help with a sword mei

[jeeplover]

my friend picked up this sword. i see the Showa stamp so i know it is a non-traditional made sword. but i need help with the mei. when he gets time he said he would send me more pictures. i love the tsuba it looks like a crane or some kind of bird. he said the menuki are dragons but the pictures are not good he sent me.

[ghp95134]

濃州関住福本兼宗
Noshu Seki-ju Fukumoto Kanemune

A skilled swordsmith.

From the Register of Names of Seki Forge Swordsmiths Since Showa 14, October [1939]
兼宗 福本小市 S14.10.27
Smithing name: Kanemune
Civil name: Fukumoto Koichi
Licensed/Registered: Showa 14 [1939] October 27


From Markus Sesko's Japanese Swordsmiths:

KANEMUNE (兼宗), Shōwa (昭和, 1926-1989), Gifu – “Kanemune” (兼宗), real name Fukumoto Koichi (福本小市), born October 14th 1902, adopted son-in-law of Fukumoto Amahide (天秀), he died on March 8th 1977, ryōkō no jōi (Akihide)

Also from Sesko:

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). He introduced seven ranks:

• shinpin no retsu (神品の列) Supreme masterworks
• kihin-jōi (貴品上位) Superior precious works
• kihin no retsu (貴品の列) Precious works
• jōko no jōi (上工の上位) Superior master
• jōkō no retsu (上工の列) Master
• ryōkō no jōi (良工の上位) Superior skilled artisan
• ryōkō no retsu (良工の列) Skilled artisan


-- Guy

[jeeplover]

Thank you very much. My friend has not sent me pictures of the blade yet when he does I will post them.. he said it is a very beautiful blade

[jeeplover]

I understand his name is kanemune. What does noshu seki_ju fukumoto mean?

[ghp95134]

• 濃州 Noshū is the old name for Gifu Prefecture
• 関 Seki is the town
• 住 Jū means to live in/reside
• 福本 Fukumoto is his civil surname; this addition can distinguish from amongst other smiths who use "Kanemune"

My apologies, usually I add a translation and forgot this time.
濃州関住福本兼宗 [作]
Noshū Seki-jū Fukumoto Kanemune [saku]
[Made] by Kanemune Fukumoto of Seki [city] in Noshū [Gifu Pref.]

I wrote [作; saku; made] in brackets because it is not shown in the photo; sometimes it is left off, implied, but I merely added it just in case.

Cheers,
-- Guy

[jeeplover]

No apologies needed thank you so much for your help.

[Bruce Pennington]

In case he's interested, blades with the Showa stamp are found in the 1935-1942 date range, with the majority of them in 1940-41 years.

[jeeplover]

I will definitely let him know thank you very much

[jeeplover]

here are the blade pictures. beautiful Hamon.

[Bruce Pennington]

Wow, gorgeous! You can see why there have been 1 or 2 showa stamped blades pass Shinsa.