Star Stamped Gendaito - Tsuguyoshi

[Lareon]

Just sharing a few photos of a star stamped Tsuguyoshi Gendaito I picked up recently

 

has some loss to the the Tsuka where the mekugi is and the samegawa near the menuki.

 

blade is in a nice state of polish and the hamon is really lovely. 

 

The saya is very solid and heavy, feels a lot heavier than any of my other gunto saya

 

the latch doesnt hold the saya to the body, not sure if this is an issue with the penetration length of the latch due to one too many seppa or the loss of wood on the tsuka around the mechanical latch spring

 

 

[Lareon]

I can upload more if people want to see more

[celt72]

Very nice. Congratulations on the pick-up!

[Kiipu]

The クprefix is thought to be for Gunma Prefecture 群馬縣.  This is the earliest KU prefix recorded so far.

Obverse: 昭和十八年八月日 = A day in August 1943.

Reverse: ☆　継義作　ク122 = ☆　Tsuguyoshi saku　KU122.

@Bruce Pennington

[vajo]

That looks perfect! Congrats.

[ChrisW]

Nice find!

[Leen]

Nice one indeed!

 

[Lareon]

33 minutes ago, Kiipu said:

The クprefix is thought to be for Gunma Prefecture 群馬縣.  This is the earliest KU prefix recorded so far.

Obverse: 昭和十八年八月日 = A day in August 1943.

Reverse: ☆　継義作　ク122 = ☆　Tsuguyoshi saku　KU122.

@Bruce Pennington

 

I was reading through Bruce's Stamps PDF yesterday, didn't realise it was the lowest prefix recorded

Thanks!

[Kiipu]

Hi Tony, nice gendaito!  Does your blade by chance have any markings on the top of the tang (nakago mune) by the habaki?

 

These are the three ク I have so far.  Bruce may have more though.  I think this was a numbering system used by Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal for "Star" stamped blades made during the 1943 to 1944 timeframe.

ク0122 = See above.

ク0306 = Obverse 昭和十九年一月吉日; Reverse ☆　上州住今井兼継作 [Kanetsugu]. Source: Slough, page 71.

ク0705 = Obverse ☆　継延作 [Tsugunobu]; Reverse 昭和十九年七月日.  Source: Ohmura, both his book and website.  He has the number incorrectly listed though as 70-5. 

"Mumei", "Tsugunobu" & "Ikeda Kunitada"

[Lareon]

1 hour ago, Kiipu said:

Hi Tony, nice gendaito!  Does your blade by chance have any markings on the top of the tang (nakago mune) by the habaki?

 

These are the three ク I have so far.  Bruce may have more though.  I think this was a numbering system used by Tōkyō 1st Army Arsenal for "Star" stamped blades made during the 1943 to 1944 timeframe.

ク0122 = See above.

ク0306 = Obverse 昭和十九年一月吉日; Reverse ☆　上州住今井兼継作 [Kanetsugu]. Source: Slough, page 71.

ク0705 = Obverse ☆　継延作 [Tsugunobu]; Reverse 昭和十九年七月日.  Source: Ohmura, both his book and website.  He has the number incorrectly listed though as 70-5. 

"Mumei", "Tsugunobu" & "Ikeda Kunitada"

 

 

Nope, no other numbers at all on the sword

 

the seppas have the little fitting marks but nothing special.

[Stephen]

Love the cut of the mei. Real confidence there, im up for more photos.

[Bruce Pennington]

1943, Aug

Gunma

Tsuguyoshi (RJT)

ク122 Star

Lareon,NMB, T98

1943, Sep	Gunma	Kanetsugu (RJT)	ク162 Star	Jumper, W-A RS
1944, Jan	Gunma	Kanetsugu (RJT)	ク306	Edward Mahle, NMB
1944, Jul	Gunma	Tsugunobu (RJTO	ク705 Star	OhmuraBook pg 167 RS

[Bruce Pennington]

Nice gunto, Tony!

[george trotter]

Nice find Tony.

I looked up your Tsuguyoshi in Hawley Revised 1981 p.877 TSU 216 and it says your guy is Gunma Prefecture.

He is also noted in Toko Taikan p.392 which says Showa/Gunma. Name Imai Fujitaro of the Kasama Shigetsugu school. RJT.

 

Yours is very similar in shape and hamon to my Tsukamoto Masakazu of Fukushima. My guy was also RJT and he trained under his brother Tsukamoto Okimasa who trained under Kasama Shigetsugu.

Regards,

[Lareon]

Thanks all! 

 

21 hours ago, Stephen said:

Love the cut of the mei. Real confidence there, im up for more photos.

 

I'll take some more photos soon and upload. For the time being here's one more.

With a Japanese Spitz

[Bruce Pennington]

Ha!  Did it come with the gunto?!

[vajo]

😂 perfect picture👍

[Michaelr]

Tony Great sword. Thank you for sharing   

  MikeR

[Anfoz]

Great sword Tony. A Star stamped sword is on my want list, I looked at one the other day a pat44 in nice condition but yours is stunning… congratulations 👍👍