Bruce Pennington

Great examples of the Yamamoto Gunto Shop logo. Very nice fittings they made apparently.

Here's a 1945 Mitsunobu: and a Feb 1944:

@Bruno, Just realized I don't have any examples of his work in the database. Do you have a blade made by him that I could get some photos of for the files?

Thanks Eric, it's fixed. I have not heard that story, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit. I'm sure at war's end, there were hundreds of sword shops, antique stores, forges, and arsenal warehouses loaded with gunto in process of distribution.

I have seen both Inaba and Inanami translations for this smith, but Inaba seems to have the majority vote. The second stamp is unique to him, so it must be something like a kao or logo. I have a small number of other such unique marks found under Toyokawa anchor stamps. Not widespread, so I'm guessing it's like a personal trademark or something.

Just like paper copy newspapers, even books, losing ground to the ebook and online subscriptions, I'd say the future is in digital format. My Stamps document started as solely a digital product. But one day a guy talked about how he liked to have a paper copy to grab on moment's notice, so I tried it out. Sure enough, I like having both. But our ability to print out documents or take something large to a business copy shop and make our own hard-copies, may be the way we will get them in the future, from digital-only sources.

Tony, Can you help me understand what that tab is, sticking out of the end of the saya leather? It's too long to be one of the "patent no. xxxx" sayajiri.

Ron, You'll find an amazing variety of saya colors on Ohmura's Gunto Site. Here's a sample from his page. Is yours aluminum? That is a little more rare than the black color, if so.

Mario, I don't see any real ones for sale on ebay right now. This dealer is good and has one for sale for $300 AUS, which is a really good price! I've paid $400 USD for mine in the past. https://guntoartswords.com/010957.html

Here's my chart on Osaka: Updated Chart (for some reason, cannot delete old chart!!!): Saka 1943, Jun Sadakatsu (RJT) Star, 1阪 EdHicks NMB, Rinji 1944 Unknown From Fuller Survey 1944, Mar Unknown From Fuller Survey 1944, May Unknown From Fuller Survey 1944, Nov Masaharu Mecox, NMB 1944, Apr Masayoshi (RJT) Cillo, pg 110 1944, Sep Sadashige, (RJT) Star Cillo, pg 153 ND Nagamitsu, イ313 on mune Ooitame NMB, Rinji ND Nagamitsu, 阪1431 mune Cillo, pg 124 ND Nagamitsu, 阪1861 mune Rancho, NMB, RS ND Nagamitsu, 2005 on mune Reeder, NMB No Date Nagamitsu, 1阪3490 mune VajS NMB Rinji ND Nagamitsu, 阪3973 IJASWORDS, NMB, Broken heart seppa ND Nagamitsu, 阪3991 Mauser99, NMB No Date Nagamitsu Ooitame NMB

Gorgeous, Eric! Double release buttons, textured saya (is that black?). You photo of the serial number is a little blurred. Do I see "(saka) 1361" or "1561"?

Oh, got it, thanks David! So the posted pics don't show the date. I'll file them with the text stating the date.

Yes, one and the same.

How does this equate to "showa"?

Ah! It's the "year" kanji. I thought so, but I'm not used to seeing that on a Mantetsu. But there's not much "normal" about this nakago anyway!

Which makes the 1945 list: い 28 mumei (Steeve) MRS fittings い 67 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation) い 90 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation) い 142 mumei (Richard Fuller collection) MRS fittings い 213 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation) い 289 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation) い 449 Konan Essei (from a book with a Diary citation) い 622 Konan Essei (Beng Shua Collection) Type 98 fittings い 1170 mumei (NGF Collection) MRS fittings

Bingo! Richard's mumei blade in MRS fittings is a Mantetsu! Serial number い 142. Odd that it fits in the middle of other numbers that were marked with the Konan Essei slogan.

Your guess is as good as any Erwin. We've been learning a little more about the vast number of private swords shops operating during the war, so it's also possible a shop owner obtained this blade and fitted it out like this. I see it's Showa-stamped. The date puzzles me, though. The first two kanji aren't what I'm used to seeing. Does anyone understand these? Why are they called 'showa'. The numbers fit for a 1941 date, but I don't get those first kanji at all.

I cannot recognize the last kanji on the date, which is normally a season. Any ideas @k morita, @Kiipu, or @BANGBANGSAN?

Nice 95, Thomas. Get a nice uchiko kit and some 90% alcohol and that blade will start looking better.

You've got some fun software there @Stegel! So the stamping guy had the whole gunto upside down when he did the stamps, like you said in the right order, but when righted, upside down and flipped from normal.

The stamps are correct, the order is reversed from the norm.

And an ARMY Company grade tassel. Hmm

Stainless steel blades have been found in army fittings. I've never read how the stainless blades were made.

Mario, Have you heard of online translators? Here's one I like: https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=dutch+to+english&atb=v275-1&ia=web I am posting on a Russian sword forum, and I use it a lot. I don't expect the Russians to read my English, I translate first.