Kiipu

As already stated above, both the blade and tang have Nagoya Arsenal final inspection marks. 名 Usually the tang is longer on Type 95s and have an additional hole located towards the bottom for a hatome neji 鳩目ねじ [grommet screw]. For some unknown reason, the tang was apparently shortened.

As stated above, a Chinese reproduction that was not made in 1841. 天保十二年二月日 A lucky day in February 1841. 天保 Tenpō.

Sorry, I am unable to translate it. The first two characters could be a Japanese last name. However, the last three make no sense. 小浦 Kora/Ora. 亰？郎.

And another over at GBF. Tanegashima

I may have a lead for you on this smith. He may have added his last name on this tang. Need info on Japanese’s type 98 officers sword tang markings Edit: It is Kataoka Kunihiro.片岡國廣. Besides the link above, there is another one below. Grandfathers Type 98 Tang Translation Case closed.

八雲横田正留作 Yakumo Yokota Masatome saku. 昭和二十年五月 May 1945. 江 Kokura Arsenal final inspection mark.

I would ask Guy over at WRF. Takayama Masakichi, the Man Who Was Responsible for the "Takayama-Tō"

David, if still at hand, is there a serial number located on the nakago mune?

The picture is out of focus and I do not recognize the marking as being a Japanese character, kana or kanji. Could be a English letter C or G or a partial Arabic number such as 0? Just have to wait for another example to show up to figure out what the pattern is. Keep digging Bruce, there is gold in them there hills.

Attention @PNSSHOGUN.

TAN/KITAU STAMP This stamp means forged or folded. Seems to be used mainly (?only) in Seki. Possibly it means a hand-made forged blade that is not of fully traditional manufacture (e.g possibly mill steel, or a variation of oil quenching). Omote-mei Two example only, neither are dated. This may mean they are pre-1942. Cox, Malcolm E. “A Survey of Wartime Blade Stamps.” JSSUS Newsletter Vol. 26 No. 3 (May-June 1994): pages 2–10.

Fittings オ39 = katakana O, not zero. Base of Hilt 山オ？. 三九 = 39. Phil, the other example of a stainless, mumei Type 97 was over at GBF. However, at the time, I was only saving the encircled anchor stamps. I think I have also seen some stainless blades that had only stamped numbers on them. If these numbers were via the sword shop, then they would be related your blade.

I found the following via a quick Internet search engine. Did not look to carefully though. Kaneaki KANEAKI—2ND SEAT -WW2 Japanese Army Officer Samurai Sword/Old Gendaito Kaneshige via text only? Lot 2437: Two Signed Japanese Swords Kiyonobu Kiyonobu Gendaito in Shin-gunto Mounts

I found it interesting that, as the Honorable Bruce stated above, it has only been found on blades forged in Gifu Prefecture. All that can be done is to locate more examples and see how many swordsmiths used this particular stamp and when. The when part is rather silent though. In my opinion, I see one of two possibilities. The 1st is that it was used by a training forge or a regular forge. The 2nd is that it was an association stamp just like the Shō 昭 and large Seki 関. However, I searched through all of Mal's monographs on Gifu Prefecture and did not find one example of the 鍛 stamp. I would think that he would have at least included one if it was found. On my end, I will keep my eyes open for more examples and post links to them.

Phil, I have run into these unmarked Type 97s before. Not too common, but they do surface from time to time. I have not recorded them as they have no markings.

The stamp shows up on two 1945 dated swords coming from Fukuoka Prefecture; however, it probably represents the city and not the prefecture. The placement of the stamp(s) would seem to indicate an inspection mark which follows the format used by Kokura Arsenal. If anyone has a 1945 dated, star stamped, blade from a Fukuoka Prefecture swordsmith, now is the time to step up to the plate. For a much clearer image of the 福 stamp, see the picture posted by our very own @vajo. Mune Stamp

Cross-Reference help with Japanese sword signature

Bruce, do you remember where you found this 1945 dated Chikugo-jū Nagamitsu 筑後住永光 with 福 nakago mune marking? @mecox

You are correct. I picked the wrong Kanemoto! 兼元 = Kanemoto. 兼基 = Kanemoto.

Here is a picture of another one, credited to Kanemoto. Looks like he added 模 to the mei. Kanemoto

Below are links to two threads about reproduction Type 95s. NMB: Fake Type 95 Nco Swords GBF: Another FAKE Type 95 NCO sword sold to an unsuspecting buyer

Yes, KANE 兼 is a Seki thing. I am sure @mecox, AKA Mino man, knows who the rascal was that started it way back when.

The first sword is a Type 95 (1935) used by the lower ranks while the second sword is a Type 94 (1934) Military Sword used by officers. Alas, both are reproductions that came from China.

A Kanetoshi 兼利 via GregD. Arsenal Stamps. An Amachi Kanenaga 天池包永 via waljamada. Arsenal Stamps.

Page 122 of F&Gs 1986 book entitled Military Swords of Japan, 1868–1945.