Katsutsune ?

[Dogditcher]

This Sword has a great feel and balance measures 26 3/4" and listed as Katsutsune-

All input is welcome -Enjoy

 

 

 

[Dogditcher]

 

 

[rebcannonshooter]

Hi Steve, really interesting sword! The bottom part reads "KA-TO JU-MYO KORE SAKU" ( MAYBE 'KORE O SAKU' WOULD BE MORE PROPER??) The top three kanji  are "NI-HON and maybe DAMASHII ????- "Japanese Spirit" hard to tell, its added later over a "Showa" stamp possibly to disguise the stamp??

Maybe some of the better translators will weigh in with their thoughts, and correct me.

 

Tom

[SteveM]

Nippon/Nihon damashii is correct. And I think your intuition is correct: the words may indeed have been inscribed to partially obscure the Shōwa stamp. 

 

Katō Jumyō kore wo tsukuru would be the proper kanbun reading, but nowadays everyone just abbreviates it, word-for-word: Katō Jumyō kore saku.

[rebcannonshooter]

Thanks SteveM, I always appreciate your input, guidance and patience for an "old guy" trying to improve his Japanese language skills!

Thanks again Tom M.

[Dogditcher]

5 hours ago, SteveM said:

And I think your intuition is correct: the words may indeed have been inscribed to partially obscure the Shōwa stamp. 

Good catch -think 2nd pic shows it pretty well

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Fascinating file marks on the back edge of the mune.

 

In case you haven't heard or read - the Showa stamp was the approval/inspection mark of the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association who was doing quality control over the Seki area sword industry.  The stamp was seen on blades from 1935 to 1942, but the massive majority of them were on blades made in 1940 & 1941.