Help with Nakago Markings

**Geoff Ward** · 07-13-2022, 07:37 AM

Hello all, I was sent these photos of an Army Nakago and was hoping to get some help on the numbers purpose.. are they just assembly numbers or do they signify something else" on one side there is what appears to be a small "m" or possible "w" also the Mei is also different than most I have seen. Any thoughts or opinions appreciated

Regards,Geoff

**Kiipu** · 07-13-2022, 05:10 PM

義治 = Yoshiharu.
昭和癸未秋 = 1943 Autumn.
Subassembly numbers: 71. (I know of one other Yoshiharu that also has numbers stamped in this location.)
Yamagata stamp: The meaning of the M stamp can be found at the link below.
The Mysterious "W" Stamp!

**Bruce Pennington** · 07-13-2022, 10:52 PM

Thomas, thanks for the translation!

Geoff,
We have no documentation to tell us the meaning/purpose of the stamped numbers. We all used to say they were put there by the fittings shops as the numbers on fittings often matched. This is probably true for the painted numbers, but I no longer believe it true for the stamped numbers. In our on-going stamp survey, it has become clear that these numbers are sequential over time per particular smith, and the positioning of the numbers was uniform, changing 3 times over the years, but always uniform in application/position. My current theory is that they are tracking numbers put there by arsenals, purpose yet unknown (Mal Cox proposed it could be to track numbers of blades per smith for pay-out purposes).

Thanks for this example. Now, for Yoshiharu, I have:
1943, Autumn - 71
1944 - 200
No Date - 250

It is also interesting to not (to me anyway! HA!) all 3 Yoshiharu numbers are stamped vertically on the nakago.

**Kiipu** · 07-13-2022, 11:16 PM

I can add a Yoshiharu 義治, dated 1943 Autumn 昭和癸未秋, 27 stamped vertically, M partial inspection mark.

**Bruce Pennington** · 07-14-2022, 01:09 PM

Could I get some photos for the files on that '27', either here or via PM?

**ghp95134** · 07-14-2022, 11:50 PM

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

-- Guy