Help With Mei Translation

[scottdimauro]

Hello everyone.  Any help with the translations on the attached pictures is greatly appreciated.  I tried translating it however being my first time I was lost in no time.  This sword was given to my friends grandfather during WWII.  I believe it is a Shin-Gunto sword however I don't know if it was made traditionally or non-traditionally.  

 

 

 

[Jean]

The second picture shows the date which is easy to find: begins by Showa

 

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/nengo.htm

 

The first one is the smith name:

 

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/kanji/kanji1.htm

 

F.. M...U...(Fujiwara Masauji)

[Stephen]

 

top left Minamoto

[scottdimauro]

thanks for the help!  It looks like to me:

 

A day in the 2nd month of the 14th year of Showa (February 1940)

 

Masauji Kore of Minamoto made this

 

Any confirmation on my translation would be great.  I also attached more pictures of the blade.  Would love to know any other information about the blade or the maker.  Can you tell from the Hamon in the picture if it is a machine made or hand made blade?  There is a tag that came with the blade that his grandfather wrote.  Says the sword was given to him by Hideo Kurita of Akahaburi prefecture.  Anyone have information on him (who he is, etc..)

[Jean]

1939 as in Japan, the first year is year one, 1926 is year one and not 0.

 

Fujiwara was a famous Kamakura Clan.

 

So : Masauji of Fujiwara clan has made this (saku kore)

[ROKUJURO]

Scott,

welcome to the NMB board!

It is rare to see a sword in such a marvellous condition! Help keeping the sword this way by not touching the blade with bare fingers, keep it away from moist, children, and silly adults. 

Read about maintenance and care here on the board, and to get more information, make some sharp photos of the bare blade: full naked blade (without HABAKI), and of details like NAKAGO (tang; are there stamps to be seen?), KISSAKI (tip), and HAMON (cutting edge).   

[Stephen]

Jean please Fujiwara is two kanji ...please compare with chart i posted one Kanji Minamoto 

[scottdimauro]

Thanks Jean C.  I've been doing some reading about the care and maintenance already.  Give me a a couple days and I will definetely get some good pictures of the entire sword

[Jean]

Right, Stephen, My bad, it is Minamoto

[Bugyotsuji]

Keep it away from "moist, children" (Jean C.) Moist children would be even worse! A good-looking blade.

 

(I personally did a double-take there, seeing 'keep it away from Maoist children...")

[scottdimauro]

Here are some better pictures of the sword.  Would still like to find out if it was forged traditionally or non-traditionally.  So far with everyones help I've translated the two different Mei 

 

Masauji Kore of Minamoto made this

 

A day in February 14 years into Showa (February 1939)

 

 

[Stephen]

Kore means made this

 

 

I would consider in true nihonto, very deep sori makes one wonder if retempered, most likely it was ordered that way.

[SwordGuyJoe]

More close up pics of the steel would help, but with the one pic, I’d say it’s likely traditionally made. The early date, the length, and visible hada lead me to this. I don’t see any activity in the hamon, but that could just be the quality of the polish and the sword itself.