Bruce Pennington

Ken, You Tenshozan blade has navy tsuba/seppa (hand guard and spacer) but an army saya (scabbard). Don't know who matched them up that way, but it wouldn't have been that way originally. The second is in army fittings. The wooden saya originally would have had a leather cover. Check the brown tassel for any signs of faded blue or red. If none, then this sword was carried by someone in the Gunzoku, the civilian branch of the army.

Books and time. It will come along. Books won't help much with stamping, though. If you don't have it already, download Stamps of the Japanese Sword, for the latest info.

This is not a WWII blade, Derek. All I recognize is "Masa". Have to wait for the real translators for the rest.

Michael, The majority of the conversation took place via PM. I announced our conclusion and summary of the issue on this post:

The common mistake, perpetuated by years of collector folklore, is that the Showa stamp was an arsenal mark. It was not. It was the inspection mark of the civilian organization Seki Cutlery Industry Association (I've been saying "Manufacturers"; but Thomas has it as "Industry". He's the language expert, so "Industry" it is!). They were asked by sword shops/forges to start running inspections because "poor showato were hurting the industry's reputation." These blades were made for both the civilian and military markets. Yes, the massive majority were bought by the military, but many were sold to private shops.

Here's a first for me - Patent numbers on Type 98 saya:

Well, call me surprised! Never seen patent numbers on saya before!

Chris, I updated the post to add the photo with the star. Was in a hurry originally, and didn't notice I'd left it off.

I'd go with Showa 17, 1942: I have 6 other Munenaga and only one is dated, also 1942:

Close. I have one prior: 1943, Jul Yamagata Akiyoshi (RJT) マ 360 Star Leen, NMB, RS 1943, Oct Yamagata Yoshikane, 吉包 (?) マ 468 Star Tomp, Warrelics, T98 1943, Dec Yamagata Naohisa (RJT) マ 554 Star Pauln93, NMB 1944, Jun Yamagata Sadatomo マ 894 Stephen, NMB 1944, Jul Yamagata Munehide (RJT) マ 870 Yahoo/Kiipu notRS ND Yamagata Munemitsu (RJT) マ 431 Star Cillo, pg 119

Yes, I failed to mention that it is star stamped.

That's a cool find, Conway! I haven't researched where and when the entire gunto were assembled. Maybe Thomas has a feel for that. I know SMR made fittings, and I'm aware that some shops, like Suya, made fittings and sometime the whole sword. But I don't know what went on at the arsenals.

Like I say, I'm not the guy to figure this out. Have to wait for the experts.

While we wait for the real experts, Sesko says of the two: "OKIMITSU (沖光), 1st gen., Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shimane – “Okimitsu” (沖光), real name Hara Kakutarō (原角太郎), student of Murakami Masatada (村上正忠), it is said that the part “Oki” in his name Okimitsu, a name that was given to him by his master Masatada, alludes to his place of residence which was in Nishinoshima (西ノ島) in the Oki district (隠岐) of Shimane Prefecture, he worked as rikugun-jumei-tōshō, kihin no retsu (Akihide), Second Seat at the 6th Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会, 1941) (see picture right) OKIMITSU (沖光), 2nd gen., Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Shimane – “Oki no Kuni-jūnin Okimitsu kore o saku” (隠岐国住人沖光作之), “Oki no Kuni-jū Okimitsu saku” (隠岐国 住沖光作), real name Hara Hiroshi (原寛), born September 19th 1928, son of Hara Kakutarō (原角太郎), he succeeded as second generation of that name in 1952 but it is unknown if his father died in that year or just handed him over the forge, maybe the former approach is more likely as Kakutarō was only 24 years old at that time (see picture right)" The mei looks more like the 2nd gen to me.

I'm not really good at this, but what I see is: Fujita Yoshikane Taniguchi Yoshikane This guy is Ikeda Yoshikane Maybe some help from @george trotter and/or @mecox?

@vajo @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN Got a first-time blade of Yoshikane 吉包 on this Warrelics Post, number マ 468. He's not listed in the JSI RJT list. Sesko has him, but doesn't mention his RJT qual. "YOSHIKANE (吉包), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Yamagata – “Ugo Sakata-jū Ikeda Yoshikane saku” (羽後酒田住 池田吉包作), real name Ikeda Kaneyoshi (池田金吉)"

That’s what I’m thinking. It must’ve had a leather cover and at some point someone took a standard tsuba and modified it for the leather retention strap so he could put a leather cover on it.

Marcin, Never seen anything like that. Do any of the other fittings have a number?

You only show one side of the fuchi/tsuka - is it made with a latch, both tsuka and saya? Looks like someone cut a hole in the tsuba for a leather covered saya. The rest of the details of the tsuba show fine detail. The seppa look roughly made.

Yes. Nice suguha hamon, Chansen. Good luck with the sale.

Don't worry, Steve. They started bustin' my chops, too, when I had been doing this for a few years and wasn't learning the names. I use the JSI page on names: Swowa Seki Smiths - Japaneseswordindex.com and Brian's index on the Home page. Using both, I got this one! After a while, you'll start recognizing some of the most commonly used kanji like Kane 兼 and Kuni 国 For those I can't recognize or remember, I scroll though the JSI page until I spot one.

Joris, the fittings look pretty good. Looks like someone obtained WWII fittings (you can find the for sale without a blade) and put them on a Damascus blade. The date is October 1938. Is anyone able to read the smith name?

My first choice would be our own Swords and Edged Weapons For Sale or Trade section of NMB. You'll save all the ebay fees and taxes. I know I've heard a guy or two talking about wanting one of these. If no luck there, then, personally, I'd try ebay.

As to market price, $450 is what I got mine for, however it is rare to see one sold as a souvenir. Almost all sellers market them as Navy kaigunto. But I've always felt they should be priced higher, more like Brian said. Rebecca, I don't see how or where you would get an official appraisal for this. You are currently talking with the only guys that really know what this sword is. Like the other guys said, the market itself is the real appraiser. They are worth whatever people are willing to pay for them.

Marcin, Thomas (Kiipu) recently figured out that this circled anchor was a generic, all purpose Navy inspection/acceptance stamp. Turns out that the Toyokawa Navy Arsenal had nothing to do with swords. The more elaborate circled anchor was the Naval inspector assigned to the Tenshozan factory, so still a Naval stamp, not a shop stamp.