

 

 

[cisco-san]

On 5/19/2024 at 4:11 PM, SteveM said:

 

The one that Klaus has is 忠義, who is something of a mystery, but looks like a pretty skilled smith. 

 

 

Hello,

 

seems an unrecorded smith... I will try to post some pics on FB for further information... but frankly speaking, I am not sure if I will receive more information, as this forum is a great source one with very skilled members!!! 

[Soshin]

On 5/14/2024 at 10:45 AM, cisco-san said:

many thanks! :-)

 

This is what Chris wrote, just based on the Nakago picture

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The only smith I find listed who signed Tadayoshi with these kanji in Showa was a Suzuki Tadayoshi.
I can not find any examples of his work to compare with...
The nakago is well shaped and finished, the signature well cut.
Most likely a traditional blade and I would bet it is of good or better workmanship.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

Genuinely nice sword thanks for sharing. I am not at all knowledge about these more modern Japanese swords. Chris Bowen is the expert on Gendaitō (現代刀) in my opinion. I have aways been amazed by his level of knowledge about these more modern Nihontō (日本刀).