need help from experts in attribution of an object, especially interested in translation of inscriptions

[Iryna]

[ROKUJURO]

Hi Iryna,

the NAKAGO (tang) photos are upside-down which makes reading more difficult. We also have a TRANSLATION section where the experts are.

In my opinion, this is a WWII blade, signed KANEUJI. The date is difficult to read, but there is a SHOWAS stamp up on the NAKAGO which confirms that it is a machine-made, wartime blade.

It looks as if someone has wire-brushed the rust off the NAKAGO which is always a very bad idea, but in this case, not much value was destroyed. Also, the metal mounting parts look polished which should NEVER be done! 

[Shugyosha]

Hi Iryna, 

Welcome to the forum.

To add to Jean’s post, the date on the other side of the tang refers to the 2600th year since the founding of the Japanese empire. It’s a fairly common way of dating Japanese swords made in WW2 and is 1940 in the Western calendar.

[Kiipu]

See response above.

皇紀二千六百年 = Imperial Era 2600 Year = 1940.

[mecox]

As noted above the mei looks to be “Kaneuji” 兼氏 but it is roughly cut.    Also noted above the date is  1940    (皇紀二千六百年 = Imperial Era 2600 Year) also very roughly cut.   Although Kaneuji is a very old name in Mino, there is only one registered in WW2 Seki and he is  Yoshida Reiichi (吉田鈴市).   From the Seki registration list Yoshida Kaneuji was born Taisho 14 (1925) January 13 and registered on Showa 13 (1938) Sept 9 (living at Seki-cho, Naka-machi) which would be age 13.  (this is a little odd for his age, maybe a deshi, and also he is the earliest registered in the list).   For the blade shown in 1940 he would be age 15 (perhaps explains rough work?).  The Sho stamp fits the age.     However, other examples dated 1940 (Fuller & Gregory (1940))  and also 1942 (F&G (Seki stamp) and Slough (Seki stamp)) are better finished (also taka-no-ha nakago) and probably are nakirishimei  signed.           

Are they the same smith or joint work?     Here are the examples for comparison.      Fig 1, 2, 3  (Iryna).   )   Fig 4 (Slough p. 72)       Fig 5, 6 (F & G 1983)      Fig 7, 8, 9 (Gendai Index Rick Stein).                                                                                       

                                             

            

[Bruce Pennington]

Hi Iryna!

Your sword style is the Type 98 Japanese officers gunto (army sword).  The saya (scabbard) was made for a leather cover, but it's gone missing over the last 80 years.  It would look like these, originally:

You can read all about these swords on Ohmura's excellent site: Military Swords of Imperial Japan

Here is a good page for care and cleaning: Japanese Sword Care

 

[Iryna]

Dear experts, I am immensely grateful for your information. You have helped us a lot

[Kiipu]

Just in case some missed it, the scabbard has some writing on it in white paint.

Tonkin･1945

Tonkin (French protectorate)

[Bruce Pennington]

Dang, good eye, Thomas!

[Shugyosha]

4 hours ago, Kiipu said:

Just in case some missed it, the scabbard has some writing on it in white paint.

Tonkin･1945

Tonkin (French protectorate)

Missed what? 😳

[Bruce Pennington]

5 hours ago, Shugyosha said:

Missed what? 😳

I know, John! You have to zoom in on the picture of the whole sword. You will see the white writing along the bottom of the scabbard.  I didn’t see it until Thomas pointed it out.

[Akaryu]

For what it's worth, there is also written 'Bac Ninh' and 'Langson', both places northeast of Hanoi, Vietnam. A wartime relic  from the French?

[The Blacksmith]

For those who may have problems with seeing the written inscription................

 

 

 

[Stegel]

I also find the scabbard drag to be interesting. Perhaps a replacement or addition, but looks like it is from a different set of fittings to me.

[Bruce Pennington]

15 hours ago, Stegel said:

the scabbard drag to be interesting

Yes, that is actually what first caught my eye in the original post.  But it's the same color as the haikan so I just assumed it came with the saya.

 

Iryna, any chance of getting a clear, closer shot of the end of the saya?