1944 mini katana? Can anyone tell me what this is?

[Mizuiro]

Well, my mother's godfather passed away two weeks ago and we're slowly distributing his belongings to those who knew and loved him.

He served as a naval officer during WWII on the U.S.S. Farenholt and when he returned from Japan in 1944, it seems he brought this with him. It's about a centimeter shorter than a foot in length, and I also included the little kanji on the hilt. I'D REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF SOMEONE COULD TRANSLATE THAT FOR ME! I've no hope. The blade is of good steel and it has that wavy quality.

Maybe it's American made or not from his travels, even? Who knows! Just hoping someone could let me know a little more.

http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/300W/fs7.deviantart.com/i/2005/264/2/b/1944_by_Arisuke.jpg
http://tn3-1.deviantart.com/300W/fs7.deviantart.com/i/2005/265/7/b/Sword_Kanji_by_Arisuke.jpg

[nice gaijin]

I only see a photo of the weapon itself. It could be a tanto, but I'm not terribly familiar with Japanese swords. Is the entire thing a foot long, or just the blade?

It might be helpful to have a photo next to something as a frame of reference for the size, like a dollar bill or a pen... just a thought.

[Index]

Looks like a shoutou (wakizashi).

[Mike Cash]

I'm curious how a U.S. Navy officer got into Japan in 1944.....

[Uncle Frank]

I'm curious how a U.S. Navy officer got into Japan in 1944.....

Only a year off. The Farenholt was in Okinawa and Sasebo, Kyushu in 1945.

Frank

[lexico]

I also included the little kanji on the hilt... Maybe it's American made or not from his travels, even? Who knows! Just hoping someone could let me know a little more.http://ic1.deviantart.com/fs7/i/2005/264/6/1/Sword_Kanji_by_Arisuke.jpgThe kanji photo's upside down. It looks like a name, 基兼.

[Minxie]

# 基 【もとい】 (n) basis; (P); EP
# 兼 【けん】 (conj,n) and; in addition; concurrently; (P); EP

Thats what I got when I put those kanji into Jim Breene's Dictionary. You might find it useful if you ever need tranlations in japanese done again and/or want to translate english to japanese etc. Here is the link: Jim Breene's WWWJDIC (http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/wwwjdic/)

But I do know that the first kanji 基 (if it is used in a name) is もと (moto)... because my mom uses that kanji in her name. If it is a woman's sword, then it could have belonged to nobility? There's a famous picture in Japan of the women fighting against the "westerners" right around that time I think ( I don't remember if it was made during the Meiji Restoration period, Taisho period or the Showa Period). I'll have to double check with my professor. I am currently looking for the painting. I'll post it when I find it!

I'm not 100% knowledgeable in katana's, but are you sure it was from the 1940s? Maybe you're grandfather kept it in mint condition, and it's a little older than that?

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

As a result that I examined it
It is GUNTOU of about 1941.
A swordmaker is "兼基" (kanemoto)
A name of a person of production is (安藤 吉左衛門)Andou kichizaemon

http://www.jpsword.com/files/seki/Gendaito.html

[Mizuiro]

I'm curious how a U.S. Navy officer got into Japan in 1944.....

He was fighting on the U.S.S. Farenholt until he came home in 1944 or 1945. That's how.

[Mizuiro]

As a result that I examined it
It is GUNTOU of about 1941.
A swordmaker is "兼基" (kanemoto)
A name of a person of production is (安藤 吉左衛門)Andou kichizaemon

http://www.jpsword.com/files/seki/Gendaito.html

Thank you so much! I will keep looking into it.

[Mike Cash]

He was fighting on the U.S.S. Farenholt until he came home in 1944 or 1945. That's how.

1945 is believable. 1944 is an historical impossibility.

[Mizuiro]

Well.. I would have to go through his alblums to get an exact date. But I don't think you're really that interested. I would just like to know about the sword. :-)

[Mike Cash]

I was only teasing you because the war was still in full swing in 1944.

[Mizuiro]

:p Well.. he brought it back with him! I was told 1944. Guess we'd have to look at the Farenholt or something. But, yes. Me and my nice little sword. I'm so happy to have it. ^.^

[Mandylion]

Mizuiro -

It is impossible to tell what you have unless you are willing to remove the grip and look for markings / signs of age / etc. I would not try this on my own, but rather find someone in my area who knows about this stuff - or mail it to someone reputable who does.

I have no reason to doubt other's evaluations of your items, but if it is what our friend Hiroyuki id's it as, it is not a gendaito but a Showato (a sword made in the Showa era - ie after 1926) and is of little value - in sword terms - beyond its personal meanings to the owners. The kanji set under the wrappings may or may not be the name of the person / group who made the blade, but also the shop that sold / supplied it.

A good place to start for info on Japanese WWII swords etc is ....

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/military.htm

Any chance you could post more pictures (the pommel, the blade, the point and the hand guard)? Short of having the weapon in our hands, it is the best us electronic folk can do.

Thank you for sharing -M :cool: