Help with Mei

[Geoff Ward]

Happy Thanksgiving All! I was sent these photos and was wondering if I could get some help on the Mei Any help appreciated.

Regards, Geoff

[ghp95134]

義治
Yoshiharu

昭和癸未秋
Showa Mizuno-hitsuji [1943] Autumn

癸未 Mizunoto-Hitsuji [Water Ram/Sheep] is the Zodiac calendar and appears every 60 years [sexagenary cycle]; in Showa it was in 1943.

秋 Aki. Autumn


From Markus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:
YOSHIHARU (義治), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tottori – “Yoshiharu” (義治), family name Mitani (三谷), rikugun-jumei-tōshō.


With the "mysterious W" stamp. Bruce will probably be asking you the serial number stamped on the tang. (^__^)
Cheers!


-- Guy

[Kiipu]

YOSHIHARU (義治), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Tottori – “Yoshiharu” (義治), family name Mitani (三谷), rikugun-jumei-tōshō.

Guy, I think this sword could have been made by a different Yoshiharu 義治. With that said, I am more often wrong than right. See my squeal below!
The Mysterious "M" Stamp!

[ghp95134]

Guy, I think this sword could have been made by a different Yoshiharu 義治. With that said, I am more often wrong than right. See my squeal below!
The Mysterious "M" Stamp!

Thanks Kiipu. I'm totally out of my wheel house in this regard. The only Showa-era 義治 I could find was the cited Sesko.

I did find another 義治 translation I did in 2016 -- same style of mei and use of the zodiac date.
here; originally I thought it was 義波 Yoshinami but Nick Komiya corrected me.

Also found this one in which you and Bruce both commented. Slightly different strokes in the mei and undated.

Happy Thanksgiving!
-- Guy

[Bruce Pennington]

Geoff,
Checked my files and looks like we discussed this one back in July! Ha! Maybe a 'Senior Moment' on your friends part? Same counter-top and photos as this one, too.

Help with Nakago Markings

On a side note, I have several Yoshiharu on file with Seki, TO, and W stamps, but none with the RJT star, even though Sesko mentions he was RJT qualified. Not surprising, though, as I also have several Nagamitsu blades on file without a single one star-stamped and there are TWO Nagamitsu listed on the RJT lists. To further muddy the topic, Yoshiharu is not on the RJT list! But that doesn't discount Sesko's comment, as I have a number of star-stamped blades from other smiths not on the list either. Sorry for the almost irrelevant rambling, just find this stuff interesting.