robinalexander Posted July 23, 2022 Report Posted July 23, 2022 Hopefully just confirmation.... Kai Gunto (ext. drag, early fittings & Ishime saya) I think it is Yoshishige and dated 1942 (Showa 17). Not too sure on that second kanji (shige) ? Approx. 5mm Seki stamp Interesting that the cutting of the date on mine bears a close resemblance to that of @Eds Kai (Daido) translation yesterday..THREAD..."Katana which I could use some help with translation. Just came in today" Thanks Rob 1 Quote
Ray Singer Posted July 23, 2022 Report Posted July 23, 2022 Confirmed. Yoshishige, 1942 (Showa 17). 3 1 Quote
robinalexander Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Posted July 23, 2022 Thanks Ray, much appreciated. Rob Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted July 23, 2022 Report Posted July 23, 2022 Thanks for the large Seki Rob! My kaigunto is a Yoshishige with the same mei style and date. Nice saya! Mine is the plain black lacquer style. 1 Quote
Peter Bleed Posted July 23, 2022 Report Posted July 23, 2022 So, do we think that tsuba/seppa was polished by the sailor - - or is it a post War treatment? Peter Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted July 23, 2022 Report Posted July 23, 2022 My money would be on a post war over-zealous cleanup, but who knows. Maybe @PNSSHOGUN or one of the guys that collect kaigunto might have a better idea. Quote
robinalexander Posted July 23, 2022 Author Report Posted July 23, 2022 Peter, I have always believed this colour and metal was either early war material (quality dropping later) and/or personal upgrade by the owner. There seem to be enough of them around to suggest, at least to me, that they are 'as original' and not polished as you suggest. Interestingly, i have noticed the metal fitings on swords with these types of golden 'rising sun' tsuba/seppa's are also of a much higher quality than those on the more 'blackened' Kai Gunto tsuba/seppa. Accepting that all were probably gilded originally. Having said that, I learn something new every time I log in here so, open mind. John @PNSSHOGUN may have some ideas on this as well. The attached picture shows Yoshishige on the left, Mumei 'stainless' centre and Kaneyoshi on right. Rob 1 1 Quote
Bruce Pennington Posted July 24, 2022 Report Posted July 24, 2022 Being a firm fence dweller on some issues, this had crossed my mind before my last post, but I don't have records or photos to show it. Thanks Rob! I too have seen plenty of these non-black kaigunto tsuba. 1 Quote
robinalexander Posted July 24, 2022 Author Report Posted July 24, 2022 From a 2017 thread courtesy @PNSSHOGUN showing the Kai Gunto of Lieutenant Kenshi Chuma, recovered from the midget sub that attacked Sydney harbour. Now held at the Aust. War Memorial. As the newspaper of the day stated "The copper guard is inscribed and is shaped to represent the rising sun" thanks Ian @Ian B3HR2UH . Not post war polish and unlikley to have been polished by the owner. The tsuba is thicker than the blackened version with possibly with a squarer edge (?). On balance, just higher grade fittings. Rob 2 Quote
PNSSHOGUN Posted July 25, 2022 Report Posted July 25, 2022 Very likely the original finish, there's enough of them like this with mounts not showing wear anywhere else. 1 Quote
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