"Tan" stamp

[george trotter]

This came up on ebay...I can't tell much from the pics, but it is only the second "Tan" stamped sword I have noticed in 40 years. This seems to be Nagamura Kiyonobu who was a Seki Tosho in WWII.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0580558268

 

maybe members can give feedback on any swords they have seen with this stamp and their makers names so we can identify whether this is a smith's "private" mark or a "company" mark used by a number of smiths?

Regards,

Geo.

 

edit: this link doesn't work...sorry...at least we have one smith name for this mark.

[Bruno]

I cannot see the link. Am I the only one?

[Brian]

Link edited and corrected.

 

Brian

[David Flynn]

George, I asked a question about Tan stamps about a week ago in the Nihonto section. So far, no answers.

[cabowen]

This came up on ebay...I can't tell much from the pics, but it is only the second "Tan" stamped sword I have noticed in 40 years. This seems to be Nagamura Kiyonobu who was a Seki Tosho in WWII.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0580558268

 

maybe members can give feedback on any swords they have seen with this stamp and their makers names so we can identify whether this is a smith's "private" mark or a "company" mark used by a number of smiths?

Regards,

Geo.

 

 

I have only seen this stamp a handful of times and never on a top end gendaito. I do not believe it was a military stamp or it would be more prevalent. Most likely, as you have theorized, it was a shop or company mark used to indicated a forged blade. Does not mean traditional, necessarily, as it may not (probably not) be tamahagane....

[george trotter]

Chris, I agree...this is probably a shop/company mark...my faded memory tells me the last one I had in hand was signed "...michi"...so if my memory is correct, we can expect to see a small number of mei associated with this stamp. My memory also tells me that I was not particularly impressed with the quality...as you say, maybe traditional forging...but tamahagane?

So Dave...I think this may be close to the answer to your question?

Regards,

George.

[Bruce Pennington]

George,

 

Don't know if you've learned any more on the Tan stamp, but I'd like to hear it if you have. Here are a couple of links I've seen with the stamp:

 

Kanetada: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/12773-type-98-gunto-tan-stamped

Kanekuni: http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/28201-kai-gunto-signature-help-tan-stamped/

Amahide (fleabay)

 

Fuller said the stamp means "forged", and general chatter on forums contend it is found on gendaito.

 

I'd like to know if you've got something more definitive about this one.

 

Chris, I agree...this is probably a shop/company mark...my faded memory tells me the last one I had in hand was signed "...michi"...so if my memory is correct, we can expect to see a small number of mei associated with this stamp. My memory also tells me that I was not particularly impressed with the quality...as you say, maybe traditional forging...but tamahagane?

So Dave...I think this may be close to the answer to your question?

Regards,

George.

[Bruce Pennington]

A third one on a Kiyonobu blade.  Found HERE by @Beater.