Minamoto Yoshichika Shin Gunto

[ronin223]

Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post. I'm a long time Japanese sword admirer and have a few other swords. I'm a novice and have learned a lot from what I've read here on this site. I recently bought this at an auction. The blade was covered in cosmoline and wood particles. After gently cleaning the cosmoline off with alcohol, it revealed a blade is great shape. A Japanese coworker translated the mei as Yoshichika. I was hoping you could tell me more. The blade length is 72.4 cm.

 

Thanks,

 

Rusty H.

[cabowen]

Yes, it is signed Minamoto Yoshichika. He worked in Tokyo in the early Showa period. He is known for making swords using western steel. They had a reputation for their excellent cutting ability. Most are rather mass produced but sometimes one comes across one that was traditionally made. Yours is unusually long.

 

I would spend some time with some wd-40 or break free and clean the red rust off the nakago. Be careful and do not abraid it with anything like sandpaper. Using a bone or ivory pick and the break free, you should be able to get the active rust off.

 

Please post some close ups of the blade if you have time.

[ronin223]

mon

[ronin223]

I wish I could take pics as good as you guys

[ronin223]

So it's okay to just remove the loose red rust without hurting it's value?

[Kai-Gunto]

Will not affect value ,as long You dont polish it.

Dont forget to clean habaki.

Very nice sword

[Brian]

Carefully though.

You are not scrubbing the tang or trying to clean it. You are just stabilizing the red rust. If in doubt, do nothing.

 

Brian

[cabowen]

With a name like Rusty, I am not sure if Japanese swords are something you want to get involved with... :lol:

 

Like I said above, use some wd-40 or break free. Let it soak in well. You might even soak some paper towels in it, wrap around the nakago, then wrap with plastic wrap to keep it from evaporating. Let it sit for a week. Soak it again if it dries out. After a few weeks of soaking, the red rust should come off without much trouble. Just don't use anything abrasive like sandpaper, a file, etc., on it.

 

If you have any questions, you can pm me....

[ronin223]

I blame my parents for such a bad first name. I'll do as you guys say and gently clean the tang. Can anyone translate the mei that was on the non-signature side? Also, I haven't been able to determine what family the mon was. Any guesses?

 

Thanks again

 

Rusty H

[cabowen]

Other side is the date the sword was made, Showa 10, August. 1935.

 

Mon are almost impossible to trace.

[Dick Tait]

Think the mon is Seven treasures (Shippou, 七宝) - Don't know what family it represents. Possibly Takahashi

 

Shippou-mon (Seven treasures pattern) is a pattern of congruent circles, overlaid and extending out in all directions. The name "shippou-mon" was chosen because of the repeating pattern of circles. The Japanese expression for "in all directions" is shihou-happou, which sounds a lot like the word shippou. Shippou is the word for the Seven Treasures of Buddhism. The circles in this pattern represent completeness and perfection, while the endlessly continuing pattern represents longevity, eternal youth, and a prosperous posterity.

 

 

p.s. Your shin-gunto koshirae is similar to mine, good quality (pierced tsuba) and has the mon in the same place; see here

[ronin223]

Thanks for all your feedback.

[Baka Gaijin]

Morning Rusty,

 

The Kamon may be described as Maruni Shipō Hanakaku.

 

Cheers

[ronin223]

From your inputs, it looks like it's either:

 

Takahashi clan

[ronin223]

or Takaoka clan

[cisco-san]

some more information from Markus´s book:

Yoshichika (良近), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tōkyō – „Minamoto Yoshichika“ (源良近), „Minamoto Yoshichika no saku“ (源良近之作), „Minamoto Yoshichika kore o kitae“ (源良近鍛之), civilian name „Mori Hisasuke“ (森久助), his blades were famous for their supreme sharpness, most of them went to the imperia guards, he also made so-called „sunobe-tō“ (素延べ刀), non-traditional swords of modern steel which were forged from one block of steel.

[ronin223]

Thanks for the extra information.