Need ID help

[TA63]

Hello, new member here. A good friend of mine's grandfather was a US marine and fought at Saipan. He brought home two swords. Here are pictures of one. We are trying to learn of the sword, its maker, and history. Any help is much appreciated. This website is very informative and interesting. I can tell I will spend a considerable amount of time here reading.

 

 

 

 

[Mark]

sword looks like an army officer's sword, the tsuba (guard) is not the standard type, it is a tsuba from a tachi (more cerimonial type). the tang is upside down, but if i stand on my head it looks like the maker says his name is Kanekiyo

[doug e lewis]

Hi Tag [forgot signature on post],

 

i love to see these war trophy swords because you never know if it will turn out to be gunto, or a family heirloom lost in the war.

 

my kanji abilities are rudimentary, at best, so i won't try. i would like to see close ups of the sword tip -- kissaki -- and the entire tang -- nakago --- as that would tell much about the sword.

 

now listen to the guys on NMB who really know their stuff. i'm just trying to move things along.

 

doug e

[TA63]

Heres a picture of the tip.

 

[doug e lewis]

HEy austin,

 

thank you. isn't getting these close up photos tough. the yakote looks well defined, as far as ican tell. and not much active rust. [you know not to touch the blade with your bare hand as it will cause it to rust, in the shape of your fingerprint [my brother's imprint on my katana is proof].

 

taking a picture of the temper line - hamon -- is very hard. check out the links at the top of the page for hints on photographing swords. written by some of the best at doing it.

 

thanks for sharing

 

doug e

[John A Stuart]

I agree "Noshu Junin Kanekiyo". A Seki smith probably 長村 清三郎 Nagamura Seizaburou. John

[TA63]

This would be a wartime production sword, correct?

[John A Stuart]

Of that period, yes. John

[majortiger]

The kanji are 浓州住人兼清， '浓州'=a place name, '住'=reside, '人'=people, some one,'兼清'=the smith's name, the smith's name is kanekiyo(兼清)

[Nobody]

The kanji are 浓州住人兼清， '浓州'=a place name, '住'=reside, '人'=people, some one,'兼清'=the smith's name, the smith's name is kanekiyo(兼清)

To be precise, the first kanji in the mei is 濃, because Japanese generally do not use Simplified Chinese characters.