Help translate WWII sword and surrender tag

[max426]

Hello all, I'm new to the forums.  I acquired this sword long ago but never had it translated. Looking to understand the history on the sword and surrender tag. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mikaveli]

Seki arsenal stamp, smith is Kaneyoshi?

 

Not certain - but I'll get my guess in before the experts arrive ☺️

[Mikaveli]

Can't read the era, but it's 18th year of... Presumably showa period (1943)?

[max426]

Here's the full shot of sword. Thanks Mikaveli for info so far!

[Volker62]

sword Nakago

 

Kanemichi

 

 complete date difficult to see for me

 

 

showa 18 year

[Volker62]

with seki stamp, above the swordsmith's signature sorry forget to mention

[xiayang]

I agree on the date:

昭和十八年 = Shōwa 18 (1943 CE),

but I believe the mei reads

兼達 = Kanetatsu

 

See, e.g., here or here. 

 

 

[SteveM]

Kanetatsu. Same guy as below. (Jan beat me to it). 

 

Tag says (1st photo): 

 

Bequest of NOMURA Kyu (may have the given name wrong)

Ceremonial sword

 

(2nd photo)

Hekikai-gun, Anjō-chō ōaza Sasame (this is an address of a location in Anjō city, present-day Aichi prefecture)

野村四郎 出　from NOMURA Shirō 

 

 

 

 

[max426]

Thank you all for knowledge and detail description. Very much appreciated!

[mecox]

Looking at Kanetatsu,   Sesko lists:   KANETATSU (兼達), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu,  real name Kanemura Tatsuo (兼村 達雄), born February 23 1913, he worked as a guntō smith.  This agrees with listing in the Seki tosho registration:  Kanetatsu, Kanemura Tatsuo, born Taisho 2 (1913) Feb 23, registered Showa 14 (1939) Oct 26 (this is earliest registration date) at age 26.  He was living at Seki-machi, Asahi-cho. 

The sword of Robs (A):   "Kanetatsu"  兼達  ni-ji mei, dated Showa 18(1943), with o-suji kai yasurime and Seki stamp.

Sword B (2015 KimberFortyFive):   shichi-ji mei : "Seki ju Kanematsu Kanetatsu saku"  関住兼松兼達作  Sho stamp, apparently no date, and taka-no-ha yasurime.

Sword C (Slough, p. 68):   shichi-ji mei : "Seki ju Kanematsu Kanetatsu saku"  関住兼松兼達作  Sho stamp, apparently no date (not shown), and taka-no-ha yasurime (and described as "nakirishimei").

Sword D (F&G 1983):  shichi-ji mei : "Seki ju Kanematsu Kanetatsu saku"  関住兼松兼達作  Sho stamp, apparently no date (not shown), and taka-no-ha yasurime.

Sword E (F&G 1983):  ni-ji mei, dated Showa 17 (1942), with o-suji kai yasurime and Seki stamp.

Sword F (Stein JSI):  shichi-ji mei : "Seki ju Kanematsu Kanetatsu saku"  関住兼松兼達作  Sho stamp, apparently no date (not shown), and taka-no-ha yasurime.

Sword H (nipponto.co.jp):   same shichi-ji mei (last sword)

Looks like two versions:  swords A and E are "Kanetatsu" ni-ji mei, with Seki stamp, o-sujikai filing and dated.  "Tatsu" kanji maybe more simple style.  (could these be "shoshinmei"?)

Swords B, C, D, F: are shichi-ji mei with Sho stamp, taka-no-ha filing, probably not dated, and some more artistic mei by cutting specialist. 

There are also differences in the shape of the nakago. 

Looks unusual that his name is Kanemura Tatsuo (Kanetatsu) and he signs Kanematsu Kanetatsu  兼松兼達 on some swords.  For sword D, Fuller & Gregory suggested could be a joint effort.   This is also suggested for sword H (last sword) by seller Nipponto.co.jp.

For interest, there is an example of Kanematsu:   "Noshu Seki ju Kanematsu saku"   兼松     sword G, but his name is not in lists. 

 

                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Really nice sword, Rob!

 

The numbers on the end of your tsuka are "34" and might match numbers on your metal fittings like seppa and tsuba.

 

Boy, that hamon sure looks water quenched to me.  Any of you nihonto guys care to evaluate? 

[Ooitame]

16 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Really nice sword, Rob!

 

The numbers on the end of your tsuka are "34" and might match numbers on your metal fittings like seppa and tsuba.

 

Boy, that hamon sure looks water quenched to me.  Any of you nihonto guys care to evaluate? 

It looks water quenched, maybe special order. Could use more photos of the hamon, Koshirae, and the tassel.

[Franco]

17 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

Boy, that hamon sure looks water quenched to me.  Any of you nihonto guys care to evaluate? 

 

48 minutes ago, Ooitame said:

It looks water quenched, maybe special order. Could use more photos of the hamon

 

Water quenched, hmmm. Show me the evidence because I do not see any?

[max426]

Here's more pics...

[max426]

Couple more...

[Bruce Pennington]

5 hours ago, Franco D said:

Show me the evidence because I do not see any?

I am way out of my league, so that's why I'm asking for you Nihonto guys to comment.   Evidence?  The only evidence I know to look for is the "black peaks" in the tops of the hamon waves.  I see none, therefore, I assume water quench.  If you see some, please show me.  Otherwise, I know nothing else to look for.

 

Edit:  My observation was based upon the first set of photos.  Now, after seeing the latest, I believe the black peaks are here???:

[Brian]

Looks like a typical Showato to me, although a nice one. That isn't a bad thing. It's a decent and genuine WW2 sword. Maybe higher end Showato, but still an arsenal blade.

[Franco]

Nope. Am still not seeing any evidence that this is a water quenched sword.  

 

Suggest searching and reading through the many posts on this site covering the subject of oil quenched vs water quenched. 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Brian said:

Looks like a typical Showato to me

 

 

Regards,

[Bruce Pennington]

Rob,

To get back to your original question, It's a Type 98 Japanese officer sword.  The brown/blue tassel is for company grade officers - Lt's & Capt's.  The Type 98 was made from 1938-1945, yours being made in 1943.  You can read up on the style sword on Ohmura's excellent site here: Military Swords of Imperial Japan (Guntō) (ohmura-study.net)  Lots of history there and excellent photos.

[Ooitame]

I did say looks like, not is. More photos were needed. In any event,  congratulations on your Sword!

Also thanks for the good replies, so many yasurimei to learn lol. That's be an intersing file for that yasurime, the deep grooves and spacing.