1. Shin gunto w/leather scabbard over black lacquer saya. Tsuka with dark green ito in perfect condition. 

Length: 26 1/8” (Bo-hi)

Signed: 江戸住森太郎 Edo-jū Mori Tarō. “Moritarō, resident of Edo” (no information on this swordsmith can be found)

Dense itame hada (almost nashiji) with ji nie. Alternating single and double togari (peaked) hamon. Bo-hi. 

Dated: Showa 18 (1944)

 

s: Surviving items show standard wartime dimensions, often measuring a nagasa (blade length) around 23 to 26 inches, and frequently feature a 10th-month (jūgatsu) production stamp, though the exact year on many surviving tangs has occasionally been ground off or altered after the war

 

 Surviving examples have been discovered in traditional Koshirae (mountings) as well as highly rare Kai-Gunto

4.   Shin gunto w/ metal scabbard. Quality mount. (O’G)

Length: 28 7/8” (1.5” section of nioi weakness).

Signed: Nidai (二代)Minamoto Yoshichika saku kore (tachi mei). Works of the second generation are super rare as he mostly made daisaku works for his father (per Markus Sesko). Slough pg. 196. Made high grade gendaito. Rated 1.5 M yen. Full dress fine yasurimei.

No date

 

6.   Shin gunto w/ metal scabbard. 

Length: 25 7/8”

Signed: Hizen no kuni Tadaaki (Ishii Tadaaki; from Saga – previously Hizen; Jōko no Jōi (4/7) in the 1942 Banzuke; and achieving a 4th seat ranking in the 1941 Newly Made Sword Exhibition) Jigane itame/nashiji with nie. Notare with thick nioi with sunagashi. Good polish. 

No date

 

7.   Type 3 1944 Shin gunto. Excellent condition. 

Length: 25 1/8”

Signed: Nagamitsu saku (tachi mei; Ichihara; see sword 2 above). Gunome/choji hamon. Minor nicks, some minor scratches, some areas of superficial oxidation.

No date.

 

8.   Shin gunto w/ metal scabbard. (AQ) 

Length: 25 3/8”

Signed: 奉納　藤原一則 Hōnō Fujiwara Kazunori “Offered by Fujiwara Kazunori”

(Nakano) Kazunori. 1^st Seat 1941 Exhibition. High-grade gendaito. Rated 1M yen. Slough pg. 81.

Dense itame hada with ji nie. Very thick nioi line. In good polish,

Date: Showa 12 (1938)

High-quality sword.

 

Note: 奉納 translates as dedication/offering (respectfully)

 

11.   

Shin-gunto w/ metal scabbard. 

Length: 29 5/8” (heavy blade)

Signed: Kanemichi saku 

Additonal inscription

應定藤氏需鍛之 Sadatō-shi no motome ni ōjite kore o kitaeru

“Forged on orders of Mr. Sadatō”

(Showa stamp; Rated 2M yen, Slough pg. 46-48 Special Honor Noted Seat)

Dense itame hada/nashiji with ji nie. Sanbonsuji hamon. Good polish.

Date: Showa 12 (1938)

Unusually long; High grade Showato.

 

  

13. 

  Shirasaya w/ sayagaki and surrender cloth tag 

Length: ~21 ½”

Signed: 小鍛冶宗近作  (Sanjo) Kokaji Munechika saku

         No date

O-mokume hada. Notare midare hamon