Out of the Woodwork - 2 New Type 98 Gunto - Crude Mei

[dnmmilo]

G'day,

 

I recently had the opportunity to purchase two Type 98 Gunto from a local seller (see pictures of both swords as found):

 

I have subsequently removed the tsuka and taken some photos of each sword which I have also attached. As David Flynn advised on one of my other recent purchases I have made no attempt to clean either sword, although I have oiled both blades.

 

The script on the first sword is:

 

I'd be most grateful for any translation assistance, especially for the very crudely carved Mei and blue script on the second sword:

 

Cheers David

[Jean]

Hi David,

 

We are twisting our neck trying to read the mei becuase the pictures are wrongly oriented. Could you please edit your post and upload again the pictures after rotating them?

 

You have equally all necessary information to decipher the mei with the link at the top of the page "Kanji Pages" and another one useful is:

 

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/nihonto.htm

 

Have a try at it

[dnmmilo]

Thanks George, I'll re-post the right way up this time!!!

 

First Sword:

 

Second Sword:

[Jean]

David,

 

No need to repost your pictures, just edit the previous one, delete your pictres and reattached the rotated new ones.

 

Guys,

 

Before posting any answer please redirect people to the link "Kanji Pages" so they have a try, otherwise they shall still be at the same levelyears later.

 

Then after a few hours/days we can give an answer. The first one has kanji which have appeared hundred times in this section. Let people search a little. It worked perfectly well with a precedent post:

 

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15340

 

Brian has learned a lot from this experience, much more than if I had given the direct answer

[george trotter]

You are right of course Jean...we are sometimes too helpful and it slows the learning curve for new members...

I'll be tougher in the future

Regards,

[dnmmilo]

Thanks George, I can see with you having guided me that the first is Kanehiro but I wouldn't have got Yoshichika. Cheers David

[Veli]

David,

 

Let people search a little. It worked perfectly well with a precedent post:

 

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15340

 

Brian has learned a lot from this experience, much more than if I had given the direct answer

 

Err... there was not any kanji translation in that topic... Jean, you probably meant some other case?

 

Well, I totally support this educational goal, but I would very much like to direct the newcomers to a resource having handwritten kanji examples like we see in the real Mei. Trying to translate a long, chippy Showato Mei using only printed forms of kanji as a reference can be highly frustrating... been there... So, anybody, do we have additional resources in the internet, something simple resembling the kanji pages on the Yumoto's book?

 

Veli

[Jean]

:D you are right, it was this one

 

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15341

 

 

smith kanji are easily found, at 99% XX saku, (XX being at 99% "Kane + X"). Mino kanji and Seki Kanji are easily spotted. Furthermore, people collecting Gunto are well aware of this. If they browse the Translation section with key words such as Seki, Mino Kane... they will find a lot of example already translated.

[runagmc]

David, the blue paint, I think, are the numbers 1 0 4 6... it's not uncommon to find identification numbers like these on gunto...

[george trotter]

By the way David, no need to post the "hand carved kanji" above the mekugi ana...it is THE most common stamping (not carved) found on gunto nakago...if you look in "Arsenal Stamps" you will find examples and the explanation.

Regards,

[kuromido]

George, you say " look in arsenal stamps" ? Where is this found??

I have searched this site and come up empty. Please explain.

 

 

Thanks,

PeterD

[Grey Doffin]

Stuck at the top of the Military Swords forum.

Grey

[kuromido]

Hi Grey, I thank you for the direction!

I have several that I will photograph and add to your post.

Threads like this are truly valuable .

Thanks, peterD

[dnmmilo]

To all of you who have helped me with these translations, thank you, I am hugely grateful. I have tried to translate both and I believe (with a great deal of help from George) that the first reads "noshu seki.............Kane Hiro.... I could only read the second with assistance and I would not have got the 'Yoshi chika' without it. While I'm sure to the more experienced members the characters are fairly clear I found Yosichika mei difficult to interpret. The stamp I know is a Seki stamp

 

If I've misunderstood I'm more than happy to be put right and would appreciate a definitive interpretation if a more experienced member could cast an eye.

 

Cheers and thanks again.

 

David