Gunto from an undocumented Smith

[EGB]

Hello,

 

I'm wondering exactly what this might be. I came across this gunto in an antique store and it didn't have a mekugi so I was able to take it apart. My first thought after looking at the blade was oil quenched, but it was in not great polish/ had some finger prints on it. Although now I'm not as sure. It is signed Sukehisa, but when I went to research smiths with this name I couldn't find any in the right era. I could also find no stamps on it anywhere. I didn't see a date.

 

Anyway it piqued my interest and I'm wondering if any of you all with far more experience might be able to infer about it. Does not having stamps increase the probability of it being water quenched/traditionally made? If in the end it is oil quenched/machine made what are some probable reasons it might not have been stamped? How do smiths avoid being documented? Is it having a seemingly mysterious origin more or less valuable? Would an undocumented smith be more likely to make traditional or non traditional blades?

 

There are a couple threads on swords signed Sukehisa, but none seemed to match this one. I was hoping that perhaps someone had dug some more info since these were posted.

I am also not experienced at comparing mei

 

Translation of Katana Mei

Need help identifying mei of 2 Shin Gunto please!

Kai-Gunto Translation Help

Katsuhisa?

 

I wasn't able to get any good photos of the blade in the shop. It still had a lot of metal on it and the nakago seemed pretty new so I figured it was a wartime sword. As best I could see it had a gunome midare hamon. Couldn't see much else because of the polish. 

 

The fittings to my untrained eyes the fittings seemed lower end. But those I did get better pictures of. It has a snap that is part of one of the seppa, no lock.

 

If anyone has any thoughts on it I would be very appreciative. If it turns out to be something interesting I may go back to the shop and try to negotiate the price down. 

 

Thank you in advance,

Edward

[Mister Gunto]

Hi Edward,

 

I don't find that smith listed in Slough's book, although it's not a comprehensive listing.

 

If you go back to the store I'd look more closely at the area just to the upper right of the mekugi-ana hole. From the photo, it looks (possibly) like a Showa stamp has been scrubbed off. If so, it would definitely indicate that the blade was not traditionally made.

 

From the bits of the blade I can see in the pic, it's probably a wartime showato blade. The mounts seem decent, but looks like a lot of staining on the blade itself. Depending on the size and condition of the  blade, it might not be bad "basic wartime example" for your collection. I'd just keep your offer conservative, and don't spend too much on it.

 

But if you really want a Gendaito in Gunto mounts, I'd keep looking.

[Bruce Pennington]

There have been several wartime smiths show up an NMB that we can't find on any list.  Not a surprise, as there were over 500 working during the war.

 

Lack of stamps doesn't help us to determine showato vs gendaito.  Stamping didn't really get serious until 1940, for the Showa stamp, and 1942 for arsenal stamps.  Even after that, many smiths sold blades to private shops and those blades would not have been stamped.  Additionally, blades going through the Tokyo 1st Army Arsenal weren't stamped at all (few exceptions), so lack of stamps isn't really a sign that a blade was traditionally made.

 

It is an interesting sword.  The fatter seppa and quality mekugi speak of upgrades.  I also like the leather work.  The darkened rayskin is a mystery that shows up here and there, but non-standard.  So, whoever bought it went for a little bit of personalization.  It would be interesting to see what the saya looks like under the cover.  If it is glossy black, it could point to a later war sword.  There might even be a Seki Industry inspection sticker on it.