A Beautiful 1930's Traditional Made Katana by Noshu Seki ju nin Kojima Kanenori Saku. An Esteemed 1st Seat {Highly Rated} Rikugun Jumei Tosho {Sword-Smith}.

With a sayagaki inscription on the saya. As our regular viewers and clients know when a new collection of fine Japanese swords arrives we sometimes choose a nice piece to offer simply at cost price, for the benefit of our regulars who scan our site every day and wish to snap up a bargain.

Bear in mind there are just a few traditional samurai swordsmiths today making swords such as this, and currently one of their swords would cost around 10,000 pounds, or possibly a lot more, and with over a years wait. This alone makes this beauty an absolute bargain. He was a very good smith of the 20th century before and during the war, a maker of fine traditional blades who was awarded a 1st seat at the Japanese sword exhibition in 1941, and raised to the status of Rikugun Jumei Tosho. This is a super original, traditionally made katana display piece.

The shirasaya is its handmade bespoke display and storage case, where the blade is stored. Unlike the regular military koshirae, which was made for combat use, the shirasaya was meant for the storage and display of blades.

What made it unique compared to other types of saya is that it was especially featureless. It only needs the mekugi-ana {peg} for keeping the blade secure. The material used for the shirasaya was honoki wood, a type of Japanese magnolia tree

Sometimes, like this fine example it features a 'sayagaki' which is the Japanese blades script information, which indicated when the sword was created and by whom.

He, Noshu Seki ju nin Kojima Kanenori, appears on page 56 of John Slough's book on Japanese swordsmiths

Hs given name Kojima Taro born 1907,younger brother of the swordsmith Kanemichi.

Kanenori was a Rikugun Jumei Tosho, an army approved swordsmith and ranked as 1st seat in the exhibition of newly-made Japanese swords in March 1941,the same ranking as a number of very good smiths who are now very highly rated by collectors.
He appears in Japanese reference books and rates as ! million Yen in Tokuno This is a scarce blade with a signature of a great Gendaito smith

Kanenori (KAN 1929) was born Kojima Taro in Meiji 40 (1907) and was the younger brother of Kanemichi. He studied swordsmithing at the Token Tanrensho in Seki. This was founded in 1907 by Kaneyoshi, a decendant of the koto Mino Zenjou school. Many gendai smiths were students of the Token Tanrensho.Kanenori went on to win First Seat at the 1941 Exhibition. He was an Rikugun Jumei Tosho (Army Certified Swordsmith) during WW2. To become Rikugun Jumei Tosho, a swordsmith had to pass tests and examination of his blades. Once accepted as a Rikugun Jumei Tosho, the smith was given a regular allocation of tamehagane with which to make sword blades.

A complete list of Rikugun Jumei Tosho swordsmiths was published in Showa 17 as "Rikugun Jumei Tosho Meibo".In addition to swords made under the Army Certified Smith programme. As it is offered at cost price, no further discounts, lay away or, part exchange are available, this sword is thus available for outright immediate sale only.

The blade has been untouched since its surrender in 1945, and shows a super hamon and excellent bright polish, with some light WW2 combat openings in the hada, to one side, and surface edge markings. {see photos in the gallery}

Code: 23933