Need help identifying a WW2 Japanese sword

[flasheart]

Guys,

WW2 Japanese swords is not my field of expertise, but I have recently acquired a military sword and today I removed the tang. The markings include a Chrysanthemum and kanji script. I have no idea what it means. Can anyone help?

Mike

[gabedamien]

Congratulations, this is an antique family blade that was remounted in guntō mounts. The depth of the patina is enough to tell that, but also it is suriage (shortened) as you can see from the hard horizontal cut at the bottom of the nakago.

The mei reads (KIKU MON) 近江守源久道 — Omi (no) Kami Minamoto Hisamichi (Hisamichi, lord of Omi [Minamoto is an honorary clan title]).

These were a line of Mishina-school smiths in Yamashiro province from about 1665–1760 who were respected (called one of the Kyo Go Kaji or five excellent smiths of Kyoto). See http://www.nihontocraft.com/Mishina.html for some good info.

Of course I cannot appraise the authenticity from photos, there are many gimei of better-known smiths like these. The mei is definitely not a good match for the first generation or the third generation (links below). Some problem areas are the kiku mon which lacks directionality, the tall wobbly internal stroke of the 守 Kami character, the compact 道 -michi character, etc. Overall the impression is lack of skill and confidence and my suspicions are gimei.

However this does not mean it IS gimei, only that careful inspection is required. You’d have to go to shinsa for final definitive appraisal anyway.

Please post good photos of the blade, especially the boshi, hamon, hada, overall sugata with no perspective distortion, etc.

Links:

Hisamichi Ia
Hisamichi Ib
Hisamichi Ic
Hisamichi Id
Hisamichi Ie
Hisamichi If – this one is more similar to yours, but by the same token different from the other HI blades; it makes me wonder about the appraisal.
Hisamichi IIIa
Hisamichi ?a
Hisamichi ?b

That’s it for now.

[reeder3]

Nice want to see some pics of the blade. Not sure if gimei or not.

[J7W22007]

Hi Mike,

Looks like another Hisamichi (久道)made sword. The last two words.

The Chrysanthemum indicates that it was made by 3rd generation.

Please check this post. #10, 11

http://184.172.36.50/forums/showthread.php?t=687845

Hope it helps.

Regards,
Taka

[Bob Coleman]

Omi no Kami Minamoto Hisamichi is the full signature. There were three generations of this swordsmith who worked in Kyoto. The engraved kikumon indicates the Hisamichi recieved support from the Imperial Household. All three generations engraved the kikumon on the nakago. The second generation carved a distinctive kikumon with the flower stem included. The first generation worked around the Enpo period that began in 1673. It is too bad that the nakago is suriage with the end cut off. The Hisamichi are known for flamboyant hamon. I believe this to be the work of the 1st generation.

[flasheart]

Guys,

Thanks for all this great info. I had to look up a lot of Japanese terminology today, but it makes sense, thank you.

I have attached a link to more photos of the sword, including close-ups of the blade.

The blade does have some surface rust, so I have put some micro-crystalline wax (Renaissance wax) over the blade to stop air and moisture getting in the metal. Same stuff i use in my 300 year old guns. It just sits on the surface, doesn't penetrate.

Here are the photos

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fawkkvzkrcxqmmw/NbYf8MYnTk#/

[GHP]

May we get a clearer photo of the tassles?





The right tassle looks like it says "Great East Asia War ..." but the [Great] is hidden, and "East" is missing one stroke; instead of 東, it is 束 [missing the horizontal line within the box]. 東 = East; 束 = wrap, handle, bundle.
It definitely says 亜戦争 Asia War.

This is what I think I see right now:



一束亜戦争両一

Maybe it should be:
大東亜戦争両一
????

I thought the next to last kanji was a stylized 刃 "blade" or "sword" 刀 ... but it sure looks like 両 ryo/moro: "two/both"

I'm struggling with the second tassle.....

--Guy

[GHP]

The left tassel ..... hmmmmmm? I can't make any sense of it.

It LOOKS like this to me:

週辛長竄眞
Weekly Zhou Long Flees Truly


But the tassel's author was much more impressionistic ... the bottom stroke of the 辛 kanji curves sharply to the left; the overall 長 [chou/naga -- long] is very artistic; and the bottom strokes in 竄 [zen/kaku -- flee] look like a series of ellipses ).......].

辛 might refer to Emperor Zhou ... so this might be saying "Weekly Chinese Long Flee, Truly" [Truly, the Chinese Fled Weekly Long [distances?] ???

IF I didn't have any meaning-errors or mistaken kanji ..... [yeah, right!]

--Guy

[flasheart]

Guys,

More photos of the blade at this link. The grain is clearly visible

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/fawkkvzkrcxqmmw/NbYf8MYnTk#/