A War Souvenir/Trophy In Need of Assistance.

[Hachiman]

I'm posting for a friend of a friend whose father brought this sword home from WWII. Sadly, some half-siblings of the present owner used it as a plaything and reduced it to this condition from its previous excellent condition.

 

It looks to my untrained eye like it might be of decent quality. Any help with the signature or the overall appearance, fittings etc. would be much appreciated.

 

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2010-4/1355702/0

 

Thanks in advance.

[Veli]

Hi Hachiman!

 

Signed Kanemoto. There was a large number of Mino-den smiths by this name, some very good ones. Your blade looks koto (16th century or older) to my untrained eye. Definitely not a plaything, but one to restore! Fittings look battered but good, too. Unfortunately I write this in a hurry, so I leave the Ura-mei translation to more knowledgeable members. I am only a beginner, but I think we seldom see blades of this quality when people ask for NMB assistance.

 

 

 

BTW, please sign your posts with your real name!

 

BR, Veli

[nagamaki - Franco]

Greetings,

 

I could be completely wrong here , but will offer another perspective none the less . This looks to be a late copy of an early sword imo, Meiji period would be my guess. As mentioned in a similar thread recently, the quality of the sword found in these late period copies is generally limited with the occasional exception.

[k morita]

Hi,

 

A: shima kasumi

This sentence is woman's name or nickname of this sword.

If it is this sword-nickname, the meaning is "Scenery where island on sea is misted".

scenery of the blade?

 

B:

owner's name and stamp(kao).

[Stephen]

some piecing together on this, two seppa come from a gunto, dont think the saya matches, from the way the Kane is done id say older than Meiji.

[Veli]

When looking at the burr at the edges of the strokes, it seems clear that the Kanemoto mei is much older than the ownership inscription.

 

BR, Veli

[Hachiman]

Many thanks to all who have replied, particularly Mr. Morita. As the owner and I are not familiar with the proper Japanese terms for the various parts and features, could I ask your indulgence in posting an English translation of the words and phrases you have used, and perhaps a short comment on the significance of these terms or features?

 

I'm guessing the "Kanemoto Mei" refers to the markings on the reverse of the tang? What do these markings signifiy in general as well as in this case?

 

I see your point Veli about the edges of the characters. Can you expand on this at all?

 

Does anyone have an opinion on the age of the guard? In my casual reading about Japanese swords many years ago, I did not notice this kind of lacquer(?) work being shown.

 

Again,

 

Robert.

[Jamie]

Robert,

This might help you with some basic terminology.

 

Mei is the signature on the Nagako (Tang)\

 

http://members.shaw.ca/nihontonut/glossary.html

 

 

Jamie

[Veli]

Hi Robert!

 

Nakago is a kind of rough clock for estimating the age of a nihon-to. The patina, corrosion, color, and the condition of the signature offer help when determining the period when the sword was made and signed. This is not as important a tool, however, as workmanship and shape (form) of the blade. But this is why the rust on the nakago should never be removed. The signature strokes are also affected by time, corrosion and wear. All the sharp features in the strokes tend to soften and become kind of round. I have attached a few examples of signatures from different time periods (14th to 20th century). See yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, Mei (signature) is normally on the front side (omote) of the tang, not on the reverse!

 

BR, Veli

[Hachiman]

Thank you Veli, for those examples. I'm interested to see that not all signatures are struck in with a straight edge, but some are cut with a chisel and hammer like your third example(?)

 

Stephen, it is possible that the pieces you refer to came from another sword which was recovered by the same soldier at the same time and place. The fate of this sword is now unknown, but it was described as "a dress sword...mostly brass except for the blade and hilt. It had the same white material on the hilt as the [other] sword and the blade was straight." I wonder if parts of the two got mixed up considering how roughly they were treated?

 

Jamie, thank you for the link, very helpful!

 

Franco, your comment is just as welcome! Would you care to expand on why you think this is a later copy?

 

How common was it for swords to have "nicknames" and/or owner's names applied, and does this tell us anything about the sword?

 

(I have added a few more photos I received from the owner to the link: http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2010-4/1355702/0 )

 

Robert.

[Veli]

Actually all the examples have been cut with a chisel and hammer, just like the third example. Please look very closely at the strokes! Arsenal stamps were made with a single stroke, but traditional signatures were kind of engraved with a chisel tip and hammer.

 

If you wish to hear opinions of the blade from our more experienced experts, please attach some close-up pictures of the kissaki (point) and hamon (tempering pattern).

 

BR, Veli

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hello Robert,

 

Would you care to expand on why you think this is a later copy?

 

Sure, I've very little dignity left to uphold.

 

In my experience when viewing a signed sword the question should be asked, "what is this sword and its mei trying to be?" In answering that question, this sword in my opinion is attempting to be a replica of an early Koto Kanemoto daito. The reason for this thinking is the shape of this sword with its strong saki zori is simply incorrect for Kanemoto work, early or later. I would add that the finish and shape of the nakago appears unconvincing as well. Therefore, this sword is really made not as a forgery to fool, but I think rather as a replica for the tourist trade. The real answer of course is to submit the sword to a shinsa to verify its authenticity. In the meantime suggest 'searching' out examples/images of genuine papered Kanemoto swords on the internet and in the literature and make your own visual comparisons.

[Veli]

I must admit Franco has a strong point here. The curvature is exceptionally deep for a Kanemoto school blade, suggesting that the blade was forged for ceremonial purposes rather than for combat. However, I'd say that if the blade has been forged in the Meiji period, the signature has been artificially and deliberately aged. Could this be a late Edo period ceremonial tachi?

 

BR, Veli

[Stephen]

looks like it has a mino hamon to my ol eyes, yes parts must have been mixed up, new pix show only the added scenery name.

[Veli]

Yes, I agree, the hamon (what can be seen from the overall picture) looks like it should. Also the shape of the kissaki is correct.

Here's a picture of a 17th century kanemoto from the book "Cutting edge" Victor Harris

 

 

 

BR, Veli

[Hachiman]

Gentlemen, thank you for your further comments. As far as the age of the blade is concerned, the retired officer this belongs to has told me that his father, an officer in the USMC, recovered this sword from "within the cave system" on Iwo Jima during the battle for that island. Like yourselves no doubt, I would normally be inclined to take such an account with a pinch or two of salt(!), but in this case I would not.

 

So, the Japanese officer who carried this sword presumably felt it was a sword of at least enough merit or significance for him to wear it.

 

I mention that in case it has any bearing on your evaluation of the sword. I'm aware of course that swords have been misrepresented or mistaken in Japan as well. In fact, due to the cultural inhibitions against open disagreement or contradiction, I suspect it may have been quite an easy place to do so, but of course that is just my conjecture.

[jason_mazzy]

Yes, I agree, the hamon (what can be seen from the overall picture) looks like it should. Also the shape of the kissaki is correct.

Here's a picture of a 17th century kanemoto from the book "Cutting edge" Victor Harris

 

[attachment=0]Kanemoto.jpg[/attachment]

 

BR, Veli

 

 

that sir is a fine looking swod. Are you the owner?

[Veli]

AFAIK that particular sword is in the British Museum.

 

BR, Veli

[Hachiman]

I have added a few more photos to the folder linked in the first post.

 

Hopefully I'll get some others showing the Hamon(?) and tip in detail.

 

Thank you.

[Curran]

The tsuba (sword guard) is beyond help. At one point it was a nice Higo tsuba (Work of the Higo school is appreciated by many, though not my favorite) probably worth a small bit of coin to a collector, but not now. I can 80% imagine what it originally looked like. Regretful, but it is beyond point of restoration or preservation.

 

I don't know the limitations on what was allowed on a sword entering service in WWII, but part of me hesitates to think this tsuba was permitted in a combat zone.

The actual story doesn't matter. Others will be better able to comment on the blade than me, and it may or may not warrant restoration. Unfortunately, the tsuba is beyond help.