translation help

[blue adept]

I recently bought a sword that was supposed to be a Fukumoto Kanemune. I am in doubt as I have seen what his signature looks like. How can I post a picture here, what format and size does it need to be?

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you in advance

T. Schlotter

[Brian]

viewforum.php?f=8

 

Don't forget to sign all posts with a first name at least.

 

Thanks,

Brian

[Turbo storm]

It has been my experience that quite a few Showa era smiths were very sloppy with their mei. It has also been said that many wartime blades, such as this, were made by apperntices and other workers, under the watchful eye of a smith. The apprentice or worker would then sign the smiths name. (thus your variance in signature). This is a late war blade and more than likely not a gendaito. I don't see a good reason someone would fake a signature on a blade of this kind, so the mei is probably correct.

As long as you are happy with it, don't worry about it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

Just my .02 cents.

[Bruno]

I think your guess is the right one, KANEMUNE

[mdiddy]

T.,

 

Below is a scan of oshigata from John Scott Slough's Modern Japanese Swordsmiths. According to Slough, Kanemune was working in a gunto factory so you could expect chippy meis and slight variations depending on which smith was signing blades that day.

 

Here is a link to Stein's site with more oshigata: http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/index.htm.

 

Matt

[blue adept]

Many thanks, I didn't know for sure if I was being taken to the proverbial cleaners or not. The piece has a very interesting Hammon. The closest I could tell is that it is Hitasura with many tobiaki but I could be wrong. I am not well versed but I will get better. If this is a showa blade, then why would it have such a weird hammon?

 

 

 

tim Schlotter

Indiana

[Mark]

Tim

 

some Showa era blades were made with hitatsura and other wild temper lines. I see you are from Indiana what part? I live near Toledo Ohio.

[blue adept]

Kendallville In

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tim Schlotter

jeweldoc1@att.net

[Turbo storm]

This information was taken from Richard Stein's Japanese sword guide under Nakirishi Mei. http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/nihonto.htm

 

Since ancient times the signatures (mei) on the tangs (nakago) of Japanese swords have occasionally been carved by individuals other than the swordsmiths themselves. In some cases one swordsmith would carve the mei of another working with him. Sometimes a student would carve the mei of a sword made by the master swordsmith. At other times the master swordsmith would carve his name on an exceptional blade made by one of his students. These types of signatures are referred to as "dai mei" and "dai saku mei". During the Showa era (WW II period) it was a wide spread practice for a group of swordsmiths to have their mei carved by a single individual. Sometimes this was done by one of the swordsmiths in the group; other times it was a separate individual. When one individual carves the mei of several swordsmiths, such carved signatures are termed "nakirishi mei". This practice was particularly wide spread in the Seki area (Mino/Noshu region). Seki was the principle region for sword production during the Showa era. Below are several oshigata demonstrating this practice.

 

Hope this helps

[Mark]

Tim

 

there is a military show in Toledo this friday/saturday, and a show a little north of you in 2 weeks. There is the Chicago sword in May. any chance we will see eachother?

[blue adept]

Where is the one a little north of me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

T Schlotter