David McDonald

Dear Jean You are correct. Nagamaki naoshi. see attached I saw the wikipedia page but Kawa was different.?????? thanks for looking david

Dear All I need help in translating kanji on a nagamaki-nioshi. The following is what I have. Not sure what it is or what It is telling us. 諸天守光官(宜) Shoten kami (mori) Mitsu(ko) Kan 秦川勝　八十四代　 Hatagawa Suguru Hachijuyon-dai (sai) Thanks for any help you have. david

Dear Steve M Thanks for all your help. later david

Dear Steve Thanks for the kanji. I did try to translate but not sure if I am even close. Please no laughing. On the occasion of the greater east asia war enlisting at the outbreak in the spring. Shōbu Michisaburō of Saga, Ōura was awarded this sword by a sincere old hometown villager after gathering 108 yen. please let me know how bad is this translation. thanks david

Dear All I have a katana that I am trying to translate all of the kanji. It is tachi mei and on the tachi-omote side it has 肥前国住吉次 Hizen Kuni ju Yoshitsugu This seems to be a Hizen smith from the early 1600’s. On the tachi-ura side there are about 36 kanji. Looks to be from the WWII period. Here is what I have so far and at the Chicago show I had some help that is also listed. Any help in finding the correct kanji and translation would be great. Right Hand Side 大 東 亜 戦 争Daitō Sensō (The Greater East Asia War) ?bo 発hotsu, hatsu, patsu ?shin 春haru, syun 入nyū, ju 営ei ?sai space ?sa 賀ga 大tai, dai, oO ?逋ho, ura Left Hand Side ? ? ? ? min民 誠sei 心shin、 ? i ?san, 百hyaku, momo, byaku 八hachi (8) ?ju 余yo 円tan, en ？uku ru 之kore, shi, no space 菖Shō 菖蒲ayame, bu 道michi 三sa ?Bu ro Thanks david from Montana

Dear Steve The symbol is a Kokuin and there is the kanji 'Zane' in Tensho form in the center. later david mcdonald

Dear All Reading about the Yasukuni-to I find that Onkashi-to blades were made. These were blades made as gifts (presentations) from the emperor and given to the top graduates of the Army and Navy Military academies. Normal Yasukuni shrine blade were signed with two charactors above the mekugi-ana the Onkashi-to blades were signed below the mekugi-ana and with two extra charactors - kin saku – added. These blades were tested and passed with high marks. Would this blade given as a presentation blade be of this quality? Thanks for your thoughts later david

Dear Steve Thanks for the information. david

Dear All I am working at translating on the shirasaya of a blade signed Yasunori 靖憲 and the blade is dated Showa ju ni nen san gatsu kichi hi 昭和十二年三月吉日 On the shirasaya there is 贈呈　Zōtei (presentation) And then 帝國在郷軍入会久留米市聯合分会 Teikoku zaikyō gun nyūkai kurume shi rengō bunkai Maybe??? The sword was presented by the imperial republic forces admission to Kurume (久留米) city union chapter. Any thoughts, comments or corrections. Later david

So John What does that translate to?? later david

Dear All Still not sure what this says and I hope someone can add to what has been said. The sword will be auction and can be found at https://jacksonsauction.com/catalogs/2019/MAR/detail/default.aspx?ID=456 later david

Dear All It is an interesting mei. Could it be that Yoshimasa made the sword in the style of Kanenobu? later david

Dear Tom I think this smiths name is read Norimitsu (same kanji different reading) His real name is Yasumoto Tokusada and worked as a rikugun-jumei-tosho later david

Dear All I am working on a translation on A wakizashi with a sanbonsuji hamon. I think 信国義昌楊 Nobukuni Yoshimasa Yō 兼信銘有之 Kanenobu Mei Yū kore Looks to be a signature from the shinshinto smith Chikushu Minamoto Nobukuni tsukuru but not sure Of all of the kanji and no idea of the translation Any thoughts? later david

Dear Dale Hope this helps later david 三笠砲鋼Mikasa Hō hagane (Mikasa cannon steel) 秀明 Hideaki 軍艦三笠砲鋼 Gunkan Mikasa Hō hagane (Battleship Mikasa cannon steel) 皇国興?在此一戦 (Kōkoku Kohai ari kono Issen The fate of the Empire depends on this battle. Part of Togo’s famous “Z” signal

Dear Ron Try Tachibana 立花 . Tachi sounds better that tatsu. Just a thought later david

Dear Tom In case you need the kanji. 昭和十九年一月日 later david

Dear All Thanks for the help and thank you Morita San. Haynes book lists 4 smiths that match. Now I can see what is in my books. later david

Dear John In Haynes H10824.0 Tsunemasa. The listing notes JS t423 which is just joly's book and the listing is for the Hitachi province Tsunemasa. So Joly's list this as two different smiths. So back to looking. later david

Dear John Thanks I could not find the listing????? I would be nice if the family name Hirata 平田 matched the first two kanji. Now we need an example in some book to confirm. Thanks for your thoughts. back to the books. later david

Dear John 序正 is this Jomasa or Tsunemasa. I found neither in Haynes. What am I missing? later david

Dear All Just got this tsuba and am having troubles reading the mei. I did find a possible reading in Joly's Shosankenshu which I included and image here. Any help would be great. Thanks david

Dear Stephen Lets see -- I teach high school science full time then most evenings working on restoration projects. then sometimes I get to the internet. So maybe every other day -- might not always answer but I look. later david - slow in Montana

Dear Chris Just email me at jswords@mcn.net and I will email the images. later david

Dear All The following is a group of swords I have for sale. Please email me at jswords@mcn.net for information or images. If you PM me I may not get it opened soon. Best to use my email address above. later david in Montana USA For Sale 7th Feb 2018 1. Katana, 27.5 inch, Shinshinto (early 1800’s), Yukimitsu 行光 Great strong blade with bohi, active suguha hamon with masame hada. Small chip and rust area at kissisak Mounted in shingunto mounts (WWII Japanese army officers mounts) with Leather covering wood saya Asking $1750 inventory 8/17/1 2. Katana, 29 9/16 inch (75.1 cm), shinto (or earlier), Mumei, Papers to Shinto Echizen Seki Nice long blade with suguha-midare with lots of activity (short nijuba , hakikake and other) Itame hada. Shingunto mounts (mismatched seppa) has silver mon on kashira. Asking $2150 inventory 11/17/1 3. Ito-no-maki Tachi, with 26.3 inch blade, (showa stamp) Noshu Seki ju Toki Sukenobu saku The blade is in fair polish with gunome hamon. Mounts are WWII period tachi mounts with new gold brown ito with brown lacquered saya. The tachi sageo is tied on the saya. Tsuka with dragon menuki. Asking $2750 inventory 3/13/1 4. Katana, 25 7/8 inch, Showato (late 1930’s to 1940’s) Very clean blade with gunome hamon and a GREAT dragon horimono on omote And a sanscript character on the ura side. Mounts are civilian WWII mounts with a black lacquered saya with a canvas cover Asking $3250 inventory 8/17/3 5. Katana, 32 1/16 inch (81.4 cm), Koto (1532 period), Heienjo Nobuyoshi Mounted tsuba round iron with horses, fuchi/kashira mismatched with flower menuki 6 small chips (1 mm or less) and kissaki point is broken (about 2 mm) Gunomi-midari w/nie and itame hada. Boshi has a very long turnback. Some loose hada And some rust staining Asking $3250 inventory 10/17/1 6. Jumonji yari, 6 7/8 inch on pole currently restoring pole Heianjo Fujiwari Morikuni Asking $2250 7. ?? Wakizashi, 17 3/8 inch, Shinto most likely, Project blade, lots of tempering, lots of activity Copper habaki and poor fitting saya (part of shirasaya) Asking $500 7/31/14 8. Efu style Tachi koshirae late Edo/Showa period No blade Asking $1150 Inventory 8/16/1 9. O-tanto, 13 1/8 inch, Suekoto most likely papered Soshu Tsunahiro Soshu like blade in great polish with hitatusra hamon with tobiyaki and muneyaki Itame hada and some mokume. Mounted with black saya with light brown highlights Shakudo tsuba with gold rims, Fuchi/kashira and menuki are horse. Asking $3500 inventory 11/16/1 10. hold BJ -- Nagimaki naoshi 15 5/8 inch, Shinto most likely Great saya with gold cranes with shakudo fuchi/kashira with cranes Menuki are gold sea turtles Asking $1750 April 2017 11. Tanto, 10 1/8 inch Kanehide early 1500’s koto Blade has a suguha hamon with many scratches, hirazukuri shape (Uchi-zori) Brown/red saya, with matching iron fuchi/kashira with geometric pattern, Tsuba with higo gold inlay Asking $950 inventory 6/17/1 12. ?? Wakizashi, 17.5 inch, Koto/Shinto maybe Seki Project blade, sandpapered Iron tsuba, saya and silver foil habaki Asking $400 inventory 4/14/6 13. Katana, 25.5 inch, Norinaga, koto Suguha midare with lots of nie above hamon (poor polish) Iron tsuba wo village and trees, fuchi/kashira do not match Crane menuki Asking $850 inventory 6/17/2 14. Katana, 26 ¼ inch, Izumo ju Kumohide saku?? Unshu/Kumohide. Very nice choji-midare like choji midare of the Koto Osafune school Asking $1750 inventory 6/16/20 5. Katana 25 7/8 inch, Shinto? Silver habaki, Gunome midare crab claws, itame hada? Ura muneware about 5 inch from habaki, Omote couple hadaware about 6 inch from habaki, Very good polish one on mune about 2 inch from kissaki Very good shakudo F/K very narrow diamonds on tsuka w/brocade under Black lacqueree saya w/kojiri, silver foil habaki Asking $1450 Inventory 7/17/Z1 26. Katana 25.25 inch mumei Suguha-midare, itame hada Asking $950 Inventory 7/17/Z4 27. Katana 25 3/4 inch Mumei Midari suguha 1940’s?, Masume hada oil tempered? Older handachi F/K in iron Asking $750 Inventory 7/17/Z7 28. Katana 25 3/4 inch Naganuma Yoshifusa　長沼由房 Very clean blade, saya 2 seppa, habaki & Fuchi only Gunome w/ osuguha?, wide hamon, oil tempered (1940’s) Asking $750 Inventory 7/17/Z10 29. Wakizashi 17 3/8 inch Mumei koto? Gunome midare itame hada?, Okissaki Good polish, Added silver foil 2 piece habaki has modern saya Asking $875 Inventory 7/17/Z11 30. Wakizashi 17 9/16 inch Mumei, late koto? Omote is kiriha/ura is shinogi-zukuri------katakrirha-zukuri Shirasaya, Gunome-midare w/ Large hills about 2 inches apart Shinae (wrinkles in shinogiji on ura side) Asking $950 Inventory 7/17/Z12 31. Wakizashi 15.1 inch Katsuie Koto Fujiwara ju Katsuie, AKA – Kashu ju Katsuie, Mounted Asking $1750 Inventory 10/16/1