a few swords

**Andrew** · 01-30-2010, 12:34 AM

Bob i looked Kanehide up. i could not find any of his swords for sale to get a price refference.
i think i was right about the sword belonging to a high ranking officer from what i read.
HE WAS A MASTER SWORD MAKER PRIOR TO THE WAR AND WAS INVITED TO JOIN THE ARMY BLADE DEPARTMENT IN 1941 (SHOWA 16). HE PRODUCED HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM BLADES FOR HIGH RANKING OFFICERS.
so i have a feeling its better than run of the mill.
andrew

**BOB COLEMAN** · 01-30-2010, 02:32 AM

Andrew-
I try to stay away from evaluating items. Japanese swords are impossible to value from pictures alone. Significant flaws such as a break in the hamon or a crack in the temper will not show up in pics.

**Andrew** · 01-30-2010, 03:25 AM

i can understand that Bob and thank you any way. i was hoping to find one like it for sale on the net, so i could get some idea. the blade looks flawless to me, but i dont know much.
can you tell me if as a rule his name on the sword brings a good price because he was a master sword smith?
andrew

**guntojim** · 02-07-2010, 01:21 AM

The " parade sabre" with the five slots on the handguard and the mon is a type 19 (1886) cavalry officers parade sabre. Kinda on the scarce side. Jim

**Andrew** · 02-07-2010, 02:36 AM

thanks jim,

**Kiipu** · 03-28-2023, 01:40 AM

Bruce, there is a star stamp in post #8.

**ghp95134** · 03-28-2023, 05:25 AM

by Kiipu

Bruce, there is a star stamp in post #8.

That's a nice one!

関兼秀作之
Seki Kanehide Saku Kore

昭和十八年十月日
Showa 18 [1943] A day in October

From Register of Names of Seki Forge Swordsmiths Since Showa 14, October [1939]
兼秀中田勇 S18.03.03
Smith name: Kanehide
Civil name: Tanaka Isao
Licensed/Registered: Showa 18 [1943] March 3

From Markus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:

KANEHIDE (兼秀), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Nōshū-jū Kanehide” (濃州住兼秀), “Nōshū-jū Kanehide kinsaku” (濃州住兼秀謹作), “Nōshū Seki-jū Kanehide saku” (濃州関住兼秀作), “Nōshū Seki-jū Kanehide kinsaku” (濃州関住兼秀謹作), real name Tanaka Isao (田中勇), he was born August 24th 1913 in Ōkura (大桑) in Nagano Prefecture, in 1928 he went to Kōchi Prefecture and studied there under Kawashima Masahide (川島正秀), in 1937 he moved to Seki and entered another apprenticeship under Watanabe Kanenaga (渡辺兼永) whereupon he became the head of the coaching section of Kanenaga´s training center Watanabe Kanenaga Nihontō Tanren Juku (渡辺兼永日本刀鍛錬塾), he retired from this post in 1940 and founded in February 1941 the company Seki Tōken Corp. (関刀剣株式会社), during World War II he worked as a rikugun-jumei-tōshō but after the war he did not continue to forge swords until spring 1954, he received the title of intangible cultural property of Gifu prefecture and died in 1989 at the age of 75.

-- Guy