Kanenori Kogarasumaru
GG0519
A gendai utsushi of the Kogarasumaru signed, Noshu ju Kanenori, and dated Showa jugo nen go gatsu (May 1940) Hawatare: 2 shaku 2 sun 1 bu 08 rin (67 cm or 26"). Motohaba: 3.3 cm. Kasane: 7.94 mm. Ko choji within a gunome ko midare hamon with a thick bright well controlled nioi habuchi. There are small tobiyaki within the habuchi. The suguba yakidashi begins with a large mount Fuji koshiba . The kaeri is slightly irregular, bright, strong and well controlled, extending back to where the sugata thickens and the are hi. Tight itame hada. Although arsenal stamped, this is clearly something made for commercial use, but taken in for the war effort.
The twentieth century handachi koshrae shows some loss of lacquer. The shinchu moku tsuba is likely contemporary to the saya. The shakudo fuchi-kashira of bamboo staks in takabori, and gilt bamboo leaves are likely earlier.
This appears to be the work of Kojima Taro, whose home province was Mino, Seki city. He was employed in the arsenal during the second world war. Hawley rates him at 8 p0oints.
The blasde was cleaned with steel wool, many shallow scratches makes photography very difficult. This sword needs and deserves a proper polish. $5,500
