Iwami Yoshikoyo Gendaito

[Brian]

Ever so often, even I strike it lucky.

I recently took a big chance on a sword I found on a gun auction site. Listed as a NCO machine made blade, it was obvious that it was not. The seller also had the translation correct, but listed it with a silly-low Buy It Now price as machine made . Since the smith was listed as a possible Gendai smith, and the price was really low, I took a chance. Even though the sellers said they do not ship internationally, I didn't want to wait for replies to questions as it would have gone fast. So I hit the buy button, and immediately emailed Stephen saying "Help!" :lol:

Well..to cut a long story short, Stephen once again kindly and efficiently helped me with the purchase and reshipped it to me. It arrived last week. Morita san had already translated the nakago as "Iwami no Kuni no ju Yoshikiyo saku, and the date was March 1945.

The mounts are pretty far gone, but what is really amazing to me is that the mei pics posted ommitted one small detail...a star stamp :D

What arrived is an amazingly beautiful gendaito that looks as though it was never polished since it was issued. Some stains, but no chips or ware, and in very healthy condition. The machi are huge, and it has ubu-ha. A ko-kissaki that goes well with the sugata.

Hamon is barely visible but is going to scream. Looks like a mix of choji and saka choji, and the nie is popping off the surface like it was sprayed on with a toothbrush. There is nie everywhere, with sunagashi and lots of activity. This one is a keeper, and is going to need shirasaya.

 

Anyways, a few interesting points about it for the militaria guys:

1- Aluminium (and very well made) habaki. I thought that odd, but it is handmade and obviously original. Not plated, it is completely aluminium. I guess by the end of the war, metal was scarce.

2 - 2 Dished seppa made of some plated iron, with brass seppa that fit into them. Not sure why, but the seppa sit inside the outer seppa that are stamped into a cup shape.

3 - Wood saya with a laquered "bandage-type" wrapping. Kinda a spiral wrap that is lacquered over in black. Again...shortage of metal maybe?

4 - 2 Odd stamps on the mune side of the nakago, and one odd one above the star stamp.I would be interested if anyone has any info on these?

 

Anyways, thought I would share, and ask if anyone has any other info on the smith. George was kind enough to supply the info that according to the Tosho banzuke compiled by Jinsoo Kim his name is Yaju Yoshikiyo...born Meiji 27... won 4th seat in 1941, won gold award and other prizes and worked after the war.

Morita san said that his surname was Yashige.

Obviously he was a RJT smith using the star stamp? If I can capture more of the hataraki, I will add more pics. Here is the other thread: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8700

Any info on that stamp above the start stamp? Could it be some form of polishers mark?

 

Brian

[John A Stuart]

It is nice to know some good things can happen now and again. Glad you lucked out Brian. John

[Stephen]

Humm I'm slipping, should of told Brian that it was junk and kept it. Just kidding folks, am wondering why I didn't catch the strange seppa, guess it was the wow of the possibilities of the blade. Nice turn out, hope someday we can see it with a art polish.

[huntershooter]

Wow. Nice NCO sword...

The second hamon/blade shot shows some great activity. Hope we get to see it in polish at some point.

Lucky you and well done Brian!

[cabowen]

Nice find Brian!

 

Yoshikiyo was a student of shodai Kawashima Tadayoshi, an excellent smith.....

 

Yes, this type of koshirae is typical of late war and shows the shortage of materials and the desperation of the military....

[SwordGuyJoe]

Brian,

That's about the best looking NCO I think I have ever seen.

[loiner1965]

well done brian......i bet you were on tender hooks waiting for it to arrive in case the seller retracted your bid.

its nice to hear too that a wartime period sword created so much joy and happiness for you as well as being a keeper too....it will look stunning when or if you decide to get it polished

[Ed Harbulak]

If you have a copy of Slough's book, look on page 82 for a description of the stamp. It's the Tai stamp and 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 assitance, hence the Tai or Dai stamp on some blades. The oshigata on page 82 is from a blade I used to own once upon a time but eventually sold to pay for another blade I had purchased. Congratulations on a nice blade.

Ed Harbulak

[Brian]

Ah! Thanks Ed, that clears that stamp up.

So it is the Tai(sha) stamp, added to endow the swords with the spirits of the Taisha. Great info, I have it here now in Slough's. I'll add the pic to the "stamps" thread.

 

Thanks,

Brian