Kanenobu Help

[nihonto1001]

I recently found this Gendaito:

 

Noshu Ju Kanenobu; Showa, 1941, October.

 

The nakago looks good.  Bad news; the sword is heavily pitted near the monouchi.  Good news; the pits are in the shinogi-ji.  It should polish out.

 

The question I have is what the mark in the nakago mune means?  

 

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[george trotter]

Hi Jon,

I haven't had any Kanenobu in hand, but I have seen similar mune stamps before.

I think Ohmura sensei mentions them on one of his pages.

 

I think yours may be (top) "na" for Nagoya arsenal (but not properly struck) and next (bottom) is "ho", meaning (I think) a first inspection.

I think some RJT Nakata Kanehide have been seen with "na" and "ho" also and he too was a Seki smith...check through the "stamps" page here and you will see this topic discussed.

I had a Muto Hidehiro RJT gendaito that had "ko" and "ho" for Kokura and first inspection.

Regards,

[hxv]

Below are the stamps to which George referred (I think). They are on the nakago mune of my Muto Hidehiro.

 

Another set of stamps on the nakago mune of my Yoshu Hiromasa.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

 

 

 

[nihonto1001]

Gentlemen:

 

Thanks for the information.  It really is not much to look at in its current state.  I am contemplating having it polished.

 

 

 

 

 

[george trotter]

Good luck with your studies Jon.

 

Hoanh,

I like the work of Yoshu Hiromasa. I have not seen that 'yama' stamp before...one of the army arsenals/inspection places?

Regards,

[hxv]

George,

 

I am not well versed in acceptance stamps, but going through all 9 pages of the "Arsenal Stamps" forum http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/5999-arsenal-stamps/, I did not see the "Yama" stamp either. I'll add my pics just so we have a record. I like works of Yoshu Hiromasa, too - very nice choji midare with lots and lots of activities.

 

Regards,

Hoanh

[pcfarrar]

I have a special order Niwa Kanenobu and it has the Nagoya arsenal stamp on the nakago mune.

 

Niwa Kanenobu is a great smith, mine is loaded with activity and nie.

[nihonto1001]

I recently picked up a copy of Military Swords Of Japan 1868-1945.  There is a section that explains some of the arsenal stamps.  Perhaps the square is a Tan or Kitau stamp, used to indicate a hand forged blade.  These markings are said to be scarce.

 

Peter, please post a pick of the Kanenobu if you get a chance.  I would like to see what it might look like in polish.

 

Added: I actually found an example of the Tan stamp thank to Hoanh's link.  Not the same.  

[Nihonto Chicken]

FWIW, pic below of the marks on the nakago mune of my Kokura Arsenal (Kokuri Rikugun Zoheisho) gunto:

 

 

The top two marks on my piece seem to be similar to the lower marks on the nakago mune pictured in the response above.  Below is the link to the thread on my Type 3 sword:

 

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/16353-interesting-late-44-gunto/?do=findComment&comment=170555

[pcfarrar]

Peter, please post a pick of the Kanenobu if you get a chance.  I would like to see what it might look like in polish.

 

 

My Kanenobu unfortunately needs a polish too, but you can see most of the activity sunagashi, nie etc. still.