World War Bring Back

[Jon D]

Hi Everyone, 

I was told that it was a bring back. Paid enough to be frustrated if it is a fake.  This is the translation I was given. The blade is signed 伊賀守金道作 / Iga no kami kinmichi saku.

 

[Jon D]

[Grey Doffin]

Hi Jon,

Not a fake 100% legit. Here you will find a care & handling brochure you should read: https://nbthk-ab2.org/sword-characteristics/

Grey

[Bruce Pennington]

They put the leather cover and belt hanger loop on civilian swords, like yours, when used in WWII.

[Jon D]

Thank you Grey for the resource. I will definitely read through!

Edited August 13 by Jon D

[Jon D]

1 hour ago, Bruce Pennington said:

They put the leather cover and belt hanger loop on civilian swords, like yours, when used in WWII.

That is really neat. So the fittings and blade most likely predate 20th century?

[Bruce Pennington]

There were several generations of Kinmichi.  Looking through Sesko's list, this one had the closest mei to yours:

"KINMICHI (金道), 4th gen., Kyōhō (享保, 1716-1736), Yamashiro – “Iga no Kami Kinmichi” (伊賀守金道), real name Mishina Kanbei (三品勘兵衛), he received the honorary title Iga no Kami in the third month of Kyōhō 16 (享保, 1731), he died on the 28th day of the sixth month Enkyō one (延享, 1744), wazamono, chūjō-saku"

[Rivkin]

Funny thing the work by this smith came up.

I collect various sword-related texts - appraisals, bills, advertisement, permits, recommendations.

Among those always on a lookout for genealogies, since those were copied by craftsmen themselves before they would begin to practice independently and signified their standing within the family.

Here is in words of Markus Sesko

"It is the genealogy of the Iga no Kami Kinmichi lineage from the perspective of their Sendai-based student Katsumichi. It is signed by Mishina Iga no Kami Kanemichi and is dated Shōtoku three (1713). "

[Jon D]

4 hours ago, Bruce Pennington said:

There were several generations of Kinmichi.  Looking through Sesko's list, this one had the closest mei to yours:

"KINMICHI (金道), 4th gen., Kyōhō (享保, 1716-1736), Yamashiro – “Iga no Kami Kinmichi” (伊賀守金道), real name Mishina Kanbei (三品勘兵衛), he received the honorary title Iga no Kami in the third month of Kyōhō 16 (享保, 1731), he died on the 28th day of the sixth month Enkyō one (延享, 1744), wazamono, chūjō-saku"

Wow Bruce! This is great information. That really narrows it down. How likely were other craftsmen to sign their blades with this bladesmith's name? 

[Jon D]

This is really neat. The smith that created the sword wrote the geneology? I am not familiar with the kanji. Is the 'handwriting' a close match?

1 hour ago, Rivkin said:

Funny thing the work by this smith came up.

I collect various sword-related texts - appraisals, bills, advertisement, permits, recommendations.

Among those always on a lookout for genealogies, since those were copied by craftsmen themselves before they would begin to practice independently and signified their standing within the family.

Here is in words of Markus Sesko

"It is the genealogy of the Iga no Kami Kinmichi lineage from the perspective of their Sendai-based student Katsumichi. It is signed by Mishina Iga no Kami Kanemichi and is dated Shōtoku three (1713). "

 

[Bruce Pennington]

18 minutes ago, Jon D said:

Wow Bruce! This is great information. That really narrows it down. How likely were other craftsmen to sign their blades with this bladesmith's name? 

That's out of my area of study, Jon, you'll need one of the nihonto guys to help with that.