Showato translation help

[Scogg]

Was hoping for some help translating the mei on this non-traditional WW2 showato. I did not apply the chalk - it was already there. 

Thank you!

Cheers,

-Sam

[xiayang]

福本兼宗 = Fukumoto Kanemune

[Scogg]

Thank you so much! Much appreciated 

All the best, 

-Sam

[mecox]

Sam, Kanemune background and examples in this download.   Also your sword has a stamp, maybe sakura/sho.

 

[Bruce Pennington]

I have a large number of Kanemune on file.  He must have been a prolific smith!  44 of them.  Quite a number of the blades are in civil fittings, too.  He must have had a sword shop or 2 buying his blades.

[Scogg]

Thank you Mal, that’s super helpful! It’s nice to have a well documented smith to look into. This sword has a 69cm nagasa, and bohi. 
 

It has a well defined Showa stamp. Certainly not one of the other less common stamps I see on some of his swords. I understand this means it’s not traditionally made, and I think it looks oil quenched. 
 

The sword is in lower-end civilian fittings, without a WW2 component to speak of. I suspect someone might have pieced it together for martial art practice. 
 

I’ll get a photo soon. The yakote has been polished down a little unfortunately, but it can still be seen. 
 

Cheers, 

-Sam
 

 

[Scogg]

Here’s some photos of the sword. Pretty weird collab of fittings. 
 

Weird tassel too, and it might be a fake, made from bolo tie? I’ve never seen one like it. Waiting for a tassel thread to post it to, but I’m not convinced it’s Japanese @Bruce Pennington
 

I got this sword, and a wakizashi at a local gun show for what I think was a very affordable deal.
Cheers,

-Sam 

[moriarty]

35 minutes ago, GeorgeLuucas said:

Here’s some photos of the sword. Pretty weird collab of fittings. 
 

Weird tassel too, and it might be a fake, made from bolo tie? I’ve never seen one like it. Waiting for a tassel thread to post it to, but I’m not convinced it’s Japanese @Bruce Pennington
 

I got this sword, and a wakizashi at a local gun show for what I think was a very affordable deal.
Cheers,

-Sam 

Quite the interesting piece, I've too found odd pieces at gun shows. Thanks for posting 🙏

[Bruce Pennington]

There was a post sometime back with a similar tassel. Everyone thought it might be from a US marine sword.

[Scogg]

I’ve decided I’m going to list this sword for sale, along with the wakizashi shown in the link below. 
 

I will donate a small percentage of the proceeds to NMB for the generous help y’all have provided in translating and identifying (thank you @Spartancrest @Matsunoki and others in my tsuba thread).

The rest I will put towards a new sword more tailored to my tastes. 

I hope this is the ethical course of action as I have no intentions on being a dealer  - but I want to turn these over to support my collecting habit. 
 

Cheers! 
-Sam