Arsenal Mark on RJT sword Fittings

[Bruce Pennington]

18 hours ago, vajo said:

 

Should be ✰ stamped Bruce. Are they any star stamped blades from him?

Chris,

I updated the post to add the photo with the star.  Was in a hurry originally, and didn't notice I'd left it off.

[vajo]

Bruce you found something new. Cool. 

I think the smith could be added als RJT smith.

[Bruce Pennington]

Chris Bowen posted this star blade on Facebook.  I can't figure out how to post an address for it, but it's in the Military Swords of Imperial Japan Group.  Unique in a few ways.  It's a Masakuni, but using 眞国, dated Dec 1941.  So the forth earliest RJT blade I have on file.  It's in RS fittings, so the earliest dated RJT blade I have in RS fittings.  The three earlier blades are in T98 fittings.  Also, the saya is painted black, usually associated with later war design.  Let me know what you think:

 

I have only one other Masakuni blade on file, June '44, but the smith signed 正国.  Japaneseswordindex only shows one Masakuni, but they don't show a first name or prefecture, and it's not unusual to see unlisted RJT smiths show up.

[John C]

Interesting placement of the star stamp - under the habaki. Later, they are mostly just above the mei. Early and still feeling out where the best spot would be?

 

John C.

[Conway]

The nakago shots of the date are a little blurry. Looks like it might be 1942. Does the FB post confirm the date? 

[Bruce Pennington]

54 minutes ago, Conway S said:

The nakago shots of the date are a little blurry. Looks like it might be 1942. Does the FB post confirm the date? 

Oh HECK!  I see my error.  This is 2600 year 2 = 1942.  Dang.  My points still stands on the black saya.  Seems early for that.

 

Chris confirmed the name issue:

"Kato Masakuni worked in the Meguro district of Tokyo. He used the kanji 眞国 which has several readings. 眞 is an old form of 真 I believe and the popular pronunciation is Sane. However, in conversation with Kato Masakuni's nephews, I was informed that their uncle preferred the reading "masa". Often times the common reading and the actual reading preferred by the smith can only be determined by confirming with someone who knew the smith personally."

 

Re-checking JSI, they have "Sanekuni" on the RJT list.  Can't find either name in Sesko, but that isn't unusual.

[mecox]

There is a paper on Tokyo Masakuni and family in NMB Downloads..........

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

10 hours ago, mecox said:

There is a paper on Tokyo Masakuni and family in NMB Downloads...

Thanks, Mal, I somehow missed that one.  I'll check it out.

 

Update: In your bio of Masakuni you say "Masakuni was a senior smith during the war and in Showa 19 (1944) he became head smith at the Nishimura Nihontō Tanren Jo (西村日本刀鍛錬所) in Tokyo as well as Rikugun Jumei Tōshō."  The wording makes it sound as if you officially became RJT in 1944, but the sword above was star-stamped in 1942.  I also believe the RJT list on Japaneseswordindex was from 1942, listing him as "Sanekuni."

 

So, maybe it was simply a case of lumping the two fact together in one sentence?

[Bruce Pennington]

Another late war, unlisted RJT smith - Izumo jū Tadatsuna saku - 出雲住忠綱作, May 1945, found on ebay.  Sesko has one, from Tottori, which is a very small prefecture right next to Shimane (Izumo), so might be the guy.

 

 

 

[vajo]

 Damn i dont read it correct. 

Tadatsuna.

Edited April 1 by vajo

[Bruce Pennington]

4 minutes ago, vajo said:

Izumo Ju Tadayoshi was a swordsmith in Shimane prefecture

Is it this guy (only one listed by Sesko)

"TADATSUNA (忠綱), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tottori – “Hōki Ōhara Tadatsuna” (伯耆大原忠綱), “Tadatsuna” (忠綱), real name Ōhara Chūjirō (大原忠次郎), born March 20th 1902, he studied from about 1935 under Moriwaki Masataka (森脇正孝) (see picture right)"