Please help me Read this, I am lost

[Alan62]

I found this page via the Ethnographic page and reading some of Brian's posts there.

Can you help me determine what this signature say, I am under a bit of presure as I have only 24 hours to determine the authenticity of this blade or return it

Thank You for any assistance

 

[Stephen]

Noshu Ju Kunihiro

[Alan62]

Thank you so Much Stephen, any chance you might be able to help me identify more about this smith ?

I have done a search and turned up very little .

The signature is on a blade I purchased today at an antiques show . The dealer claimed that it had come from the estate of a WW2 veteran that was also a friend of his. I will post more pics of the entire blade soon

Thank You again

[Bungo]

not a sword dude by any stretch of the imagination but i do think you need to post the WHOLE tang starting from the ha-machi down to the tip to let the guys " evaulate " the authenticity of the sword.

 

milt the ronin

[Nobody]

There is a mei of Kunihiro similar to yours.

http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/kunihir3.jpg

 

And FYI; Seki Kaji Tosho

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

[Alan62]

Thank you all for the additional information,Here is another pic of the full tang

 

 

[John A Stuart]

Hi Alan, I have one of these swords. Mass produced blades from Seki that are nakirishimei. Here is a photo of the mei on mine. The more I look at the mei on yours makes me think it is odd. Also the shape of the nakago is strange a bit. Gunto aren't my favourite but those who collect them hopefully will comment. I'm inclined to say a copy. John

[Alan62]

When you refer to it as mass produced ,does that mean it is not a WW 2 Weapon ?

 

Edited to say

I found info on what you meant by mass produce ,meaning mass produced Mei,

I appreciate you folks patience with a novice in Japanese weapons and thank you all for the input

[Alan62]

Here are pics of the whole sword,It appeaars to have sharkskin on it Something that seems odd to me is that there is no sword hangers on the scabbard.

[Brian]

This has some traits of the good fakes, but it does have some indicators of a genuine WW2 gunto. I'm unsure of this one. The menuki have traces of old wear to the finish, and the expedient use of some other material besides same under the wrap leads me to consider that this might be a very late war sword produced when there was a lack of good materials. Some of the fittings look like they may have had some stock of normal fittings, and used whatever they could get for the rest.

Can't be certain (especially with the rough look and slightly odd shape to the nakago) but I would go with late war production mass production shin gunto.

 

Brian

[Alan62]

Thank You Brian,

That is what I will be selling it as , I will be listing it on ebay this evening and will post a link as well.

 

Edited to add this link

 

http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessagebo ... =5088#5088

 

 

 

Thank you for a wonderful website .I need to spend a lot more time around here and in some books before I make another Japanese purchase as There is so much to learn

Alan