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

帝國在郷軍人会久留米市聯合分会

 

One slight error - the kanji in red is 人, not 入.

 

ていこくざいごうぐんじんかい

Imperial Army Reservist's Association, Kurume Chapter/Branch

 

Also, 吉日 is read as kichijitsu

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

Is not ageru as in to raise or lift using 上 for swords, whereas 揚 in this sense is hoist as with ropes or pump as in water? I have a sword with this on it; 於武劦江戸照吉上之 John

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

Can someone please point me in the right direction on information about this smith?

I cannot find any mention of him anywhere.

Thank you all very much,

Tom

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

As with the mantetsu I posted several days ago, here is another sword that I am helping the owner to translate.  Both the signature and the horimno on the sword have stumped me.  Thanks in advance for your help

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

H10824.0 Tsunemasa. I checked a multitude of other readings, but, came up MT. John

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

In Haynes there is only one 序正 from Hitachi, Mito. Hirata school. John

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

I just heard from him today. Notorious for checking emails once a week..hes fine.

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

Hello David is it possible to see some pictures to your offer?

 

Best

Chris

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 7^th 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