Authentic Ww2 Japanese Cavalry Sword?

[barnejp]

Hello Everyone,

 

Someone would like to sell me this sword.

 

Since this is not at all my area of expertise....any help would be appreciated.

 

Question: Does the sword look authentic...and if so any idea of potential value?

 

Several photos attached.

 

Thank you for any help.

 

Greg

[Stephen]

Chinese repo,  ser number oh habaki, not Cal anyway.

[Peter Bleed]

Now that Steve has broken the ice, I will go another step farther.  IF I had this sword i would also like to sell it to you (or anyone else).

Peter

[Stephen]

http://www.collectorsmilitaria.com/imperial_japanese_type_32_cavalry_sword_120611.htm

[Bruce Pennington]

Guys, I don't follow this style so I have very little to go by, is there anything beyond the serial number that bothers you. Asking for the education, not to argue. The pics are poor quality, but the sabre seems to look good. These type of gunto did come with scabbard drags (pic below from Ohmura's site)

 

Greg, do you have some better pics, like a view of the handguard basket, and closeups of the handle backstrap?

[Stephen]

Bruce ...oh never mind , nothing wrong in trying to find good in things, Even! if its a Chinese KNOCK OFF! sigh

[barnejp]

Hi Bruce,

 

Here are some additional photos.

 

Thank you,

Greg

[SwordGuyJoe]

Everything is wrong with this. Run away please. The details should tell anyone what they need to know (that the habaki told you already).

Backstrap- wrong

Basket - wrong

Habaki - wrong

Bohi - wrong

The flourish on the "knob" of the basket - wrong

[barnejp]

Thank you everyone for responding.

 

Since, I'm somewhat new to this...I have to say..I'm amazed at how many fakes are out there.

 

I'm very glad that this site (you guys) can steer someone like myself in the right direction.

 

Greg

[Shamsy]

You should grab a few books Greg, so you can do some preliminary investigation into what you find. For military swords, the old classic is Swords of Imperial Japan by Jim Dawson. While it's a fairly limited work (but it'd take a library for a full catalog) it provides the basic patterns of most kinds of military sword. A quick look through showed me that while there were parts of this sword that matched with known patterns, there were none close enough. Primarily the serial numbers and Kokura stamp do not seem to appear on any pattern bar NCOs, nor do any but Manchurian swords have such a steep curve to the knuckle guard.

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Joe & Steve! I've lent out my reference books to my brother, or I'd have looked that up myself.

[IJASWORDS]

Hi barnejp, buy some books, best couple of hundred bucks you could invest, I think now every one is echoing this sentiment. Before you buy some swords, get some knowledge. Neil.  

[Grey Doffin]

Swords of Imperial Japan should be passed over in favor of the later edition: Swords of Imperial Japan: Cyclopedia Edition.  Very much expanded, a much better book and not terribly expensive.  Here is a link to the book on my site:

http://www.japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/books/b510-swords-imperial-Japan-1868-%E2%80%93-1945-cyclopedia-edition

Grey