Signature Help, Consigned Military Sword

[Blackwell]

I believe this is a WWII officer's sword -- a consignor dropped it off in my auction gallery yesterday. I am grateful for any translation help you can provide. If you need an image of the entire piece, I will try and get that posted as soon as I can. Thanks again!

[PNSSHOGUN]

Photo's of the whole piece would be good, especially if the full tang and any small stamps you find. I'll leave the translation to someone more astute but you are correct, a WW2 era officers sword. If there aren't any visible stamps it is most likely traditionally made and of greater value.

[Shugyosha]

Signature reads 義長 - Yoshinaga

 

The period part of the date is quite cursive but I'm pretty sure it will be 18th year, 8th month of Showa so August, 1943.

 

What John said regarding stamps. If there are none you may well have a traditionally made blade rather than a mass-produced one, so it looks like a good find.

 

Here is the entry from Markus Sesko's eJapanese swordsmiths which doesn't mention him working as a gunto smith and so might back up the view that it wasn't mass-produced.

 

"YOSHINAGA (義長), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Yoshinaga” (義長), real name Hoshiya Yoshio (星屋芳夫)".

 

Best,

John

[obiwanknabbe]

Im seeing other characters on the blade in the 2nd picture... are those painted or in the steel?

[raaay]

Yoshinaga  for a quick guess ,

[Shugyosha]

Im seeing other characters on the blade in the 2nd picture... are those painted or in the steel?

 

Yes - they're usually assembly numbers so that the various components for the fittings can be married up. 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Three listed Seki Kaji Tosho signing Yoshinaga, here are the other two:

 

嘉永 (Yoshinaga) 堀江 仁六

義永 (Yoshinaga) 長瀬 国一

 

None listed in RJT program.