Mei Translation

[rallypointmilitaria]

I know these pics are not the best, but can anyone help me identify the maker of this sword? Thanks.

--Chris

[raaay]

looks like [ nobu mitsu ] to me !!!

 

is it a naval mounted sword / reason for that , it looks like a stainless steell tang !!! / sword , usual kaigunto mounts ? showa period.

regards

 

 

ray.

[raaay]

sorry / forgot the date showa 1944 i think !!

regards

ray

[Brian]

Could it be Nobumitsu?

There are quite a few Showa era smiths with that name.

Like your other one..also signed tachi mei?

 

(Btw..do we get a discount off your ebay auctions now? :D )

Have seen your listings a few times. Some interesting stuff.

 

Regards,

Brian

[rallypointmilitaria]

Ray and Brian,

This sword is in Army shin gunto mounts. I can see where one would think the tang looked stainless. I don't think it is though.

 

I didn't realize you guys noticed my ebay auctions! I mostly sell militaria. I like to collect named uniform groupings from WWI to Vietnam, but that has never stopped me from branching off and collecting other stuff.

 

I have always dreamed of owning nice shin guntos, but it took me awhile to jump in with both feet and really learn about this field of collecting.

 

Last week, I sold an oil quenched shin gunto w/ a cool Seki stamp on the saya. You may have noticed it. I have been searching for nice gendaitos for my collection. The two swords I posted today for mei translation have just been offered to me and I want to do my homework.

 

I cannot translate Japanese, so I am very appreciative that this forum is here to help people like me!

---Chris

[rallypointmilitaria]

Like your other one..also signed tachi mei?

 

Brian,

This may be a silly question but what is "tachi mei"?

 

---Chris

[Mark]

picture is a but fuzzy so i am not positive but maybe HiroMitsu is a possibility

[Stephen]

with my frist translation....Nobumitsu / showa ju ku 1944

 

always good to get a second opinion.

[Stever]

Last week, I sold an oil quenched shin gunto w/ a cool Seki stamp on the saya. You may have noticed it.

 

You mean the one posted in this topic?

 

http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/viewtopic.php?t=781

 

what is "tachi mei"?

 

Tachi mei refers to the side of the tang the signature appears on. "Katana mei" is signed on the side facing you if the blade is pointing up and the tip pointing to the left, "tachi mei" is the other side (as far as I know, feel free to correct me anyone). It relates to how tachi/katana were worn (blade up/blade down).

[Stever]

Actually, this made me wonder how gunto were typically signed (tachi vs. katana mei)? Considering they are mounted as tachi, I would think tachi mei would be the norm, is this not the case?

[rallypointmilitaria]

Last week, I sold an oil quenched shin gunto w/ a cool Seki stamp on the saya. You may have noticed it.

 

You mean the one posted in this topic?

 

http://militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/viewtopic.php?t=781

 

what is "tachi mei"?

 

Tachi mei refers to the side of the tang the signature appears on. "Katana mei" is signed on the side facing you if the blade is pointing up and the tip pointing to the left, "tachi mei" is the other side (as far as I know, feel free to correct me anyone). It relates to how tachi/katana were worn (blade up/blade down).

 

Steve,

That was the sword you have a link for is the one I was referring to.

 

I think you're right about tachi mei. I remember reading it in my sword books, but at this point in the game, I'm having a hard time retaining everything I read.

 

---Chris

[sencho]

clarification on Katana mei / tachi mei

 

TACHI-MEI - signature facing away (outwards) from body when worn edge down

 

KATANA-MEI - signature side that faces away from body (outwards) when worn edge up

 

 

see rich steins glossary at http://home.earthlink.net/%7Esteinrl/glossry.htm

 

cheers

[Stever]

Interesting. Nihonto.com has the exact opposite info. Anyone know for sure which is correct, and why?

 

http://www.nihonto.com/abtglos.html

[Stever]

NVM, answered my own Q. Stein's is correct (should I have doubted?). Signature appears on omote, side facing away from body. Makes sense to me.

[Ed]

The two sites have the same information with one exception. Nihonto.com Tachi mei definition states, "Signature on the side of the body" which I am sure is merely a typo. It should read, "Signature on the outside of the body".

Katana mei definitions are the same.

 

For a tie breaker :D :

 

http://yakiba.com/terminology.htm

[sencho]

Yours is the clearest, Ed.... just the word "cutting" make the difference!!! :?

 

cheers!

[Stever]

Yes it is. Thanks, folks. Go figure that I picked the one source with a typo, lol!

[rallypointmilitaria]

Thanks for everyones help on identifying this sword.

 

My questions at this point are:

 

1. Whether this blade is traditionally made (gendaito) or showato quality?

2. Whether this Nobumitsu is one of the two Nobumitsu's on pps 134 and 135 of John Sloan's book?

 

Here are some more pics of the Nobumitsu.

 

---Chris

[Stephen]

Oil temper showato

[Guest Simon Rowson]

Hi Steve,

 

Just saw your question about typical gunto signatures:

 

(Actually, this made me wonder how gunto were typically signed (tachi vs. katana mei)? Considering they are mounted as tachi, I would think tachi mei would be the norm, is this not the case?)

 

Gunto were nearly always signed katana mei, regardless of how they were manufactured, with a few exceptions such as the Yasukuni swords.

 

Although mounted in a tachi style, the swords were intended to hang vertically beside the wearer rather than horizontally with the cutting edge down like traditional tachi. Therefore, there was no need to adhere to old rules about signature placement (unless, of course, you were trying to do things totally traditionally....like the Yasukuni smiths!)

 

Simon