Translation Assistance On Wwii Katana

[Jim Rogers]

I own a gun shop and a customer brought in a WWII bring back Katana (among a number of items brought back during the occupation). The koshirae aren't military except the tsuba. It is signed if anyone can help. It doesn't appear especially old. Thanks for any help. Jim

 

[ROKUJURO]

Jim,

the photo is difficult to read as it is upside down.

[Stephen]

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/yoshharu.jpg

[SwordGuyJoe]

Stephen's got it. It means, "Made by Minamoto Yoshiharu in Tokyo" (Toto is an old name for Tokyo)

[Jim Rogers]

Sorry, I did it between customers. Thanks Stephen. Long time for me between posts.

[Brian]

Gendai not Showato? Looks well signed and with nice yasurime.

[Jim Rogers]

There's no Star so I assumed Gendai. I could find nothing about the maker. The gentleman saw I have a few swords so brought in some items her father brought home from Japan, The sword and a beat up wak and a captured flag signed by his unit along with some interesting items like a stack of occupation money. There was a letter and after thinking, I believe it was in regards to the sword. It has a superficial resemblance to the shinsas letter with the large red stamp. Fun stuff.

I appreciate the help from the members.

[Brian]

Post some pics of the blade and hamon. Also the letter if you would like some info on it. Is the sword for sale in the shop, or your collection?

[Jim Rogers]

Here are some additional photo's Brian. He isn't sure about selling it yet, but then he just sold me 4 Colt single action army's so he's leaning that way.

 

 

[Stephen]

Nice blade very cool saya, sp order my guess, Looks good to me, remember something about the paper, a big collectors evaluation or something like that, hang around someone will tell ya whos. 

[SwordGuyJoe]

Good blade, needs a good polish to show you more.

[SteveM]

Hello Jim, 

The paper doesn't go with the sword. It's a certificate of achievement for someone named Tomi Nagahama, in the 6th grade of a pre-war combined elementary-and-high school in Okinawa prefecture Furugen Elementary/High School. 

[Brian]

Sword looks nice, but possibly oil quenched and not 100% traditionally made. Don't overvalue it, less than one of those SAA's. Lucky you...I could do with another one or 2 pre-1898 SAA's

[Jim Rogers]

Thanks Brian and Steve. I had no idea about the letter. I have no idea about value. I knew it needed a polish, but no point puttingm lipstick on a pig. Would it be worth the investment in a polish? With no info on the maker, hopefully he'll pass it on to his children. Thanks everyone.

[seattle1]

Hello Jim:

 A star would assure you that it is a gendai and not a gunto machine made piece as the star is an Army acceptance mark.

 Arnold F.

[Brian]

I think Jim got the 2 mixed...I think he meant that he saw no star, so assumed Showato.
That said, swords without the RJT star can still be Gendaito. It is only one of the many variations of handmade swords. I do not know if this is or isn't. The hamon reminds me of oil quenched, that that is more gut feel than proof.

[seattle1]

Hello:

 I was not trying to suggest that a sword without a star is necessarily other than a genuine gendaito. To my knowledge no Yasukuni Jinja or Minatogawa Jinga sword  e.g. ever had a star or any other stamp and you can't get more gendaito than that. The whole discussion and literature wherein stars are mentioned never seems to catch up to the reality of what they convey; and from some folk who definitely should know better, the Minatogawa kiku-sui rendering continues to be called a stamp and it most definitely is not. I have no opinion on the blade Jim has shown as electronic kantei is such a mine field, though I suppose I have sinned in that regard too.

 Arnold F.

[Kiipu]

@Bruce Pennington Yoshiharu tang numbers but difficult to make out.

[Bruce Pennington]

14 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

Yoshiharu tang numbers

Could be 13, 16, or 18, but I'm going to go with 13.