Civilian Mounted Katana?

[Windy]

Hi chaps. Seen this blade recently, very little info on it.

Described as a 22" WWII katana.

I like the Tsuba, not sure re the aluminium looking seppa?

 

Any thoughts?

[Geraint]

Matt.

 

I would go very carefully on this one, apart from the blade irregularities,the seppa size, the tsuba, the rest of the mounts, the ito and most of all the habaki...............

 

If these are all the images you have walk away, walk quickly away.

 

All the best.

[Windy]

Indeed...the seppa worries me a fair bit!

No other photos that add anything to the story.

[Grey Doffin]

The habaki is wrong; I doubt it is Japanese made.  Chinese fake would be my guess.

Grey

[Windy]

Just as a learning point, is it the thickness of the habaki that screams wrong?

[Geraint]

Matt, the length of the habaki and the fact that it seems to narrow towards the tsuka as well as the general lack of precision in the geometry.  Habaki do vary in length but they should always appear in proportion though longer ones do occur. This one is very short for a katana.  They should seem to flow naturally into the tsuka widening as they approach it, this one does not.

 

Like everything else about Japanese swords there are exceptions but these are the factors that make me question this one.

 

Hope that helps.

 

All the best

[Bruce Pennington]

If you can get it under $400 USD, I'd buy it for the NCO leather tassel with buckle!!!  I still need one!

[Shamsy]

Whole sword looks off. Lower quality fittings than typical of islander or collaborator swords, even were one to consider that possibility. Be a little wary of even the tassle, which looks genuine from the photo. The repros are very good now and could be aged artificially. This could be an Aussie souvenir?

 

Best advice, turn away and don't look back. Better to save for something more certain.

[Grey Doffin]

In the 3rd picture the habaki is narrower than the blade; this can't be right.  The purpose of a habaki is to seal the blade inside the saya and to suspend it in that space so, ideally, it is only the habaki that touches the saya.  If the habaki has a dimension less than the blade it can't possibly do its job.

Grey

[Windy]

Cheers guys, great learning!

[Windy]

Whole sword looks off. Lower quality fittings than typical of islander or collaborator swords, even were one to consider that possibility. Be a little wary of even the tassle, which looks genuine from the photo. The repros are very good now and could be aged artificially. This could be an Aussie souvenir?

Best advice, turn away and don't look back. Better to save for something more certain.

I have made my first purchase, a couple of months ago......a nice Akihisa from 1941. Should get round to putting some pictures up.