Kotetsu1959

The blade shows a distinct hada.

Here is an early “B” series Mantetsu. The sword also bears the stamp, and is in Kyu-gunto mounts.

My copy arrived today, and I am very pleased. It is a shame that John will not be able to enjoy the many favorable comments that would be coming his way from those of us who purchased his book. If you are interested in better understanding the most commonly encountered types of Japanese swords, as well as some Imperial military and civil swords that are quite rare, this is a very useful volume. Thank you John!

As many of you are aware, John Plimpton passed away on October 5, 2022. He was an accomplished and enigmatic collector of all types of Japanese military and civil swords. John sought to add to his collection every possible type of sword authorized for military or civil servants of Imperial Japan. John was a fountainhead of knowledge when it came to Imperial Japanese swords, and generously shared his knowledge. John's father was a surgeon, and John grew up the Hollywood Hills. John attended USC, later serving in the United States Navy, though it is a little hard to imagine John following orders from anyone. John worked at a number of arms related businesses, including the firearms branch of the Peterson Museum. As John's sister Ann noted at the celebration of John's life this past Saturday, John marched to the sound of his own drummer. Those of us who had the benefit of knowing John and learning from him certainly are saddened that he has left the sword room. We received a report Saturday from John's editor Stephen Weese that John's book, Swords of the Emperor, should be out no later than March of this year. John had originally entitled the book Guide to Identification of Japanese Imperial, Military and Civil Swords, and strongly resisted the change of title that was insisted on by the publisher. There were a couple of copies of the book initially self-published by John on Amazon. He wanted to examine the quality of what Amazon was able to produce. He was not satisfied with the paper quality or the non-sewn binding of Amazon. John's publisher, Headstamp Publishing, promised John they could produce the book with high quality paper and images contained in a quality sewn binding for durability. Headstamp was kind enough to produce one copy for John to examine while John was still able. I have also examined that copy. The book is very impressive, and represents the most comprehensive and detailed guide to Imperial Japanese swords that has yet been produced. At the same time, John acknowledged the contribution of Gregory and Fuller, and of Jim Dawson. These author's works are foundational to understanding Imperial Japanese swords. It seems unlikely that anyone starting now could hope to amass a collection as extensive as what John put together. Though John sometimes sold swords and other items, he was far more of a collector than dealer. In addition to swords, John was a fanatical collector of Imperial Japanese sword knots and tassels. Thankfully, John undertook a careful effort over a period of years to create a lasting pictorial guide to inform those of us also interested in these obscure objects. I am most grateful for the knowledge, swords, knots, tassels and kindness John shared with me. If you have ordered John's book, I believe you will be well pleased. One of John's best qualities is that he would admit what he didn't know, but he would not give up trying to learn. He truly was one of kind.

To those who read this language well: Is the signature O Shima Koku Junin Yasukuni, and the date 1928? Does anyone have information about this smith? Many thanks, Ray