george trotter

On the Imperial mon question, I think Matt H is on the money. Looks like the multiple kiku mons on that sabre indicate the Imperial department they were issued to. If it was an Imperial family mon it would almost certainly be silver...and only one mon. I have seen maybe 3 or 4 images over the years of what must be Imperial family member/relation mon...all silver. Interesting....thanks.

What Dan K said. "Whatever speaks the most to the collector himself". It may not become famous. It may not speak to all collectors...but if it satisfies the interests of this collector, he/she will research it and gain knowledge. He/she will gladly share this knowledge with other collectors of a similar interest, and/or other individuals who are building a collection of their own. In a nutshell, a collector collects what interests him/her. I do not know of any genuine collector who collects to please others/to gain the approval of others. I'm not sure if such a person would be classified as a collector. Hope this helps...

I did not think anyone but an Imperial Family member could display the Imperial kiku mon....may be this sword was carried by a family member?

The stamp is the katakana sound MO

No Jace, sorry. My friend (Max Binns) died 20 years ago and his "odds & ends" (including several nihonto and many antique firearms etc) were all sold off to dealers by his widow. I think many went overseas. Regards,

Yes, an old friend of mine, dead now, told me of his service in the Australian Army in PNG-Bougainville Is. He was a machine-gunner on a landing craft there and when the surrender happened, he said a large pile of Japanese swords was put on his craft and they were ordered to take them out beyond the lagoon reef into deep water and toss them in. This they did....he did keep one for himself though...a nice civilian buke-zukuri mounted samurai sword in lacquered scabbard. Having been working in these areas myself in the 70s, I can tell you that the humid climate is NOT kind on war relics...I would say anything that has been damp/wet for 70 odd years is "gone". Regards.

Hi Charles, I think you have a pretty good set of books there...all/most of the necessary English language books we all refer to. Of course, always keep your eye out for more/new ones, but I think that (without knowledge of Japanese and ability to read Japanese) you have a good coverage there....and of course...you can always ask questions on NMB!! All good, Regards.

Here is an oshigata of Tsukamoto Kazuyuki from the 3rd Sword Exhib. of 1938. This rubbing came from an original sword magazine, kindly sent by Morita san. Hope this helps.

Hi Adam, yes I have seen that "wrapped" saya as well - also was on a Type 3 mount with RJT star stamped? blade. Hilt was the typical lacquered Type 3 binding style. Regards, PS...the two other examples I saw mounted gangi-maki like mine were both private order swords...not sure if this is important, but one was 23rd Gen Seki Kanefusa (OA pic) and the other is owned by a member here I think...it is by Ikkansai Kuniteru (hilt pic).

Interesting thread. Just to add to this ...I am interested in WWII examples. Here is the gangi-maki hilt from my WWII gendaito. Not sure what the binding is...seems leather. I have seen 2 other WWII like this ... not common, but they do exist...all have been true gendaito. Regards

Hi Ray, Same story. I was in Bougainville Island (Solomons - Guadalcanal etc) in mining in 1976-77 and I also saw local natives using WWII Japanese swords to cut crops, grass etc. Amazing. I never had a close look so don't know what sort of quality the blades were. That was how things were done there then.... Regards,

50 years ago I owned an Echizen Yasutsugu 3 Gen sword - in Type 98 mounts with mon. I also owned a Dewa no Kami Hokkyo Minamoto Mitsuhira in bukezukuri mounts. Both were Juyo smiths. I sold them when I joined my local state museum (to avoid ethics conflict, can't collect AND curate). Ysutsugu is 3rd on the large pic and Mitsuhira is 4th on the large pic. Here are the tang pics and the oshigata....enjoy (sorry for the lack of quality of my 50+ years old pics). Regards, P.S. speaking as a history trained ex-museum staffer, I can say that "museum quality" is a bit confusing as an I,D. terminology. It is valid if the museum is dedicated to ONLY the best quality items in a narrow dedicated sphere of objects (e.g. oil paintings of Queen Victoria). It does not apply to a general history museum as they collect historically related objects...whether they be top quality or low quality...as long as they are relevant to the history of that state/town/subject (e.g. history of cars).

Bruce, gotta watch out for Poms and Kiwis...we Aussies have heaps of them running loose here haha. I have to admit though, even though I am an Aussie, I spent 3 years in Kent in England...I worked in a pub there, they liked me and called me their pet kangaroo (I used to say "watch out you don't upset me and get me hopping mad") - we'd all laugh...great times. I also spent time in US and Canada (in mining). I married a girl from Chicago...great. She has been to kiwi-land...I never went there...(if you have lived/worked in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia and Alaska you have already seen heaven...no need to go anywhere else like Switzerland or New Zealand)... BTW, I drove Landrovers as my 'car of choice' from 1966-2010...great car, great times. Regards,

I read that Pippo...you're in for it now...

Just for your interest Jonathan, here is an oshigata of a Shimada blade signed the same as yours (not dated). SUNSHIU SHIMADA JU MIKAWA NO KAMI SADASUKE. This one was in Type 98 Army mounts. I sold it about 1982. Regards...

Wow Adam,,,amazing. That is a real strong sori...amazing that you found the only set of Type 98 with the exact, correct curvature. I think Brian is right....maybe you should buy a lottery ticket now...!!! Regards,

Might have mentioned this before John?....but in the case of this name OSHIMA being written on the tsuka, the missing mon was unlikely to have been an Oshima mon as the information on the sword says the owner was 2nd Lt KUME (unless he was a linked branch family to Oshima?). Regards,

Thanks for those dates gentlemen 1940 and Dec 1938...helps me date my undated Shigekuni to say 1940-ish. Volker san, yes, that writing might be the mounter shop...pity it is unclear...my Shigekuni is numbered in ink (in kanji) 199 and has the shop guy? name written as Oshima (I think I have already told Bruce). Thanks again..

Hi Volker, Interesting. I have a sword with the same haikan (sword by unknown WWII smith Shigekuni). Just for Bruce, are there ay stamps or marks on the tsuba/seppa that might identify the mounting shop? Would be nice to know who made this haikan/fittings. Mine only has the number 199 stamped on metal parts....how about yours? Regards, PS. mine also has 8 seppa and silver habaki and silver mon (torn off).

Hi Phil, Yes I spoke to Jamie at the fair last week and he said you guys had picked up some goodies and I should drop in and have a look.... I'll pop in after the Easter rush has died down a bit...maybe mid-week or later. See you then (not sure I can bear to look at a "ground down" RJT sword...). Geo.

Hi Bruce, He and his brother Akihisa were important RJT smiths in Niigata, but I can't say if they were "super special" as all RJT had the same resources and presumably, the same output? Phil said the tip had been ground off, so maybe not a primo price here? Regards,

Hi Bruce, No problem...here is RS mounted Munetoshi dated 18/5 and tang tip stamp 1080. Regards, Geo.

Great stuff Steve...many thanks, that is very helpful. It is nice to have this relevent info to add to my RJT smith's file. Mauch appreciated. G.

Thanks for that Steve, Shinyo Shishu (with Shishu being identified as his 'posthumous name/title'). That makes sense - I wasn't sure of the placing of spaces etc, so you have helped me a lot. Interesting that both Shin and Shi are kanji from his proper personal name (Shin-shi-ro) but it makes sense that they would take some of his existing 'spirit' to use in his posthumous name of honour. Any idea on the 'meaning' of Shinyo Shishu? Now, if any NMB member happens to be walking past this Zendoji Temple in Shimizudai suburb in Koriyama City in Fukushima - maybe they could ask the monk where his (I presume a) stone is and take a pic? I know, I'm just dreaming. Thank you Steve. (glad to hear from anyone with extra/new info too).

Hi all, I need the help of a fluent Nihongo speaker as I am not sure of my translation of a postumous honorary name in a temple in Koriyama Fukushima. Tsukamoto (Shinshiro) Masakazu, a WWII RJT smith from that city died 5 Feb 1969 and (if I have read the kanji correctly) is commemorated in the Zendoji Temple in Shimizudai in Koriyama. The words shown here say (if I understand the reading properly) that he was given the posthumous name "Shinyoshi Shuseikyo Shi". The name includes 2 of his true name kanji (Shin and Shi) but I would like to know if my translation is correct and is the actual meaning/reading of his 'honour' name. Maybe @Nobody Moriyama san can check my translation ...or...? It would just be nice to have these details. Regards,