Need Some Help Translating Mei, Grandfathers Sword. Any Help Would Be Appreciated!

[velinxs]

Hey guys, I am no collector or aficionado so this is really difficult to figure out.

 

Little backstory, my grandfather took this from a palace in Peking, China, in 1945.  He was OSS and dropped there ahead of everyone else to facilitate the surrender of the Japanese army.

 

Any help would be appreciated. thanks.  

[Stephen]

Kunimune is the smith..i dont get first name

[Surfson]

Uda Kunimune I think

[yimu]

Uda Kunimune I think

 Seconded. The signature has a distinctive style... I am sure one of the more knowledgeable members here will tell you which Uda Kunimune it is.

 

Which temple in Beijing? It is strange to think that a soldier would carry a katana in saya into a battlefield...

[velinxs]

Not really sure, "the biggest palace we could find." was words of my grandfather.   it's unclear if he took it from palace or from the surrendering high ranking officer tbh. (you know how family legends can change over time) i am reaching out to my uncle to see if he has any other recollection as my grandfather has passed away now.  this was immediately proceeding the surrender of the emperor, but yeah I thought that was odd too. 

 

Another board i posted this on instantly said gimei as the signature didn't match any other uda kunimune's , is that a common theme with nihontos? 

[velinxs]

i did find another poster with very similar Mei on his sword.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22947-translation-help-please-tell-me-where-im-going-wrong/ 

 

pretty interesting similarities 

[yimu]

i did find another poster with very similar Mei on his sword.

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22947-translation-help-please-tell-me-where-im-going-wrong/ 

 

pretty interesting similarities 

I have seen this one before, papered. So, yeah, the one above looks like an imitation and might be gimei.  

[velinxs]

I have seen this one before, papered. So, yeah, the one above looks like an imitation and might be gimei.

Not sure which one you’re referring too, I’m assuming by context that mine is the one that looks imitation correct? Mine does have some rather dinstinctive differences in the UDA

[yimu]

Not sure which one you’re referring too, I’m assuming by context that mine is the one that looks imitation correct? Mine does have some rather dinstinctive differences in the UDA

yeah, I am not sure about yours... but there are many Kunimune in the Uda school... 

[velinxs]

Thank you all for your time and expertise. I am probably going to send it out to bob benson for a polish and inspection regardless if gimei or not.

[george trotter]

Just a comment to Yimu about the sword being in shirasaya.

 

This is not uncommon in China. There is another sword in shirasaya that was taken in  "The Siege of Pekin 1901" by an Australian who was a member of the Naval Contingent sent to help the Allies in that uprising.

This one also was taken during an upheaval and is in shirasaya. While I can't say I know much about the use of Japanese swords in China, I would say that it is most likely to be that the two swords were "looted" by our soldiers when they "liberated" the various palaces and temples there. I think these were probably offerings or mementos owned by Chinese rather than being used there by the Japanese...don't forget, many swords were sent / traded to China from Japan in the 1500s -1600s.

The sword I refer to was taken at Peking/Beijing by James Ulrich Hood who served in the New South Wales Naval Brigade which was sent to the Boxer Rebellion. He later served in the NSW Mounted Rifles and Hassler's Scouts in South Africa in 1902. A picture of his sword can be seen on p.13 of the Western Australian Museum catalogue of Japanese Swords. It is in shirasaya, is a koto Bizen blade, shortened, signed by Nagamitsu.

 

Hope this is of interest.