Type 3/44 gunto

[Frank]

Hey guys ive finally bought myself what looks like a Nagoya stamped type 3 or type 44. After taking off the handle to examine the nakago I found a bit of an overlapping riddle....

[Frank]

[Frank]

[xiayang]

兼㝎 = Kanesada

 

昭和十九年二月 = February of Shōwa 19 (1944 CE)

 

The date seems to have been chiselled twice: once very lightly (as if someone was trying to sketch it), and then overwritten.

[Bruce Pennington]

Frank,

For my current survey, could you post photos showing the overall fittings, the release button(s), and the mekugi pegs or screws?

Thanks!

[Frank]

Bruce,

[Frank]

[Kiipu]

Are we sure this is Kanesada 兼㝎 and not Kanesada 兼定?

Strange sword

[Bruce Pennington]

Did some digging in Sesko's list.  He doesn't have any Kanesada using 兼㝎, not that this by itself is conclusive, but he actually has one using the exact same full mei as the one in your link:

"KANESADA (兼定), Kanbun (寛文, 1661-1673), Musashi – “Bushū-jū Izumi no Kami Kanesada” (武州住和泉守兼定), “Kanesada” (兼定), “Izumi no Kami Minamoto Kanesada” (和泉守源兼定)"

[Peter Bleed]

I think those are the same kanji but different stylistic renderings.

Peter

 

[Kiipu]

The plot thickens!  Seems there are character variations within this Kanesada lineage.  Akira Komiya over at WRF has pointed out that the 2nd generation Kanesada used 兼㝎 instead of 兼定.  So maybe that is what is seen above?

Strange sword

 

Akira referenced the following Japanese Wikipedia article.

和泉守兼定