BANGBANGSAN Posted January 23, 2022 Report Share Posted January 23, 2022 15 hours ago, Kiipu said: If possible, have the owner look for a 江 on the nakago mune. Keep us informed of the results of your investigation. Thomas I got more photos of that sword, It has 江 Mark indeed. It's in the Kai gunto mount. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANGBANGSAN Posted January 23, 2022 Report Share Posted January 23, 2022 18 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said: @Kiipu Thomas Do you think the mark on the blade is the same mark as the 大 Mark？It says on Fullers Page 226, Dai(or Tai) stamp. Significance unknown.Has only been found on blades dated 1945. Very rare. I think this 大 mark is Izumo Taisha (Izumo Grand Shrine/出雲大社) 。Hence:Slough's book, page 82: Tai stamp appears on late war blades made by smiths associated with the Izumo Seiko steel works. Located in Shimane. The forge was located near the Izumo Taisha shrine and by 1945 the country was in dire need of divine assistance. @Bruce Pennington@Kiipu 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted January 23, 2022 Report Share Posted January 23, 2022 35 minutes ago, BANGBANGSAN said: 大 mark is Izumo Taisha Correct. And the 江 is the Matsue Supervisory Unit inspector of Kokura Army Arsenal. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted January 23, 2022 Report Share Posted January 23, 2022 9 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said: I think this 大 mark is Izumo Taisha (Izumo Grand Shrine/出雲大社). Trystan, while looking at the Wikipedia page on Izumo-taisha, I spotted a picture with a similar logo off to the left. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izumo-taisha#/media/File:Izumooyashiro03.JPG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANGBANGSAN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 Anyone knows about this 甲 mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugyotsuji Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 I know nothing about arsenal stamps, but 甲 could stand for 甲州 Ko-Shu, or it could be an indication of quality, as 甲,乙,丙 stand for A B and C quality, rank etc. (Just to get the ball rolling.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 I know I've seen that kanji discussed someplace before, but don't recall the place. Is that on a dai-seppa? I have a Type 98 tsuba with a similar stamp, unknown meaning. May not be the same, or maybe the one on the 98 tsuba is poorly struck of this same kind? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANGBANGSAN Posted February 9, 2022 Report Share Posted February 9, 2022 1 hour ago, Bruce Pennington said: I know I've seen that kanji discussed someplace before, but don't recall the place. Is that on a dai-seppa? I have a Type 98 tsuba with a similar stamp, unknown meaning. May not be the same, or maybe the one on the 98 tsuba is poorly struck of this same kind? That is 中 mark, maybe middle grade？ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 On 8/13/2020 at 7:34 PM, waljamada said: Here's an interesting hot stamp ww2 blade signed Tadahiro in kai gunto mounts with a family mon. Not sure what the hot stamp means. Pulling this one up from the past as a good friend has just sent me a very similar one, but it's on a Kumazuma Kanetoshi blade! Slightly different as this one is surrounded by a "gourd" shape. @mecox @george trotter or anyone else know if these two smiths worked for the same forge at some point? @PNSSHOGUN, John, earlier, commented that the image might have Buddhist significance. Anyone know? It might explain why the same image is on blades by different smiths. Maybe it's not a kao, but simply a religious symbol/meaning? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mecox Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 Bruce, in Sesko is : KANETOSHI (兼俊), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanetoshi” (兼俊), “Ikkōsai Kanetoshi” (粋光斎兼俊), real name Kumazawa Shun´ichi (熊沢俊一), born April 20th 1899 (Meiji 32), his gō was Ikkōsai (粋光斎), he worked as guntō smith and was from Seki-machi, Kifune-cho. He registered as a Seki tosho 21 October 1942. The kakihan stamp does have Buddhist association. It is probably a stylised ken straight sword with a "handle", possibly called a sanko-tsuki-ken or sanko-zuka-ken. The ken (or suken) can reflect the incarnation of the deity Fudo Myoo, and the "handle" appears to be a rendai, the lotus petals put beneath an image of the Buddha. This Buddhist symbol is to chase away the devil. But I dont know anything about the smith, how he trained or his relation to Buddhism. He produced quite a few blades, most with Sho/Sakura or Seki stamp, but some with no stamp, and did produce some gendaito. He is also listed in Slough page 70 (which shows he is not Murayama Kanetoshi). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george trotter Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 UPDATE ON FUKUSHIMA TANG, FITTINGS NUMBERS on Tsukumasa Masakazu RS sword of 4/17 (no star). He was one of about 11 RJT smiths/15 polishers etc working in Koriyama City, Fukushima. They had a GUNTO KUMIAI (association) there, but I don't know if star/non star works were treated differently by the scheme or the mounters/polishers. Bruce I finally remembered to take pics of ALL the parts on this sword that are numbered (I think I promised you). Pretty amazing that they numbered every part. Tang is numbered 1129 - can't tell if it had a 'code' letter 'ni' in front as there is a patch of rust/pitting there (dang!)***. Every part is numbered 'ni' 1129 , even the wood, but can't really read this properly. Maybe 'ni' will turn up again and show it is a location code? Anyway, here for your files...hope it helps. ***PS I just gently cleaned the rust spot on the tang and it definitely looks like there is no "ni" mark before the number 1129....so, just on fittings. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 7 hours ago, mecox said: The kakihan stamp does have Buddhist association. Thanks Mal! I'm going to change that one in my Stamps Doc. I had it listed at the kao for Tadahiro, but I think it would be better listed in the Buddhist markings page, now that we have 2 unrelated smiths with the symbol. 5 hours ago, george trotter said: UPDATE ON FUKUSHIMA TANG, FITTINGS NUMBERS on Tsukumasa Masakazu RS sword of 4/17 (no star). George, thanks for checking on that. Considering the date, Feb '42, I'm now not surprised there is no kana. That early, the only kana/number blades are the Matsu on the Yamagami brothers. I have a Masakazu marked "フ 37" with Star, in RS fittings, but no date. It was likely made in '43 or '44. I'm slowly gathering files on fittings that used kana + number, but it's pretty random, and doesn't seem to be limited to RJT blades or particular areas. Still too little data. Thanks for the help guys! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vajo Posted February 15, 2022 Report Share Posted February 15, 2022 This is such a great reference Bruce. Thanks a lot for your work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 16, 2022 Report Share Posted February 16, 2022 I've got the next revision in the works. It's only been 5 months since the last update, so I'm trying to make myself hold out till March for the next. Thanks for the kudos @vajo Chris. It has become more of my love of the hobby than the swords (WAIT, no I didn't say that! Delete if I've broken something!!! Ha!) 1 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 20, 2022 Report Share Posted February 20, 2022 An interesting development concerning the "Kobuse" or wrapped steel stamp - I have 4 on file now, and all 4 are undated, Showa-stamped Kaneshige blades! They are sourced from: BenVK, Slough, Japaneseswordindex, and 1 undocumented. If anyone has a blade with this stamp, especially if it was made by a different smith, please post. I should add that none of the Kaneshige have the added "Shingani Iri" or "Genuine Core Steel" stamp like this one: Sadly, I didn't document the smith name on this one. If anyone can tell me the name I would appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted February 20, 2022 Report Share Posted February 20, 2022 The one I downloaded came from the thread Any help would be appreciated . Here is another one for the database that comes from Hot Stamp . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 Nagoya on a Ichimonji 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 22, 2022 Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 2 hours ago, Stephen said: Ichimonji Thanks Stephen! Couldn't believe there was a smith with that name! Found him in Sesko's list though. I assume no date? The stamps put the blade in the '41-'44 range, with the likeliest date of '43. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANGBANGSAN Posted February 24, 2022 Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 On 1/7/2022 at 3:05 AM, Bruce Pennington said: Another update on the Circled Anchor vs Anchor with no circle - Re-reading my Stamps of the Japanese Sword doc, pg 21, I realized one of the stamped blades had an anchor with no circle - @Kiipu = and an unknown stamp below. As far as I know (for now) it is the only example I have on file: @Bruce Pennington Maybe that mustache is the city logo of Nagoya. https://www.city.nagoya.jp/en/category/202-4-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 24, 2022 Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 2 hours ago, BANGBANGSAN said: logo of Nagoya That has possibilities, Trytan. As we have seen, many of these stamps are geographic in nature. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiipu Posted February 24, 2022 Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 Ah, I see the mustache is back in the news again! I thought Stegel identified that as being Bruce's logo? More research needs to be done to find out just how old Bruce really is. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted February 25, 2022 Report Share Posted February 25, 2022 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Not sure where to post this @Stegel @Shamsy @BANGBANGSAN @Kiipu (and anyone else interested!). I've seen the extra numbers on copper 95s, but this one has a katakana in front: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BANGBANGSAN Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 39 minutes ago, Bruce Pennington said: Not sure where to post this @Stegel @Shamsy @BANGBANGSAN @Kiipu (and anyone else interested!). I've seen the extra numbers on copper 95s, but this one has a katakana in front: Thanks, Bruce This is one of the factory-reworked Copper 95.Ser# on the blade is 5869/ ホ2023(Army Arsenal Kokura First Factory) it's in Dawson's data. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamsy Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Thanks @Bruce Pennington. One of my coppers has the same stamp, so assuming most of the double numbered coppers have the stamp. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stegel Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 On 3/2/2022 at 10:49 AM, Bruce Pennington said: I've seen the extra numbers on copper 95s, but this one has a katakana in front: These also vary in size and can also be found under the habiki. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george trotter Posted March 12, 2022 Report Share Posted March 12, 2022 Bruce, just referring back to my Feb 15 RS numbered parts photos of sword by Masakazu of Fukushima Apr 1942 no star. I said all parts were marked ni 1129 even the wood and showed a pic of it (but it was upside down and hard to read) - here it is right side up and you can see the wood is marked ni 1129 - but in kana and kanji (only part not numbered in romaji numbers). Reading R/side first NI, L/side top to bot: 1, 1, 11, 9. Just in case you hadn't sorted this out yourself. Regards.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted March 13, 2022 Report Share Posted March 13, 2022 For those who like their own copy, The latest Stamps of the Japanese Sword, ver 8.6 is now available in the Downloads section. The screenshot still says "8.3" but that will be changed shortly. The document is in fact, now, 8.6. The update includes: - Newly discovered "KI" stamp of the 2nd Factory, Kokura Army Arsenal - Added variants of the Chrysanthemum, Kiku - A new section to encompass Buddhist stamps; we recently discovered a hotstamp, thought to be that of Tadahiro, on a Kanetoshi blade also. It is likely a sword image tied to Buddhist symbology - A section showing the discovery that the "diamond" stamp was, for now, solely used by Kuniyoshi and the "delta" stamp was used by Masayasu - Several RJT blades are marked with prefecture-specific katakana/number. A map was added showing the locations of these prefectures and their kana - 4 "unknown" koshirae stamps added - A sections added showing the various "punch dots" on blades, still reason unknown I printed a color copy for myself, and have 2 extras. PM if you want one of them. Printing cost is $40 US plus shipping. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robinalexander Posted March 16, 2022 Report Share Posted March 16, 2022 I find this a fantastic (growing) reference tool...thanks Bruce. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Pennington Posted March 26, 2022 Report Share Posted March 26, 2022 @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN and anyone else who charts - I found I had 2 charts running at the same time for number stamps on mune. I combined them and cleaned up some other stuff there. I'm attaching the entire document to replace the ones I've sent you previously. stamp survey (1).docx 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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