TWO JAPANESE SWORDS

TWO JAPANESE SWORDS

A katana, Shōwa era military blade 27.25 in., hon-zukuri with one broad and one narrow hi, nakago dated Shōwa 17 (1943) and with eight-character mei (Noshu Ju Minamoto Kanehisa saku), struck with Seki control mark and with 'hot stamp' (Hya-Kuren); later mounted in buke-zukuri koshirai including some modern components, fuchi and kashira with gilt dragons against a nanako ground, openwork iron tsuba also displaying a dragon; and a tachi, Shōwa era blade 27.25 in., hon-zukuri with hamon (though possibly not traditionally forged), nakago with six-character mei (Noshu Seki Nobumitsu saku), 20th century jindachi-zukuri koshirai. (2)