Help please on signature

[DRICKS]

I have a sword  that has a  gunsui blade that has been remounted. I found some old pictures of the tang and I think it is these. Please  translate them for me. Thank you

[Ray Singer]

Date is 1944 (Showa 19). Mei, I am not certain. Kane__. Perhaps Kaneyoshi.

[SteveM]

Looks like 兼立 to me.

The same mei (different sword) in this thread below?

If so, is it read Kanetatsu, or Kanetachi? Is it, as John suggests, connected with 兼達 (Kanetatsu)? Sounds plausible. 

Maybe the beginnings of another knot that needs unravelling. 

 

[Kiipu]

If he is from Seki, as many swordsmiths mei that begin with 兼 are, the person to ask is @mecox.

[DRICKS]

Thanks to all for your help. I posted the sword about 12 years ago on SFI which is gone now I guess. The only thing I remember was the maker not the whole translation but I think they said maker was Kane Kune or Kane Kuni or something like that.

[Kiipu]

5 hours ago, DRICKS said:

I have a sword  that has a gunsui blade that has been remounted.

 

Rereading your post, I see that you mentioned a gunsui blade 群水刀.  In that case, the signature would be that of Kanetomo 兼友.  When time permits, can you post pictures of both sides of the tang showing the full length?

 

Knowing that @SteveM likes to dig deep, below is a link to a Japanese language article by no less a person than Ohmura sensei.

群水刀 Gunsui-tō

[DRICKS]

I will get it out of safe tomorrow and take new pictures. The pictures here are about 12 yrs old and I did not tag them but I think it is the gunsui blade. Above pictures are the complete inscription of both sides of the tang if it's the right ones. Thank you

[Kiipu]

Could be a different sword as all gunsui are clearly marked as gunsui.  Below is the mei encountered so far.

群水作 = Gunsui saku.

群水之作 = Gunsui kore saku.

群水兼宗作 = Gunsui Kanemune saku.

 

The swordsmiths associated with the gunsui project are as follows.

高橋定平 Takahashi Sadahira (継政 Tsugumasa).

龍眠斉兼友 Ryūminsai Kanetomo.

兼宗 Kanemune.

 

The Encyclopedia of Japanese Swords by Markus Sesko has a nice English language summary about the gunsui-tō on page 81.

[DRICKS]

I think the pictures I posted are from my Wakizashi. I got the sword out took some pictures. The tang is blank  on oneside and blade is 26 inches. The scabbard is brown. Here is the signature. Thank you

[DRICKS]

Here is both sides of tang.

[Kiipu]

Could be one of Kanetomo's apprentices that went by the name of Kanekuni 兼国?

Ryuminsai Kanetomo 龍眠斉 兼友

[DRICKS]

I think that's what they said years ago on SFI but I lost the bookmark. Is it gunsui and does it say the year? Thanks a bunch

[mecox]

two different swords

[DRICKS]

The picture of tang at top is the wrong sword. Does the the pictures of signature at the bottom say gunsui and the year made? Thank you

[SteveM]

Yes, the bottom one is 

群水兼国作

Gunsui Kanekuni saku

 

Gunsui sword made by Kanekuni. No year on this. 

[DRICKS]

Thank you SteveM and everyone else. Great forum