Signed Gunto no Stamps...

[BRUNROX]

Greetings All, I have been trying to translate the Kanji on this Sword for a couple of days now with no major luck. The first Kanji is really a puzzle to me since I can find nothing similar in Slough's, the second one I believe it to be "Kawa", the third one "Masa" ?? maybe ?, and the fourth one no clue at all. This sword also came with a tassle. Something that I find interesting is that it has no visible stamps on Tang. Any ideas ? All help is greatly appreciated. Best Regards,Mario P.

[k morita]

Hi

 

早川行房　Hayakawa Yukifusa.

[BRUNROX]

Thank You very much Morita san, I was way off on the translation. Any idea why there are no stamps if this is a WWII Gunto ? Regards, Mario P.

[blades87]

Dr. Richard Stein's website (http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/nihonto.htm) offers a lot of information on Japanese swords.

 

Traditional VS Non-traditional swords

http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/showato.htm

 

List of Seki Smiths

http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/seki.htm

 

Looking in John Slough's book, I do not see Yukifusa listed.

 

Can you post some pictures of the nagasa? Looking for the hamon (tempered edge), hada (grain pattern), fittings (koshirae) and sword tip (kissaki).

 

During WW2, family swords were converted to fit into military fittings. These swords would not have markings. Also, the sword could be a modern period sword (gendaito), which would not have the military stamps on it because it was made before the military mass production push.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[BRUNROX]

Hello Toby, thanks for the info. I found him listed in this site with first and last name, almost at bottom of page...

WWII Japanese Swordsmith Ranking

 

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... clnk&gl=us

 

Considered a Seki Smith that produced low grade Showato and should not be regarded as Gendaito. If you would still like to see more pics. I'll be glad to post. Best Regards, Mario P.

[blades87]

I would not make the assumption that this sword is made by a low grade Seki smith without seeing the pictures of the sword.

 

I checked the JSS database and there is a Yukifusa listed:

 

Yukifusa

行房

Ushu ju

1865

TS436

 

Go ahead and post some pictures.

 

Thanks.

[BRUNROX]

Greetings, I'm not the best at taking pics., even though I have a pretty good camera. I know a scanner is the best but ...

I hope these help. Regards, Mario P.

[blades87]

Here's what I see that makes me think that this is not a low grade Showato. Other members, please feel free to comment.

 

1. The temper line is very well defined. Referencing B.W Robinson, that ha looks like the Gunome pattern.

 

2. The kissaki is long, versus the shorter kissaki that I am accustomed to seeing on WW2 style guntos.

 

I have some pictures of an WW2 sword with no stamps and is signed: http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... ord_20.php

 

If you look at the ha on this sword, it is pretty straight compared to your sword.

 

Here are some pictures of a signed, stamped machine made sword with a ha similar to your sword:

http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/Japanese/sword_23.php

 

Here are some reference other WW2 blades:

http://www.quanonline.com/military/military_reference/Japanese/sword_26.html

http://www.quanonline.com/military/mili ... sword5.php

 

My guess is that this is not a low grade sword. You would not see the ha in an oil quenched sword, which is normally the process used on low grade Showato sword to hardened the edges.

[BRUNROX]

Thanks again Toby, I was ready to dismiss this sword as just another WWII mass produced. Not that they are not appealing

in their own right, I own about 10, just that a Hand-made Katana has more appeal. I'll clean it up a little with powder and oil and see what else it tells me. Regards, Mario P.