A Gendai-to Katana in high quality Shin-gunto koshirae
- Sugata: Shinogi-Zukuri Iori-mune with shallow tori-zori
- Nagasa:. 69.0cm
- Motohaba: 3.0cm Sakihaba: 1.9cm Kasane: 8mm
- Hada: Itame and nagare partially obscured by scratches and light abrasion.
- Hamon: Suguha based with ko-gunome and sporadic small togari.
- Kissaki: chu-kissaki
- Nakago: ubu one mekugi ana, kurijiri strong and clear takanoha yasurimei. Signed Noshu (ju) Kanenobu saku.
- Koshirae good quality Shingunto mounts with pierced tsuba and field officer’s knot.
Note: This sword was made by Niwa Kanemitsu Kanenobu Kanenobu (丹羽 兼松) Born in 1874 he joined the Seki NippontoTanren where he was one of senior teachers. He is also the father and teacher of Niwa Shuji Kanenobu (丹羽 脩司 兼延) who produced swords throughout the war and was designated as an “intangible cultural asset” of Gifu prefecture in 1973
Ref: Japanese Swordsmiths in Gifu 1937 - Member Articles - Nihonto Message Board (militaria.co.za)
Provenance: Purchased at local arms fair 1998.
Lots 992 - 1009 comprise a collection of Japanese edged weapons assembled by the late Mr MacCormick between 1953 and 1963, with one final addition added in 1998. They were all purchased within the UK at local auctions, antique shops or privately. They have never been submitted for shinsa. Within the Collection there is a Daisho (large and small swords) and a good Gendaito from the Showa period.
All of the works are in largely untouched condition and a professional polish would undoubtedly reveal more detail of hada, hamon and boshi. Equally the koshirae include a number of interesting tsuba and small fittings which are worthy of further study and preservation.
Mellors & Kirk gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Paul Bowman in the cataloguing of this collection
