george trotter

Hi Mark, Although I can only go on the Pic of your Masakuni tanto nakago, I feel that your inclination to go back to shinto or koto times does not seem to be supported by the tang details. I feel that the indications are for Gendaito. The tang shape, and sujikai filemarks with Kesho indicate much later than you suggested. This tang shape and filemarks and kesho remind me of the Osaka Okishiba group who worked from a long line of Yamashiro Heianjo smiths into modern times. I have seen swords by their Masatsugu, and Yoshisada, both of whom have these characteristics and also signed Minamoto. Their later smith working into recent times (WWII and later) was Masakuni Hawley MAS416. I checked your mei against his in TK 555 but it is different in that the Masakuni in TK is a cursive style, not "square" like yours, but Minamoto is virtually identical. This is only my opinion and I am no expert, but maybe you could look at the Okishiba Masakuni references above and in Ono 1977 p.100 and check the similarities and differences...I do think the tang says look in more recent times...there are other Masakuni possibilities 1840-1945. Hope this doesn't

Dear All, thank you all for your kind words, and please call me George. I checked out the Bookshop and here is her name and email. Nicole.Ryan@museum.wa.gov.au I know that they will send multiple books in a single package, and I think you can purchase by credit card. It would be worth getting together and nominating a single recipient to receive them and re-posting singly to the group (cheaper?) A lot of work for someone - but if one of you is a sword book dealer, this is a good opportunity to get some cheap stock. I'm pleased the group respects War period gendai and pleased also that I'm not the oldest member!! Now that I'm retired, I hope to be on-line more often. I'm looking forward to chats. Just on the "old days", I really liked Albert Yamanaka. He looked just like a Japanese version of of the old actor Edward G Robinson who always played a gangster. Albert wore a overcoat and a porkpie hat and smoked a fat cigar. I've never heard anyone swear so much! And his opinion of some of the "great men" of swords....well, your hair would catch fire if I told you. regards, George.

Hi carlo, I think it would be too expensive with postage cost to send to me for signing....best to just get an unsigned copy I think. Your English is fine. Better than my italian - Io non parlato Italiano. Regards, George.

Thanks for the welcome Curran...I will be happy to share my knowledge. I should just mention that I made a mistake with the price of the Japanese Sword book of the Western Australian museum price!!! I am almost 60 after all! A couple of members contacted me off-line and said the bookshop did not have the book at the price I stated Aus$11.00. They are correct....I re-read a message I got from the bookshop a few months ago about clearing out remainders, and the price of $11.00 was only to me, as author. Sorry to all, I didn't read it properly at the time. Soooo, I'm afraid it is Aus$21.00 to you all....but 21.00 is only about 15.00 US. Buy, buy, buy.

Hi Brian, Yes I am the author of the Japanese Sword etc in Western Australian Museum. I have just retired from the museum and I turn 60 on Monday. Great to have some time to myself. The reason I wrote the Book of the Collection was that they never went on public display and I wanted the public to see them, so, having some knowledge of swords I did it. It is probably as close as anyone will ever get to seeing them. By the way, the reprint of the book (2nd printing 2001) is now available as a remainder - (I think they have a few left) from the bookshop of the Western Australian Museum for about Aust$11.00 which is only about US$8.00 so if anyone wants one, just google the WA Museum bookshop and order one (or 10) Dirt Cheap! Although I have been interested in swords for almost 40 years, I sold my collection when I joined the Museum in 1982 (conflict of interest), but i had some beauties: Ishido Mitsuhira, 3Gen Echizen Yasutsugu, Endo Mitsuoki, Gendai Bizen Nagamitsu, Emura, 2nd Gen Shimada Mikawa no Kami Sadasuke, Kanabo Haito no Jo Masazane of Yamato, 1 gen Sagami Tsunahiro, etc etc. I regularly corresponded with Willis Hawley and met and had tea in the Imperial Palace Hotel in Tokyo with Albert Yamanaka. I also worked closely with Richard Fuller on his Showa Sword books - I am one of the "old guys". Strangely, I now am only really interested in good WWII era gendai, as I consider them the last of the fighting swords, made for battle and despite what the purists say, and the Japanese themselves, they are at least as good as the Sengoku jidai swords and most of them are better. i just like them because they were made by men my father fought, and most of the tosho were still alive in my lifetime. i wish the sword collecting fraternity would give them the special respect due to them. although I don't have interest in sho and seki stamped gunto, I don't think the "stigma" of showato or gunto should apply to good handmade gendaito. but that's just my opinion. I love them. regards, keep up the good work George.

Thanks Thierry, I get it now. Sorry to be such a "thickie". I'm not familiar with shorthand. Many thanks. george Trotter.

No, sorry, I don't understand your answer. What do you mean? George.

Hi all, Please don't think ill of me, but no matter how I search his site, I can't see a way to send information to Rich Stein's JSI site. How does one send an article on swords for him to add to his site? I'd even send it snail mail if I had an address. Thanks, George Trotter.

Hi. Your long sword is signed KISHO (certain victory) followed by KATO JUMYO. This looks like a showa period gunto or modern WWII made sword for military use. He was active in Seki Province in WWII. If it happens to be an earlier smith of the same name, then you may have found a very good sword. regards, George Trotter Australia.

Thanks for posting the pic of SHIGEKUNI Brian. From the even rust, some people may be tempted to think the sword is older than SHOWA Jidai, but please be assured, it is definitely not earlier. I should also say that my earlier description of the tang as KENGYO should really be called IRIYAMA GATA. I have been doing some study of the later NANKI SHIGEKUNI smiths, Shinshinto era, and this sword's tang, yasuri and mei characteristics match quite accurately. The blade does match some aspects of later NANKI line hada, boshi and hamon but in shape is typical of SHOWA era Gendai swords made for reliable hand to hand fighting. Thank you all for your interst and help...now I wait for the incredibly knowledgeable DR. T (who is he?)... Regards, Geo.

Hi all, Well I managed to make the pic a jpeg and it was too big. So I cropped it and then it hated my pixels ...so I give up. Thanks anyway fellas. george.

Thanks Brian, when my daughter gets home I will ask her to help with the jpg (I'm a techno-trog). It is definitely a modern blade. wide suguba of ko-midare, nice nie line, ko-maru boshi of chu to almost o size kissaki. hada is mostly tight itame with some larger patches in the mono-uchi. Ubu nakago of kengyo style (almost Kaga style) and kessho yasuri. Nicely cut two character katanamei immediately below the single ana. Fittings are standard type 94 WWII with siver wrapped habaki and mon on hilt (missing) so the former owner, a 2nd Lt. Kume of the Kaede Division must have cherished it. The blade is generally in excellent condition, a couple of spots and the usual scratches etc but in good un-abused condition. I probably won't have it polished as I like the WWII sashi komi style polish. I have tried all sources I can think of and no info. Will post a pic as soon as I can. George T.

Dear C. Ascher II, sorry, every time I try to upload the scan (tif) of the mei, it says the file is invalid. The two characters are the most common of SHIGE and KUNI - like all the NANKI Shigekuni's in Hawley. George T.

Oops... I misread the mei, It was done correctly for you Gan Nen, hachi gatsu beggining year, eighth month. My mistake sorry:-( George T.

Hi hermes, I came in late , so please disregard if this is already pointed out - but the character in the date given to you as 8 (ie 8th month) is actually Gan, meaning first, beginning month. So your date is actually 1st month of.... George Trotter

Hi all, I have been collecting, and interested in, Japanese swords for 40 years and I am particularly interested in Gendaito and good Gunto. I picked up a gendaito/gunto yesterday and the maker is not in any book or site - I wonder if anyone out there has seen him before? Two character signature SHIGEKUNI - this is the same mei as all those Nanki Shigekuni smiths in Hawley. this is a good handmade blade - NOT Seki gunto. It has kengyo tang and kessho filemarks. Type 94 gunto mounts and silver wrapped habaki and mon on handle. Blade is wide suguba of ko-midare with long ko-maru tip and tight itame. He is too good to be an unknown smith - but I am surprised he is not listed - maybe Shigekuni is the alternative name used by a smith in certain circumstances? Hope someone can help, George Trotter.