george trotter

I'm probably stupid for saying this, but could that kanji on the cleaned tang be NARI? There were a few Narimitsu smiths in Bizen Osafune between 1350 - 1504. Hawley brown book p.583.

Hi Guido and Jacques, I was looking in the "New Generation of Jap. Swordsmiths" by Tsuchiko (pp.16-17) and he addresses this question. Munesaki - The tip of the mune at the kissaki: also called matsubasaki (pine-needle tip). So maybe we just say the munesaki is wide or narrow? Thanks,

As Steve says...might be Tenbun 12...

Don't think I can help much but I'll give it a go...it looks like the date is TEN MON 1 (1532) And the mei is BI ZEN KUNI JU OSA FUNE ? HYO E (no) JO ? MITSU Because of the distinctive way the Osafune smiths identified themselves with these titles etc (eg Sa-hyo-e-no-jo or U-hyo-e-no-jo etc.) you will need to go carefully through the Bizen smiths and check their titles against yours...if you find the "missing" first part, you might be able to identify the full smith name. Have fun.

Hi Steve, Yes I found it. TOCHO for sure (sorry don't know how to put the - over the o). So thanks for taking the time to provide the source . I wonder why Ohmura uses tosho? I will use tocho. Great work guys, thanks. Regards,

Thanks for your comments guys...very helpful. Just for info on this type of Rinji Seishiki scabbard, it is definitely made this way. No sign of ever having had a a haikan or an ishidzuki. It is "painted" with some light brown/yellow (I presume) waterproof lacquer. All original. It may have had a canvas cover like the ones shown in a couple of the pics here, if so thee cover must have had a reinforced leather top section with its own haikan strap and ring and of course, it would have had a reinforced leather section on the bottom. Of course, it may have been leather cover also, with its own built in leather suspension ring. I can assure you there is definitely no rub mark to show that it ever had a metal band/ring type haikan on the scabbard. I will just keep my eye open for a cover...one might turn up. Thanks to all. Regards,

Hi John, I just happened to be looking at Ohmura's site and under the section naming the parts of the gunto, he calls the tassel a tosho. ohmura-study.net/903.html I'd still be interested in member's comments though. Regards, Edit...I see the link didn't work. Just go to links and click on Omura's site and in his index page click on " the name of each part of the Gunto". Just scroll down to the illustration.

Hi Guido, I did see those terms when I was looking in books but could find no other term either, I think it must be as you say...sakikasane - atsui or usui. Thank you. Regards to all,

Thank you Steve, Yes I tried to look in my Wakayama also but no luck. Now with your information I will try to find out if any record exists on this artisan in books some of my fellow collectors may have. Again, I presume him to be modern as this tsuba was on a Okura made blade by Yasuhiro. If I do find anything I will get back to you. Many thanks.

Yes Jean, I also think that is the reason - but what is this feature called? Does it have a name? As to the references in the other answers, thank you all...but I think you have mistaken my question. I was not asking about ikubi kissaki, there just happens to be one shown in the pic (sorry for the confusion caused by including that ikubi kissaki). I was asking about the general name of the wide kissaki mune shape and periods in swordmaking where it is seen / seen most / not seen etc.. I have never had any post-1954 shinsakuto in hand but I would think that like WWII showato and gendaito, this wide kissaki mune shape would have continued for some years but maybe, as shinsaku tosho got better and better and closer to reproducing koto quality / shape etc, this shape will have become rarer and rarer? regards,

Another question. I have heard the Japanese refer to the tassel on a gunto as being an isho and an icho. Maybe I didn't hear correctly as I also know the word used in writing is either tosho, tocho or even osho, ocho. Please take a look at the pics, I include one of my 1944 Seisui blade with brown tassel the August 1944 drawing showing the tassel on a Rinji Seishiki Gunto (Type 3 / Type 0 / Type 44 / Type naval landing). my own scrawl of the kanji and the Nelson kanji dictionary pronunciations. Which one is it? Thanks,

Hi all, me again (first time I've had two posts on the same day). Anyway, can anyone read this tsuba mei? It is on a 1944 made Okura Forge made blade by Miyaguchi Yasuhiro, so should be good quality maker and I presume the maker to be WWII period. I'd appreciate knowing who he was. Thanks,

Wow, quick answers guys. thank you. Just to clarify, the sword I was talking to the guy about was not ikubi...it was normal length kissaki with "normal" widening of kissaki mune. That ikubi kissaki in the pic just happens to be one of the two swords the original poster chose to photograph. The other thing is...what is the flared kissaki mune called? Regards,

I was chatting to a chap in a militaria store today and pointing to the kissaki of a showato, he asked me what the "flared" tip was called. Racking my poor old brain I must say I couldn't remember (maybe I never knew?). So...can members say what this part of the blade is called and any details about it. All I know is that it depends in part on the height of the shinogi ridge... and you you don't see it on koto? You do see it on Shinto and shinshinto And always? on gendaito-showato Why is this...is it just slowly lost from repeated polishes or...? Please see pic (I pinched it from an old NMB post). Maybe you can jog my memory - and educate a lot of members at the same time. Regards,

Thanks Dave...I will. Regards,

Hi Fred, Yes you have a genuine samurai sword that was "drafted" into service in WWII. Due to the rapidly expanding army the Japanese military could not make enough swords to arm its new officers. In 1938 (army & navy) and again in 1942 (army only) appealed to the public to sell their private swords to them. This was done in two forms... 1, just bare blades that were mounted by the army and sold to officers through the Officer's Clubs 2. mounted blades - these were simply put into a leather combat cover and sold to the officers. Yours is a # 2. It is short yes, but even though the army stipulated that blades cannot be shorter than 54.4 cm. I have one at 52.4 cm (see pic - scabbard cover not shown) and have seen them as short as about 45 cm. Nice gift. Regards,

John, Nice naval blade by Kunimitsu...I've always liked his work, but never had one in hand. I notice yours is in hadori polish? My initial liking came from this oshigata done c.1941. (see pic below from 'Dai Nihon Token Shoko Meikan' 1942). I always keep an eye out...the closest I've come is an almost identical hamon by Okishiba Heianjo Yoshisada, an RJT from Osaka. As a matter of interest, what would you call this hamon and the activities in the pic? Regards,

Hi Baz...you are forgiven, after all it is just a photo...sometimes hard to "read" a surface. Dave, yes, I look at Doug's site from time to time...good stuff, but not yet seen "the one"...I'll always keep looking, but you know how it is... Regards,

Hi Baz 'n' Bruce, Yes, saya would have had a canvas or leather cover, possibly with an attached carry ring. When I got this the saya was "naked" so I just thought if there was a spare cover out there it might be nice to put one back...it's no big deal...just kinda like to keep things "complete" (must be the nerd in me). BTW the saya is painted in a sort of "thickish" water-proof? stuff...not hard lacquer, but would seal any joins, edges etc. from moisture. Hope you are both well and have sobered up after all your new year "frolics" haha. regards,

I think you're asking what they say? Kawano Masao...just a name. Regards,

Sorry for the delay in answering you Neil and Chris S. Blade is by unknown smith named Takashima Kunihide of Kyoto. Very nice sword but nothing known about him except that he lived in Fushimi where the Fushimi Inari Shrine is and he was RJT. And yes, I always keep an eye on ebay, but thought it just might be worth asking here too. RJT star stamp mei says : Fushimi ju Takashima Kunihide saku. (date is 8/1944). Hamon is Notare with ko-midare but rarely is easy to see in pics because it has a WWII period hadori polish....oh for sashi-komi. .Regards,

Maybe a job for Nick Komiya?

Oh yes. I see what you mean Brian...that's a strong likelihood , I hadn't thought of the system working like that....Walking in, choosing a blade and a level of mountings for it and even a mon and having the shop system put them all together... makes a lot of sense...I had thought more of the Officers Club shop having shelves of already mounted swords (low end - middle end - high end). the officer made his choice and either the shop organised a mon or the officer organised it himself. Nick Komiya has been mentioned. Yes he sure has done some good research. While he is mostly into firearms etc, he has sure provided some good info on the Rinji Seishiki Gunto history (we used to call it Type 3 or Type 0) and he said in his last post a year ago on the Civilian Purchase Sword Program that there is heaps of info on all aspects of the WWII military sword stuff in the Japanese Archives waiting to be researched...I sure wish he would take some time and do it. Just to take one topic, think how many copies he could sell of a "History of the RJT Sword Program, its Smiths and their Output" ...I know I would buy one! Someone suggest it to him please...I'm getting older... Ray, thanks for posting your pics, makes two good examples now (with mine) for members to see and maybe add to. It would be interesting to see if these do make up a "group". Regards,

Not sure if I'm doing the right thing posting here, but... I need a canvas or suede scabbard cover for this sword (see pic of my sword/scabbard and another pic of the same type with the type of scabbard cover I need). Can anyone point me to where I might find one? I suppose some would have a leather reinforce at the throat and bottom end? Let me know please? Regards,

Brian I'm sure in many cases you are correct , but the reason I made this post is that my 'purchased sword' and sword fittings above and Ray Singers 'purchased sword' and sword fittings in his post are virtually identical. This made me think...either it is just a coincidence that they "match" or they were both mounted by the same sword mounting shop. Since they both contain what are certainly? civilian purchase blades, I thought maybe the army not only purchased the blades, but mounted them also, for sale in their Army Club outlets. I'm not suggesting these were all done in one army fittings shop, (although this may be true) but probably by army contracted mounting shops in several large cities (parts supplied by the army with instructions on what price-range swords to put them on?) and the higher level of swords got this higher level of fittings and would naturally have a higher price. After purchasing the mounted sword of his choice, the officer had the mon put on like you say. So...I thought that if members who have this "set" of fittings/swords would post them we maybe could see if there is a distinct "group" of gunto with old blades and identical high-end mounts - all army supplied ready for sale in their shops....or maybe we just have a random coincidence here. Being the worlds worst sword hamon photographer, I attach a couple of "slightly better" photos of this mumei Mino-den sword's hamon. Being mainly interested in RJT swords for the last 30 years I had forgotten just how good Mino gonome midare hamon can be. I also attach a closeup of the tsuka showing the large nodule same...all in all a quality sword in a quality mounting IMHO. Regards,