Help With Identification / History Of Inherited Sword.

[jmvizanko]

I inherited a sword from my grandpa who fought in WW2.  I want to find out anything and everything I can about the sword.

 

Please note, this is not in an attempt to determine its value.  The sword is priceless to me as a family heirloom, and it will always be a possession of my family, unless I can find a rightful owner otherwise.

[reeder]

Clean Type 98 officers sword. Nice example and even better that was a gift from your grandfather. I received a knife from my grandfather that started my collecting. Hopefully this gets you going.

 

The last character is "masa". If you want to try and look up the swordsmith yourself, go to this site, http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/oshigata/index.htm, and hit ctrl+F, type "masa" and see if you can't match up the 2nd to last character.

[Dave R]

 Hiya, regarding "rightful owners" bear in mind that non traditional blades are illegal in Japan and would not be allowed to return. Enjoy the family heirloom for what it is without worry.

[Srayback]

My wife just got something that looks almost identical from her grandfather. I've been trying to research it but I may need help. I'm not sure if it is a type 94, 95, or 98. I've read different things on them.

[reeder]

Srayback post some pics, we'd be happy to assist.

[Srayback]

So these are some quick pictures I took. I'm pretty sure it is a type 98. I'm trying to identify what the writing in the handle says and why there is paint in it (not sure if that was someone writing their name or something).

[Kai-Gunto]

The painted kanji is numbers. Its for assembly purpose.

[Shamsy]

So these are some quick pictures I took. I'm pretty sure it is a type 98. I'm trying to identify what the writing in the handle says and why there is paint in it (not sure if that was someone writing their name or something).

Here are the basic and by no means difinitive difference:

 

A type 94 has two ashi (suspension mounts) on the saya (scabbard) and is a rare find. Earliest type of shin gunto.

 

The type 95 was issued to NCO. It would have a brass, painted aluminum or wooden tsuka (handle).

 

The type 98 has a single ashi in most cases, though variations are extensive.

 

You have there a perfectly typical type 98 shin gunto in good condition from the looks of it. Blade is machine made. Painted character are thought to be accountability numbers and are usually for late war blades. I don't mean typical in a disparaging way, mearly that it is a very common represented model.

[jmvizanko]

Wow, I apologize for a 5 year bump, I forgot to follow through at all and the sword sat in a safe for a very long time

 

So I went to that oshigata link and the closest thing that matches another character is Masahiro Takayama, but the characters are in the opposite order and obviously I don't know what anything else means.

 

Just a bump in case there is anything else anyone can tell me.  Thanks!

[SteveM]

後藤廣正

Gotō Hiromasa

 

See the link here

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/31377-help-with-possible-purchase/