Help With Mei

[cookiemonstah47]

Hi guys,

 

I just walked of a auction gallery and they have this sword for sale. Any idea who it's by? Hopefully it's not a fake signature again.

 

Khalid

 

 

 

[Ray Singer]

Ikkansai Kunimori kinsaku 

https://www.google.com/search?q="Ikkansai+Kunimori"+site%3Awww.militaria.co.za%2Fnmb&rlz=1C1ONGR_enUS1136US1136&oq="Ikkansai+Kunimori"+site%3Awww.militaria.co.za%2Fnmb&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDQxNDdqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Rawa]

Oh its going to start drama again. But I saw this kabutogane and have to admit that it's best executed crest addon I saw on T98/94. Saya is badly damaged. Looking like someone didnt know how chuso works and ripped off koiguchi with lacquer from saya.

[Rawa]

To complete this topic for future searchers I'm posting some info.

 

 

And for lazy ones: [credits to @Navymate]

From Markus Sesko's, "Index of Japanese Swordsmiths":

 

“Toshihiro (寿広), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tōkyō – “Miyaguchi Ikkansai Toshihiro” (宮口一貫斎寿), “Toshihiro saku” (寿広作), “Miyaguchi Toshihiro” (宮口寿広), civilian name “Miyaguchi Shigeru” (宮口繁), he was born in April 1897 as son of Yonezawa Kanjirō Masatoshi (米沢勘治郎正寿) in Tōkyō, he and his father were both adopted into the Miyaguchi family, after the death of his father he continued his studies under Kasama Shigetsugu (笠間繁継), he used the gō “Ikkansai” (一貫斎) from August 1916 onwards, in 1934 he entered the Yasukuni forge, special-order blades were signed by him with the name “Toshihiro”, the larger numbers of blades he made for the Yasukuni forge were signed with his Yasukuni-name “Yasuhiro” (靖広), blades made with western steel and some made by his students were signed by him with the pseudonym “Kunimori” (国護), in December 1936 he entered the Ōkura forge (大倉鍛錬所) and died on March 21st 1956 at the age of 59, his posthumous Buddhist name is “Kantoku´in Han´a Shinshō” (貫徳院繁阿真照), records say that he made about 500 blades for the Yasukuni forge.”

 

From Fujishiro:

 

“Yasuhiro Miyaguchi (Showa 1926 Tokyo)

 

He is the chakushi of Miyaguchi Masahide, and is called TOSHIHIRO. He is in the Kasama Hankei Mon, he became the Kudan Nipponto Tanrenkai Toko for a number of years and signed YASUHIRO. However, later, without changing his name, he used both TOSHIHIRO and YASUHIRO. Also, in response to the demand for Yotetsu Gunto, he produced under the name of KUNIMORI (means “defend the country”). He also did horimono such as ryu, Fudo, Bonji nado. He died on Showa Sanjuichinen (1956) at the age of 60.

 

Signatures: MIYAGUCHI IKKANSAI TOSHIHIRO

 

                             MIYAGUCHI YASUHIRO

 

                             YASUHIRO”

 

From Chris Bowen:

 

“It is well known (in Japan) that these Kunimori blades were made with western steel (Fujishiro points this out in his Shinto Hen) and they are not considered nihon-to thusly, in the mainstream. Most seem to be oil quenched as well. It is certainly possible to forge western steel and oil quench it to produce a defined nioi-guchi. What one does not generally produce in these blades is nie, which is what a shinsa team is looking for in WWII era blades where there is concern about the blade being made in a non-traditional way.”

 

 

 

"…his swords were not made by Miyaguchi, only signed by him. According to his son, who helped hold the blades while his father cut the signatures, they were made in bulk by a smith in Shizuoka prefecture named Mitsukoshi Hiromasa, using western steel. Apparently they were forge welded, but the exact nature of their construction is not known."

 

 

 

From Slough’s Reference on page 182:

 

“His real name is Miyaguchi Shigeru, and he was born in 1897. He was trained by his father Masatoshi, and also studied under Kasama Ikkansai Shigetsugu. In July 1933, he received an appointment as a master swordsmith for the Nihonto Tanren Kai and was given the Tosho name of Yasuhiro. Then in January 1937, he became head instructor for the Okura Tanrenjo. The founder of this forge was Baron Okura Kishichiro, which was located on the grounds of his estate. Yasuhiro applied the mei Ikkansai Kunimori on swords made at the Okura Tanrenjo. He passed away on March 21, 1956.”

[Rawa]

It will be funny auction to watch. And yeah I know "you have to inspect every blade separately" but in this case it looks like bait. [Which many will sadly take] Remember about 27% premium, this blade will sell in Shigetsugu price range.