Help Kanji translation for suspected sword ‘surrender tag’.

[Mikemike88]

Hi

This wooden 'tag' is attached to a WW2 sword I am considering purchasing. The current owner believes it is a surrender tag detailing the identity of the soldier and his unit etc. can someone please confirm what is written. Many thanks.

 

[Majestic]

Front side:

山形県東置賜郡和田村元和田
安部周一郎行キ

Yamagata Prefecture, Higashi-Okitama county, Wada village, Moto-wada
To: Abe Shuichirō

Back side:
発送人
陸軍中尉
安部周一郎出

Sent by: Army Lieutenant
Abe Shuichiro

 

[Dentanmono]

Can't add anything to Majestic's post but the color of the text gives me pause. I don't think I've ever seen a "surrender" tag with such bold color before. Generally they've faded over time but I can't claim to be an expert when it comes to tags. The color change between the bit at the top and the text is unusual. Additionally you can see the top of 発 is lighter, in quite a straight line, compared to any other character.
I personally wouldn't pay for any premium requested for the tag, buy the sword not the tag.

 

[Mikemike88]

Can't add anything to Majestic's post but the color of the text gives me pause. I don't think I've ever seen a "surrender" tag with such bold color before. Generally they've faded over time but I can't claim to be an expert when it comes to tags. The color change between the bit at the top and the text is unusual. Additionally you can see the top of 発 is lighter, in quite a straight line, compared to any other character.
I personally wouldn't pay for any premium requested for the tag, buy the sword not the tag.

I totally agree with you and thanks for the feedback. I'm buying the sword from another collector and the price is well within the range for a sword of this type and condition. The presence of the tag is not actually a factor in the pricing and I would have my own doubts about the authenticity of that element. To me it almost looks like a marker has been used. As I understand it markers did not exist until the 1950's at the earliest so could not have been used at this time. Looking at the wood itself it seems like it's been sanded to remove the lacquer so that the kanji could 'adhere' to the surface. But, as I say, the tag is in no way being used to inflate the asking price so it's a fair transaction.

 

[Mikemike88]

Front side:

山形県東置賜郡和田村元和田
安部周一郎行キ

Yamagata Prefecture, Higashi-Okitama county, Wada village, Moto-wada
To: Abe Shuichirō

Back side:
発送人
陸軍中尉
安部周一郎出

Sent by: Army Lieutenant
Abe Shuichiro

Many thanks for this. It doesn't read like a surrender tag as such. It's seems more like a kind of postal address.

 

[Majestic]

Hmm, in my experience these tags usually are just postal addresses. They don't contain any narrative of the details of surrender or whatever. They are just tags that identify the owner, and the owner's home address. So in that sense this one falls well within the orbit of most surrender tags.

But I agree with the above that this one seems slightly suspicious because of the sharpness and clarity - although that might just be a problem of perception. And, the tag's veracity/authenticity could plausibly be tested by searching in that location to see if that family still exists, or if any residents know of that family.

Anyway, you are right in ignoring the tag for now and concentrating on the item itself. Extra points if the metal bits (spacers and the tsuba) have the same assembly numbers on it. Extra extra points if that number is replicated on the tang of the sword.

 

[Mikemike88]

Hmm, in my experience these tags usually are just postal addresses. They don't contain any narrative of the details of surrender or whatever. They are just tags that identify the owner, and the owner's home address. So in that sense this one falls well within the orbit of most surrender tags.

But I agree with the above that this one seems slightly suspicious because of the sharpness and clarity - although that might just be a problem of perception. And, the tag's veracity/authenticity could plausibly be tested by searching in that location to see if that family still exists, or if any residents know of that family.

Anyway, you are right in ignoring the tag for now and concentrating on the item itself. Extra points if the metal bits (spacers and the tsuba) have the same assembly numbers on it. Extra extra points if that number is replicated on the tang of the sword.

I haven't actually had the chance to see a translation of a surrender tag before so that info is good to know. Thanks.
Re the numbering that may have to wait until I've actually purchased the sword. I'm going to see the collector again next week. I'll ask him if he's ever had the sword disassembled.