Muto Mitsuhiro In Naval Mounts

[reeder]

Pictures attached. From what I understand he did not make many blades during the war given he was only 19 by the war's end. Thanks George for the information.

[paul griff]

Hello Brandon,

Nice sword...The nakago has a nice shape with a well cut Mei and even though it looks to have been well cleaned at some point it does not deter from the attraction...

Regards,

Paul.

[Bruce Pennington]

Yes, very nice! Quite unusual markings on the nakago mune. I'll add them to thread about mune marks on the "Translations" forum.

[george trotter]

Hi Brandon,

Thanks for showing your sword pics.

Yes, Muto (Mitsuru) Mitsuhiro was born in Taisho 15 (1926), the son of (RJT smith) Muto Hidehiro, so only about 19 when the war ended. I presume he worked from a young age in his fathers forge and obviously learned the craft early, even being given his art name Mitsuhiro by his father. Had the war gone on a few years longer he may have been made RJT himself.

Interesting that he did not date the sword.

The personal stamp marks on the mune I can't read, but it is a custom occasionally seen in modern swords...probably an "in house" inspection mark?

He re-entered sword making in Showa 46 (1972) so there must be some post-war swords of his around somewhere.In the post-war period he worked in the style of Osafune Kanemitsu and Hizen Tadayoshi.

 

Nice sword...good find.

Regards,

[SwordGuyJoe]

His father was an excellent smith. I had a hizen blade by him and it was truly a great sword. If/when I get some time I'll try to find some examples of the son's work.

[reeder]

Well, I picked one up from Mitsuhiro's father, Hidehiro in Type 3 mounts. I believe the date is 2602 so 1942. This is also the earliest dated blade I can recall seeing in Type 3 mounts.

 

Sorry if the pictures come out sideways on the computer, they were uploaded from my phone.

[Bruce Pennington]

That's a beauty, Brandon!

 

I have seen 2 posted with late 1941 dates, but you are right that pre-1943 blades are rare.

 

(Note: after making this statement, I've since found one of the posts - http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=880727&highlight=1941, post #15, about a Dec '41 blade in Type3/44 mounts. It is clearly a '41 blade in 44 mounts, so it MAY qaulify, but if you read the discussion, the mekugi ana appear to have been altered to fit the mounts, so it's POSSIBLE that this was made in '41 in standard mounts and the owner later had it refitted in 44 style mounts. Still looing for the owner of the other gunto)

[SwordGuyJoe]

Brandon - depending on how much you have into the Hidehiro, it may be worth polishing. Even if you wind up upside down, you'll be very pleased with the results (assuming you used a fully trained Japanese Togi-shi).

[cisco-san]

Well, I picked one up from Mitsuhiro's father, Hidehiro in Type 3 mounts. I believe the date is 2602 so 1942. This is also the earliest dated blade I can recall seeing in Type 3 mounts.

 

Sorry if the pictures come out sideways on the computer, they were uploaded from my phone.

 

Hello,

 

blade seem to be on eBay now:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WWII-Japanese-Officers-Sword-Type-3-Shin-Gunto-Hidehiro-Gendaito-1-Million-Yen-/253146607044?hash=item3af0b6adc4:g:BVEAAOSwTqdZq0eW

 

No idea what caused this kind of scratches on the Kissaki?

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hello,

 

blade seem to be on eBay now:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/WWII-Japanese-Officers-Sword-Type-3-Shin-Gunto-Hidehiro-Gendaito-1-Million-Yen-/253146607044?hash=item3af0b6adc4:g:BVEAAOSwTqdZq0eW

 

No idea what caused this kind of scratches on the Kissaki?

Looks like someone stabbed it into the ground at some point?

[paul griff]

Hello Brandon,

Nice sword ..Seen a few over the years with similar damage and just like John has indicated It looks like someone has been stabbing it into something...I often wonder if it was the bored G.I onboard ship returning home poking and stabbing away at maybe a wooden deck board or similar hard wooden material ? Maybe a nihonto collector or blade " purist " would shy away,understandingly..But as a militaria item and personally, I like it..! And Bruce,if your reading...Nice type 3's you have for sale....Just haven't got the cash !

Regards,

Paul.

[reeder]

Yes, I have decided to sell these swords to fund new purchases or some restoration work.

 

There are no hagire and the sword is not lost, these are only scratches.  The sword is in the same condition as I found it.  I'm not sure how the scratches got there.  They were on there when I received it, and we can only speculate what was stabbed or done to it.

 

I have also listed the naval sword by Hidehiro's son, Mitsuhiro, at auction.

[vajo]

Brandon can you show us some detailed pictures of the kissaki?

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[Brian]

It's an active auction. If interested in buying, message him for more pics. No need for him to be marketing it here as well as eBay.
If you need better pics to buy it, then he can send them via pm, otherwise I see no reason for them to be posted here. Especially when he guarantees no hagire.