Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 Hi everybody! I have a simple question for those who are better connoisseurs than me. I have a gunto sword signed and dated, and until now, I have never saw any stamp on the tang. Yesterday, I looked the tang very closely and noticed what it looks like a "mark" or "stamp" but it is so small(around 3mm) and just half stamped that I am wondering if it is an arsenal stamp or not. I checked Gunto arsenal stamps on books, but the one on I am talking about is so small that I am not able to determine it(even if it should be showa stamp). Does anybody knows what were the "regular" or "standard" size of showa, seki arsenal stamps? If those ones were much bigger it would give an idea. I do like to post a pic but a 3mm mark will be difficult to see clearly. I will be gratefull of any help and opinions about my questions. If my question is stupid, forget it! PS: the sword is a FUKUMOTO KANEMUNE mounted in a Type 3 koshirae, if that help...? Thanks Bruno Quote
Stephen Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 think we been down this road. is it on the end of the nakago and look like half a stamp? Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Hey Stephen, Did we go down this road before? I do not remember. Yes it is on the end of the nakago close to the habaki, and looks like a half of a stamp. Very small (3mm), impossible to identify. There is no try to delete it. I saw what a showa stamp looks like but it does not look like it. I also try to take a pic but so small that my camera zoom is not powerfull enought to catch it. Thank you Stephen, it is nice to help me. Bruno Quote
Stephen Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 do a search here for Kanemune it may be what your looking for...it was (the stamp) at the end of the nakago, not next to the habaki....youll see more in the search for. Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Thanks Stephen! "do a search here for Kanemune" WHERE IS THE "HERE"? Sorry, the little mark is not at the end of the nakago, you are right, it is close to the begining of the tang. Is it out of topic, but I remember you were looking for KANETSUGU swords, right? Because there is one to sell, mounted in a Type 3 mounting, this week on EBAY. If it is not you, excuse me. Regards Bruno Quote
loiner1965 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 stephen you may be getting mixed up with my kanemune sword as i thought it was the north china railway stamp as kanemune did do a few of those but you rightly told me it was his kao of the flaming ball..........viewtopic.php?f=9&t=4917 kanemune does seem to cause a few headaches :D Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Here are some pics of this unidentify mark. It is certainly showa stamp but still have a doubt.... pics are not that good and probably won't that much, I do not have a better macro to provide, sorry. Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Sorry guys, pics are completly unreadable! Thanks for your help, I appreciated it. Regards Bruno Quote
Stephen Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 Must have hit new topic...sorry mods .....please delet Here Button HERE as in top tool bar next to FAQ is a search button. ok from your pix it looks like a light struck showa stamp, it could be gifu. does your lens have macro setting? please send link to Kanetsugu the ebay auction. Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Thank you Stephen! My hope that it could be a gendai is flying away, snif! showa stamp=showato Thanks to all who have helped me Bruno Quote
loiner1965 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 yep its showa / gifu stamp Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 I think now I will more focusing on older edo shinto nihonto, with them you are sure that they are hand made! Furthermore, they are often cheaper than showato, which is quite surprising! Regards Bruno Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 About the way, what is GIFU stamp? GIFU is.....????? Bruno Quote
loiner1965 Posted September 21, 2009 Report Posted September 21, 2009 About the way, what is GIFU stamp? GIFU is.....????? Bruno just a province thats all.....you can still get a showato which is handmade but i do not want to open that old chestnut again lol Quote
Bruno Posted September 21, 2009 Author Report Posted September 21, 2009 Ok thanks for the GIFU meaning! "to open that old chestnut again"???? is it english humor? Too bad that I do understand this play on word! Bruno Quote
Stephen Posted September 22, 2009 Report Posted September 22, 2009 Furthermore, they are often cheaper than showato, which is quite surprising! if they are, there sure to be kizu heavy Quote
SwordGuyJoe Posted September 24, 2009 Report Posted September 24, 2009 I don't want to open a can of worms either but, your thought, showa stamp=showato, isn't correct. Many will disagree, but I own a showa stamped blade that is gendaito. There are also stamped blades that pass shinsa, and stamped blades that have had the stamp removed, submitted and passed shinsa in Japan. The one rule that I have found that always applies to collecting is that their is no single rule that applies to everything in collecting. Meaning that your stamp=showato, not always. There are stamps that can lead you in the right direction. Star stap = probably gendaito; showa/gifu = maybe, but doubtful; seki = very doubtful. Again, my opinion about what I have found, others will most certainly disagree. Quote
Bruno Posted September 29, 2009 Author Report Posted September 29, 2009 Hi Joe! Thanks for your response, very interesting. Showa swords will always kept their mistery, that is maybe why they are such interesting to collect. Stamps can not prove that a sword is gendai or not, in some cases, even a traditional polishing can not for sure prove it(some swords were made with such good quality steel than even best experts could not say it was tamahagane or not). Regards Bruno Quote
nagamaki - Franco Posted September 30, 2009 Report Posted September 30, 2009 Hello, but I own a showa stamped blade that is gendaito. Joe, so who's stopping you from submitting this showa stamped gendaito to a Japanese shinsa? Like it or not, the standards for what is is set by the Japanese, and determined by the Japanese shinsa teams. Quote
Bruno Posted September 30, 2009 Author Report Posted September 30, 2009 Hi everyone! "shinsa"??? what does it mean? It is not in the glossary. Bruno Quote
Jean Posted September 30, 2009 Report Posted September 30, 2009 Bruno Shinsa = college of Japanese experts from a Japanese organization who are going to examine your sword and decide if it is worth preserving or not (I simplify) - judge the authenticity of the mei if any and issue a certificate For NBTHK you have several websites listing the kind of Documents issued, the cost : the higher the more expensive Quote
Bruno Posted September 30, 2009 Author Report Posted September 30, 2009 Thank you Jean I knew NBTHK but not SHINSA, I am learning a bit more everyday thanks to you all. Bruno Quote
Stephen Posted September 30, 2009 Report Posted September 30, 2009 tip dont get stars in you eyes if you have a stamped blade with great activity,,,it will get bumped at any shinsa. 99.9999% of the time its just showato. maybe add a few more nines. Quote
Bruno Posted September 30, 2009 Author Report Posted September 30, 2009 Yes, probably you are right Stephen. Not sure that sending WW2 stamped swords to Shinsa is a good idea. To me, it is not that important a gunto is a showato or a gendaito, if the sword is pretty and was purchased at a reasonable price I think it is ok. For example, I bought my KANEMUNE for 220$ so even it is not a gendai, I do not mind! It is only my newbie opinion. Bruno Quote
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