Bruce Pennington

Rob, Is that a "1" stamped at the bottom of the nakago?

John, forgive me if you've already discussed this, but what distinguishes and early style from the late?

Thanks for the discussion Mal. It reminds me of other forges that wrote out the forge name on the nakago, Tenshozan Sword Forge is one of them, which coincidentally is another forge that made blades for Toyokawa. I have 6 of the Inaba/Inanami blades on file and all of them are signed as such with no other name attached. And all 6 have the unknown stamp added below the Toyokawa anchor. I have 3 other mystery stamps that appear below the anchor - a "HA", "KA", and "moustache". The Ha and Ka are on mumei navy blades and the moustache is on a Tsukushi Suetsugu Shigemitsu navy blade. I'm starting to feel like these are all forge logo. And I suggest the Inaba is, in fact, the Inaba Sword Forge I found in the above link. Simply the forge name, like the Tenshozan mei. I'm searching, now, for my reference on the stated 'Inaba Kaneyoshi' as none of the nakago on file show 'Kaneyoshi'. It might have been a speculative statement on one of the threads. Update: @BANGBANGSAN made the statment that the Inaba mei was of Inaba Kaneyoshi on this post HERE.

A Suya 95 posted by @Leon HERE. Note the wear and even black paint in the serial number!

Mal, After doing some web searches for this mei, I found this page, translated, "Inaba Sword Forging" here: Inaba Sword Forging (White Sheath) (osaka-ryujindo.jp) I've seen other mei with the "Inaba" beginning, and have some kaigunto with Toyokawa anchor and a modified 伊 under the anchor. Do you think we are seeing blades made at the Inaba Forge?

I only have 1 on file for comparison. You can see, among other things, the difference in the kao. The one above tried to make the bottom loop in 1 stroke, whereas the one I'm posting used a large straight line at the bottom.

Thank you, Moriyamasan! Now, since Kiku Ichimonji was a tribute to an ancient shogun, was there a Seki shogun that this is honoring?

Looks like someone tried to make a pole sword out of it.

Noah, You will thoroughly enjoy both books. What you have pictured there, is the earlier edition of Fuller. His updated version looks like this: The one you have is still good and actually has a couple items left out of the updated version. But the updated version is still better.

That's the most comprehensive tally I've ever seen, Trystan! Wow! Previously, all I've seen are discussions by Fuller and by Kapp estimating the total sword production at 2 Million for the war.

Leon, Suya made quality swords, so you have a nice gunto there. You can start learning terms here: Japanese Sword Visual Glossary and learn of the sword types with excellent photos on Ohmura's fabulous site: Military Swords of Imperial Japan

Thanks for checking, John. With gunto, there is a well-known saying "Never say never, nor always!" So, not surprised.

Boy, there's a bunch of these showing up lately!

Hey guys, Found this in a kaigunto. I thought it was another Kiku ichimongi, but the first kanji doesn't match other mei I have on file. I have a vague recollection you've helped me with one like this before, but it's lost to antiquity. Thanks for the help!

Tactfully done, Thomas. You could have said “Bruce, please stop trying to translate things!” Ha!

I'm with Dan's summary on this one. Adding pics for the day the sale pages go dead. More evidence of a 'piece-together' - the koiguchi and saya are painted black, yet the fuchi and tsubs/seppa are not. Fat tsuba and centered chuso of a Type 94, but like already stated, newly made latch and seppa

That's better, thanks! I was wrong on the navy one. I had thought the solid handguard was for Warrant Officer, but the company grade officers had that feature too. The floral pattern on the other metal fittings are of Company grade. There are 9-leaf and 11-leaf patterns, yours being the 9-leaf pattern. Dawson said there is no meaning behind the two. I don't see that backstrap pattern in the book, but he lists several custom designs, so it's likely just a variation. Army one: The drag design and brown saya had me thinking Warrant officer, but the tsuka is officer, and by the backstrap, likely Field grade. There were so many variations in these. I'm no expert on the Type 8/19, but I feel like the drag pattern was early in the model.

It definitely was written right to left. The last two are "tsukuru kore" which means "caredully, or respectfully, made this" but I don't know the smith name. Waiting for @Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN or @SteveM for that.

Noah, Both items are cool swords to have. The top one of the first photo is a Naval warrant officer sword and the other is an Army Warrant officer sword. Could you post clear shots of the floral work on the handguards and backstraps?

Trystan, I'm working up a section in the Stamps Doc for these Kobe stamps. So, to be clear, you believe all 3 of these to be from Kobe Shoten? Adding to my problem, in my head, is the "K" in sakura and, what we believe, the "Ichi" in sakura. Are we saying that these 2 are also of Kobe Shoten? And my final issue is of the "S" in diamond of Kobe Steel Works ...... same company? If all the same, or related, I'll put them all together in their own section.

Does this mean the 4,800 were unfinished? That would line up, like you said, with the '44 figures of 500 finished and 5,500 unfinished. I'm still amazed that in the last two years of the war Japan was actually increasing their sword/weapon production.

And that has been what's plagued this 'genre' of sword for so long. The quality of the Chinese territory and 'island made' swords was so poor compared to mainland Japan, that they are near impossible to distinguish from the modern fakes. But we have been discovering documents (thanks to Kiipu and Bangbangsan) showing swords were being made 'over there' and we're building some experience in spotting them.

I think you're right. Purple'ish same', poor wrap, and long thin sarute.

Thanks Ray, interesting read. So according to that, this could be a 3rd generation Kinmichi, "the third generation changed the characters of „sôsho“ from (惣匠) to (宗匠)"

Super! Thanks Ray!