Haven't gotten this one figured out yet

[CurtisR]

But I thought it might be interesting for those here...in a cloth "surrender" bag, but seems to be traditionally made (per the bottom 2 kanji and probably a decent hamon & hada if cleaneda nd a very crisp signature. Overall length is about 21" - I'm going to try to work the mei, so please if you post, only do the "spoiler" "just in case".

The saya is typical gunto - I haven't researched the surrender-or or the officer who accepted it (just took these yesterday).

 

Curtis R.

[CurtisR]

A few more.....

[Gabriel L]

Good luck Curtis!

 

 

濃州住栗山兼明作之

 

Noshū jū Kuriyama Kaneaki saku kore (made by Kaneaki [Kuriyama], resident of Mino).

 

From Sesko: civilian name „Kuriyama Kenjirō“ (栗山鍵次郎), born in December 1888, student of Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永), Niwa Kanenobu (丹羽兼信) and Fujiwara Kanezumi (藤原兼住), he worked as guntō smith and died on August 23rd 1966.

 

[CurtisR]

Thanks Gabriel! I got all but the "Noshu" and "Kuri" in Kuriyama...took a while but getting there :D .

Thanks again. Just and FYI, I do not own the sword, and don't know if it's for sale (but knowing the owner, I doubt it lol).

 

Curtis R.

[Gabriel L]

My pleasure Curtis and congrats on getting what you did.

 

For future reference, any time you see a guntō you should straight up assume it will start with Nōshū 濃州 and/or Seki 関 until proven otherwise. They are very fundamental kanji to remember!

 

The Kuri 栗 was slightly more off the beaten trail and not a high priority kanji to learn. As a side note, it is the same kuri as in kurijiri 栗尻 (chestnut-termination, i.e. round nakago end). But I just looked up ___yama 山 Kaneaki 兼明 smiths in Sesko's index and saw that Kuriyama fit the bill. Often I'll "cheat" like this when I have enough characters and don't want to bother with the remaining unknowns.

 

Cheers,

 

—G.

[CurtisR]

Awesome info. Garbriel - thank you Sir!

I've printed off this post for my ref's later!

 

Cheers,

 

Curtis R.