ww2 series blade

[phil reid]

Assistance please with signature  on this seki stamped blade

[Ray Singer]

Ishihara Yoshisada. If you search here in the group you will find a number of posts on Yoshisada. 

[Ray Singer]

https://www.google.c...rome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

[Bruce Pennington]

Phil, safe to assume no date on the other side?

 

Also, 2 holes - is it in standard military fittings?

[phil reid]

Hi Bruce , no, no date but small seki stamp above signature, standard military mounts with wear appropriate  to blade wear , puzzled about the 2 holes as to whether it had been rehilted period or early post war, scabbard fits blade well but 2 inches too long.

[george trotter]

Hi Phil,

Having two holes on a WWII showato or gendaito blade is not uncommon. I think many swords were made and the smith put a hole in his 'usual place' and later, the mounting shop finds that the hole doesn't line up with the hilt/binding 'access' points so they put in another hole to line up well.

No mystery, and not a  sign that the sword has been re-mounted with a new/different set of mounts.

Of course, never say never with Japanese swords, so there is always a possibility that it was re-mounted for some reason - battle damage, change to new mounts etc.......I'm just saying that two holes are not uncommon for the reason I give.

Just my 2 cents worth..Hope this helps

[phil reid]

Hi George,

Hope your keeping well.

Thanks, very interesting about the blade hole being drilled and then mounting shop handles ( bulk pre made?) being fitted afterwards to be adjusted ( wood filing/ filler, seppa adjustments etc) to line up with pre drilled hole to the point that if too far out a new hole would be drilled? Never really went into the production of these WW2 swords so need to do some reading.Cheers!

[george trotter]

Yes, hard to say Phil, I have seen two blades by the same man, both with its hole the same size and location, both in Type 98 mounts. But, one has a second, smaller dia. hole drilled close by.

The 1 hole is (IMO) still in its original mounts while the 2 hole one  has slightly different mounts which (judging from the shop markings/numbers etch ) were done in a different shop . I feel that the 1 hole has survived the war in good shape in its original mounts while the 2 hole has had a rough time and had to be remounted and so the shop, finding that the original hole did not line up exactly to its particular hilt, put in a new hole....just my feeling on this. 

Regards...