more help please another mei

[jeeplover]

here is another he has it is in military mounts i see the [seki stamp] need help with the rest thank you

[ghp95134]

[関] 安藤吉治作之
[Seki] Andō Yoshiharu saku kore (wo)

[Seki stamp] This was made by Andō Yoshiharu

He received his license:

吉治 安藤 博 S16.05.12
art name: Yoshiharu
Civil name: Andō Hiroshi
License granted: Showa 16 [1941], May 12.

Marcus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:
YOSHIHARU (吉治), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Yoshiharu” (吉治), real name Andō Hiroshi (安藤 博)

-- Guy

[jeeplover]

thank you very much. i can not find out much about this smith?

[ghp95134]

Yup, not much available.

[jeeplover]

did a google search nothing. looked on nihonto message board he is mentioned still no info crazy.

[jeeplover]

ghp95134 i would like to know more about the book Marcus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths: i have (((OSHIGATA BOOK OF MODERN JAPANESE SWORDSMITHS 1868-1945 BY JOHN SLOUGH))) (((Hawley's books))) and also (((Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945 Fuller, Richard; Gregory, Ron))) and last (((Swords of Imperial Japan , 1868 - 1945 Jim Dawson))) is the book going to have any new info that these do not?

[ghp95134]

Jeeplover,

Markus Sesko's book is an electronic book costing now $89. It is very helpful because you can search names using either kanji or romaji. Not the fancy pictures in the other books, but I find this very helpful when I'm helping people know more about their swordmaker.

Sesko gives a good description of the rankings as well -- I don't think you can find this in the printed books. Sesko is also offering a 3-volume set, but as I recall they are about $180/set. Three volumes, each with about 500 pages. That was in 2015 ... dunno if he still has any available.

...As for kotō, shintō, and shinshintō smiths, this publication qotes the wazamono ranking that goes back to revised edition of the 1815 published list of wazamono of the Kaihō Kenjaku (懐宝剣尺), and the so-called Fujishiro Ranking used by Fujishiro Yoshio and Matsuo in their 1935 publications Nihon Tōkō Jiten – Kotō Hen and Nihon Tōkō Jiten – Shintō Hen. When it comes to gendaitō and especially WWII-era smiths, this publication includes the ranking of about 300 contemporary smiths carried out by Kurihara Akihide (栗原昭秀) in 1942 under the title Seidai Tōshō Iretsu Ichiran (聖代刀匠位列一覧). In addition, also the five ranks and the special rank of the sixth national sword making contest, the Shinsaku Nihontō Denrankai (新作日本刀展覧会), from 1941 are quoted where about 250 swordsmiths were awarded. Apart from that, I also added the info if there are blades designated as kokuhō and/or as jūyō-bunkazai by a smith (marked by two different symbols)....

[jeeplover]

got it thank you very much here is a direct link Lulu