Finally, thanks to John Pepera I got my first Japanese officer sword.
Since I know nothing about Japanese swords (I'm rather the German daggers guy) I'd appreciate some comments about this sword - how it was made (machine or hand made?), who's the maker... etc.
Can anybody translate the tang inscription?
Thanks in advance.

Here some photos:

WoW! that is a beauty! Unfortunately I cannot answer your query but that is a piece to really make you smile. I had one very similar some while back but didn`t appreciate it. More into daggers so I sold it. Regretted it ever since! Congrats

Beautiful sword Walter.
I really like those marking on the tang.

Hey Walter! Congrats! I see your patience has paid off! That's a nice looking sword buddy. I also am at a loss in regards to offering up any information. Looks nice though!
Cheers!

Rob

Great stuff Walter, congrats!

Thanks for the comments!
Just got some additional info:
The inscription on the tang says:
“TANIGUCHI” “YOSHIKANE SAKU” “SEKI” ... whatever it means.
Have just found that SEKI is the city in central Japan famous from swordmakers since XIII century up today.
Seki is called Solingen of East and there's annual Motoshige Sword and Cutlery Festival every October.

Also, received the kind comment from Andy "Militarynut":

"from the pictures its a excellant hand made blade especially when the pictures capture the two different harmon paterns one side shows the
harmon all most reaching the shoge line which is very unusual the outher side is lower this is kind of unusual and rare for a showa type blade
c 1925=1945"

YOSHIKANE TANIGUCHI, was a well known Japanese swordsmith in the early 20th Century.

Here's your info about the swordsmith.

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/gendai2.htm


Some more info.........

http://home.earthlink.net/~ttstein/tosho.htm

Thank you Pat!
That's great info!

is that a seki stamp above the signature?

quote:

Originally posted by nickn2:
is that a seki stamp above the signature?

What's the "seki" stamp and what does it mean?

quote:

Originally posted by Walter:

quote:

Originally posted by nickn2:
is that a seki stamp above the signature?

What's the "seki" stamp and what does it mean?

Voila !

http://www.agrussell.com/knife_information/knife_encyclopedia/glossary/s.html

Thanks Pat!
Oh well ... I wrote above about the Seki, the Sword Festival ... etc. and I've asked again what Seki means ....
Guess I need some coffee.

I think the Seki stamp that is being referred to is the post 1942 army acceptance stamp from Seki Forges. I can see a stamp on the tang but I cannot make it out.

By definition this blade has a showato stamp as has been noted and is showato. It could be the stamp for Seki, the city. Do not confuse Seki in past history and 1930's to 1940's Seki. A vast number of showato swords were produced in that area and in fact it is stated that the majority of mass produced swords produced in Japan in 1930's as a build up to the war were produced in Seki. A showato is a sword that is NOT made with traditional steel(tamahagane) even though it may be folded. To distinguish these blades they were required to have a stamp to show this fact. That rule was established in 1937 but was not fully implemented until 1940. Thus this sword is showato if the small stamp is indeed a showato stamp. I can just see it in the photos. Some of the smiths were good and some not so good. If you look at my post below this one you see what I think is a seki stamp, and I think the blade I show in oil tempered and not a folded blade. From the looks of your blade it does seem to be folded and that is the key here ie tradtional forging process even if done with non traditional steel. David

PS your sword has what I showed on the sword in my post which is a manufacture number according to Bob Coleman ie the paintd part of the tang. David The thing to look for in your sword is the area of the hamon and see the folded pattern of the steel if there is one. David

from the hard spots in the peaks of the hamon it is an oil quenched blade

quote:

Originally posted by violin:
...The thing to look for in your sword is the area of the hamon and see the folded pattern of the steel if there is one. David

quote:

Originally posted by nickn2:
from the hard spots in the peaks of the hamon it is an oil quenched blade

Thank you Gentlemen for your comments.
Now please allow me to ask a dumb question - What's the hamon?
I understand it's the part of the blade, but which one?
I found some picture with description of blade areas but it still it's unclear to me - is it the upper part of the sharpening pattern?
Sorry for ignorant question but I think that could happen to any newbie in any collecting fields (and the Japanese sword is not the easiest one, for sure ).

the hamon is the whole temper patern ie wavy line

In fact for the beginner it is best to look at the area between the ridge line running along the sword and the hamon, or flowing wave pattern. There should be evidence of a pattern of folded steel that can look like many streight lines, Wood grain, Burl wood grain etc. This is evidence that the sword is a traditional made blade. If it looks to have no pattern and is just a flat but bright steel surface then the hamon is oil quinched and was put there for "show" and had no value in strenghening the cutting edge. David

Thank you for clear explanation.
I did look closer - in fact there's a lot of tiny "wood grains" all over the blade.
I'm not sure if it's the sign of traditional forging or not.
Tomorrow will try to take some MUCH closer pics with better macro lens and maybe even with magnifying glass.

oil quenching does harden the edge resulting in a hamon but this hamon lacks any features you get in a water quenched blade .you do get grain in mill steel especially when it has been worked into a sword shape its like a fine muji

OK - Needed to borrow the camera with better macro lens.
Here some close-up photos of the blade.
The last one with magnifying glass.
What do you think?

looks like typical showato ,grain, to me

quote:

Originally posted by nickn2:
is that a seki stamp above the signature?

quote:

Originally posted by ORPO:
...I can see a stamp on the tang but I cannot make it out.

I believe it's the SEKI stamp indeed - please correct me if I'm wrong:

Yes, this is the Seki Forges stamp. Thank you for showing it.