Is It A Foolish Errand ?

[Nihontocollector19]

I recently was able to acquire some fittings i'm paying off in December that came with tsunagi in gunto koshirae. My question is it a foolish errand to want to try and track down the original blades that they would of came with? One of them has a surrender tag on with them with information I would like to find more info on the individual that owned it originally but sadly only has a last name on it. I doubt the likelihood of tracking the blades down and displaying them togeher is even a possibility.  without is fine I just was curious on the possibility of reuniting the koshirae with their respective blades as i kinda want to keep their history together if even a possibility...

[PNSSHOGUN]

Would be very difficult, especially if many years/buyers have gone by since they were separated.

[David Flynn]

could even be in different countries.

[lonely panet]

about 500,000 to 1.

 

but if your gunto is for a General, the odds drop alittle.

 

if its a gensui-to well theres a very good chance hahhaha

 

like the passion for the chance tho

[Death-Ace]

I saw a Juyo Token Hosho Sadakiyo on Daddy's site. On the description, one of the previous owners when first encountered noted it was in poor shape, captured on Indonesia in Gunto mounts. When seen next, it was polished, but no mention of the mounts.

 

We know how many of the Gendaito we see today were originally in gunto mounts, but when they became collectible, the mounts were considered a novelty and weren't kept when they were remounted or put into shirasaya. Like the koshirae of the old, these represent the last line of military usage for the blades, new and old by 1945, and it is a bit of a shame that they were discarded and piecemealed, but no one thought how collectible these would become. We also must think that many saw a hard life outside their home country and campaign areas once brought home, so they were most likely discarded anyways, thinking restoration wouldn't be worth the hassle. Even so, at least some fittings see new life, but one must wonder what mounts they were originally used with and the blades housed.

 

Even today, we see some pieces on eBay or an auction being paeted out to make more moolah. Hell, sometimes I've seen Arisaka parts on eBay that all cane from the same rifle, but was being sold piecemeal since "they couldn't sell the receiver on the site, but the furniture they can." Sometimes, some fittings are taken off because they are considered to be more valuable individually. To me, that is a crime to the person who mounted the blade, but it is just human nature.

 

It is a chivalrous thought to try to find them, like how some collectors of Imperial and Third Reich Lugers and such seek the two matching magazines or consecutive number pistols, but this would be more of an endeavor. At least with those pistols, the magazines used are identifible with the model and year. With the gunto koshirae not having anything to hold them together, most would be parted out, I would think, making the 500,000:1 odds even larger! If you do have a blade that is for sure originally in Gunto mounts, it would be neat to have one made using original fittings, even for display, though!

 

As for your current situation, I honestly think it would be better to keep them as is, with the tsunagi for display, I love your enthusiasm, but it may be a lost hope to attempt to find the original blade, though no one could say you didnt try! Does the seller know anything about the original blade it housed?

[Nihontocollector19]

about 500,000 to 1.

 

but if your gunto is for a General, the odds drop alittle.

 

if its a gensui-to well theres a very good chance hahhaha

 

like the passion for the chance tho

one of them actually is.. or so the seller stated was no mention of the blade just tsunagi like the major only thing he mentioned that the tassel was sold off cause it wasnt in the best of shape

[Nihontocollector19]

I saw a Juyo Token Hosho Sadakiyo on Daddy's site. On the description, one of the previous owners when first encountered noted it was in poor shape, captured on Indonesia in Gunto mounts. When seen next, it was polished, but no mention of the mounts.

 

We know how many of the Gendaito we see today were originally in gunto mounts, but when they became collectible, the mounts were considered a novelty and weren't kept when they were remounted or put into shirasaya. Like the koshirae of the old, these represent the last line of military usage for the blades, new and old by 1945, and it is a bit of a shame that they were discarded and piecemealed, but no one thought how collectible these would become. We also must think that many saw a hard life outside their home country and campaign areas once brought home, so they were most likely discarded anyways, thinking restoration wouldn't be worth the hassle. Even so, at least some fittings see new life, but one must wonder what mounts they were originally used with and the blades housed.

 

Even today, we see some pieces on eBay or an auction being paeted out to make more moolah. Hell, sometimes I've seen Arisaka parts on eBay that all cane from the same rifle, but was being sold piecemeal since "they couldn't sell the receiver on the site, but the furniture they can." Sometimes, some fittings are taken off because they are considered to be more valuable individually. To me, that is a crime to the person who mounted the blade, but it is just human nature.

 

It is a chivalrous thought to try to find them, like how some collectors of Imperial and Third Reich Lugers and such seek the two matching magazines or consecutive number pistols, but this would be more of an endeavor. At least with those pistols, the magazines used are identifible with the model and year. With the gunto koshirae not having anything to hold them together, most would be parted out, I would think, making the 500,000:1 odds even larger! If you do have a blade that is for sure originally in Gunto mounts, it would be neat to have one made using original fittings, even for display, though!

 

As for your current situation, I honestly think it would be better to keep them as is, with the tsunagi for display, I love your enthusiasm, but it may be a lost hope to attempt to find the original blade, though no one could say you didnt try! Does the seller know anything about the original blade it housed?

i have inquired to see but highly doubted he knows would be lucky though if thier is a chance i still will love them both equally and i think the best thing i can do for that moght be possible is find the missing hanger and have a sword wrack to mount them in for display as im just starting out for collecting

[Nihontocollector19]

update what the seller has told me so they were separated fairy recently so theirs a hope if anyone may  know any dealers or collectors in sydney this might be our chance to see who he sold it to. dam i guessing im going through the rabbit hole. but their a high chance then before. below is what the seller told me

 

 The Majors koshirae came from a friend in Sydney who had also owned the blade and had it polioshed however he got sick of the blade because the hamon wasvery narrow in places. He sold the blade in shira saya