Translation help Mei wanted

[marivo]

Is this signature or a date???

[Alan M]

Hi Marivo , it is a signature ......Kawasaki Nagamitsu

[ghp95134]

川崎長光
Kawasaki Nagamitsu



--Guy

[ghp95134]

Here's another.... the kanji style seems slightly different:

Not my image ... I cannot pivot it.

More of this sword here.

--Guy

[ghp95134]

Here's the same Kawasaki Nagamitsu, but signing only with his art name. Note the same shape of the kanji "Naga" 長.

source

[ghp95134]

The variation in signature is explained on the page I linked above.

Since ancient times the signatures (mei) on the tangs (nakago) of Japanese swords have occasionally been carved by individuals other than the swordsmiths themselves. In some cases one swordsmith would carve the mei of another working with him. Sometimes a student would carve the mei of a sword made by the master swordsmith. At other times the master swordsmith would carve his name on an exceptional blade made by one of his students. These types of signatures are referred to as "dai mei" and "dai saku mei". During the Showa era (WW II period) it was a wide spread practice for a group of swordsmiths to have their mei carved by a single individual. Sometimes this was done by one of the swordsmiths in the group; other times it was a separate individual. When one individual carves the mei of several swordsmiths, such carved signatures are termed "nakirishi mei". This practice was particularly wide spread in the Seki area (Mino/Noshu region). Seki was the principle region for sword production during the Showa era. Below are several oshigata demonstrating this practice.

The page shows two different styles of writing for "Nagamitsu."


--Guy

[marivo]

Thanks for the answers, there is not much know about this smith, only he's a showa smith??

[ghp95134]

All I can find out is his real name was 川崎專逸 Kawasaki Senitsu.

[SteveR]

All I can find out is his real name was 川崎專逸 Kawasaki Senitsu.

He started a motor cycle factory using his first name.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Thanks for the answers, there is not much know about this smith, only he's a showa smith??

The vast majority of signatures found on war era blades are by unrecorded individuals as they were not traditional swordsmiths but more skilled blacksmiths who worked in an arsenal making factory made blades.