Ketoujin

Hi All, I, too, recently bought - my first Type 98 "Shin-guntou" - a sword with a Fujiwara Sukeyuki blade. Neat to find out more about this smith. Gunnar

K Morita, Thank you very much! The information you provide is a god-send. I am presently writing an article on Type 95 NCO swords for a militaria magazine and I was looking for info on some of the producers of certain components for these swords - of which Iijima Token Seisakusho was one. I will happily include the info you have provided and acknowledge you by name with other contributors at the end of the article if you would give me your permission to do so. I've only just downloaded the attachment so it should make interesting reading later. Thanks very much again. Best, Gunnar

K Morita, Thank you for your reply. No, unfortunately I do not own the title you reference although from reviews I've read of it it sounds like a great resource on Showa-era kaji. From my internet searches I gather not much is known about Iijima Token Seisakusho. There is the notation on Mr. Ohmura's site and a brief mention in Jim Dawson's new book on gunto but little else. I have searched the Japanese archives - what is on-line anyway - at the JACAR site but though there are a couple documents which relate to the Suya Shoten K.K. company from 1936 and 1938 there is nothing on Iijima Masayuki's firm. Is there any indication in the book you mention when the company was set up? I can read some Japanese so if you, or anyone else, wouldn't mind posting or PMing me with a scan of the relevant two pages I'd be most grateful. Thank you for your suggestion at any rate. Best, Gunnar

Hi All, I am interested if anyone can tell me more about the life and background of smith Iijima Masayuki or about his Iijima Token Seisakusho, specifically how many staff it employed, what kind of machinery it operated - especially in regard to production of Type 95 Non-commissioned Officer Swords - and approximate dates of operation. I have seen some blades of his online but I'd be interested to know more about his stylistic background as a smith, when he started his career, etc. Thanks, Best, Gunnar

George, The name on the canvas tag is "Yoshiharu Ishida." He was part of "Number One Section," this latter name is probably his military unit or sub-unit. Best, Gunnar

Thomas, Thanks again for your help. I wonder what the value of a Minamoto Tsuneshige blade in much better shape is? I do get the sense that the condition of this blade would obviously, it seems to me anyway, warrant a lesser value but I am a total neophyte at this and prefer to trust the comparitive experts like yourself for the time being until I get to know more. Is there a particular volume or volumes to the Meikan or perhaps a compendium that would give me some good images of blades and oshigata of blades that are good examples of the best known smiths? I have Sato's "The Japanese Sword," as well as Yumoto's "Handbook." I will see about procuring the titles you reference in your info on Minamoto Tsuneshige. If you like I will do an oshigata and send it to you, or post it on the forum here - whichever would be better. Thanks very much again, Gunnar

Thomas, Thanks very much for the info. The nakago is quite rusty, plus I'm quite inexperienced at reading tangs so that accounts for my misreading of the signature. You infer that the date for this particular Tsuneshige might be uncommon, that is very interesting! I myself think the date is very neat. I like to think the blade was carried in the Restoration a few years after it was made and carried into WWII as well, but I can only be sure of use in the latter conflict of course. Might you care to give a guestimate on value once I upload better tang pics? Just to be clear, the sword is missing its tsuba and mekugi, has loose and gnarled hilt wrapping, lacks the sarute, and has quite a few dents and some surface rust on the scabbard. As you can see, the blade has seen better days too. Thanks to the both of you who've replied so far. Best, Gunnar

Hi All, I have just translated the tang of blade in WWII Shin-gunto mountings. The sword is missing its tsuba and I believe the shibabiki has been reversed at some point as well. The tsuka has its samehada moved around and the mekugi were absent when I received this sword from a local man who wanted me to take a look at it. He'd been given the sword when a child by another local guy who apparently was a Marine vet who brought it back. The poor thing is, as I say, in awful shape, but I'd still like to get your opinions on the smith's background info. The tang is dated as 萬延元年八月 or "The Eighth Month of the First Year of the Manen Era," which would place it due to the Chinese zodiac system used in Japanese calenders at this time, around the late August to September timeframe of 1860. The smith's name and location is 播磨国住源常里 or "Minamoto Tsunesato of Harimono-kuni." I've ascertained Harimono-kuni was in what is now today's Hyogo Prefecture. Now then, what does anyone know about this smith? I will attach pics soon uncluding some of the blade and overall condition and I thank everyone in advance for their suggestions on this matter. Thanks, Gunnar

Hi All, Happened upon this site while thinking about a sword tang I am translating for some friends. I have collected the arms and militaria of Imperial Japan for close to fifteen years now but, despite having several reference books on the subject, only bought my first Japanese sword - a Type 19 police-markeed Kyu-gunto - earlier this year. I am saving my pennies to buy a Shin-gunto at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later though. This forum looks to have quality information and participants and I'm looking forward to interacting with everyone more in future. Thanks, Gunnar