Need Information On A Japanese Sword

[Ridhansyah]

Hi, so i inherited this sword from my grandfather. We live in Indonesia, which was occupied by the Japanese from 1942-1945. My father told me that my grandfather found the sword somewhere on the island of Sumatra around the 60s or 70s, when he was leading an expedition to open new palm oil plantation.

[Tanto54]

Dear Bapak Ridhansyah,

 

Selamat Pagi, sorry, but this is definitely not a Japanese sword. 

[Stephen]

X2

[SAS]

I seem to remember some discussion here in the not too distant past regarding swords made in Indonesia during the occupation period that were for local officials under Japanese rule, made basically in homage to the nihonto shape and style but executed in a different manner. This could be one of those. EDIT TO ADD: via PM I was asked to take a second look at this....the age of the fittings, leather etc makes me think it was newly made when the grandfather "found" it in the 70s. I don't think it is a WW2 artifact.

[christianmalterre]

i even think it is not dating "regarding swords made in Indonesia during the occupation period"- just due to it´s "attelage"/"secure-mechanism"

 

i but! of course! can be wrong here!

 

not Japanese! neither the Koshirae, nor the blade.

 

me

[PNSSHOGUN]

Indigenous example in the style of Type 98 Shin Gunto. I'm with Steve on this one.

[Grey Doffin]

The wheel on the bottom of the saya (to glide the sword across the jungle?) leads me to believe that this and others like it are total fantasy.  It wasn't made as a real sword for real military but as a trinket to sell to the unsuspecting.  They used to be quite common on ebay maybe 10 years ago; don't see them often any more.

Grey

[Stephen]

thank you Grey, some sanity!