artillery swords

[Peter Bleed]

Is anyone on the NMB interested in brass handled artillery swords?

Peter

[Mister Gunto]

Definately. 

[Bruce Pennington]

Forgive my ignorance on the topic, but could you give a picture of what you mean? I'm aware the Otsu model of the Type 32 was considered for infantry and artillery personnel, but I don't recall other types that were called "artillery swords." But it's not an area I've studied at depth. And the 32 was not made of brass.

[lonely panet]

pre 1899 bruce.

 

its more of a  bayonet reather a sword if its the model im thinking of leather sheath ?? 

[ChrisW]

Pictures speak a thousand words!

[Stephen]

Tword bottom of page

What i think of as artillery swords.

http://www.japaneseswordindex.com/civilian.htm

[vajo]

They looks like the same as the european ones that i didn't like very much. Its a tool.

[Stephen]

So were swords...lol I kid Chris

[Mister Gunto]

Link to a steel handled version. These were based (I believe) on the Mid-19th Century French Style Short Sword issued to Artillery Troops) :

 

https://www.jjmilitaryantiques.com/Home.aspx/Catdet/21234?nm=Japanese-meiji-26-wood-handle-artillery-sword-w-s&category=bayojap&bread_last=%2FHome.aspx%2FCatpage%2Fbayojap%3Fpsize%3D10%26sortseq%3DName&category_desc=Bayonets%2C%20etc.%20-%20Japanese#.XKjreVVKiUk

 

Big Choppas!

[Peter Bleed]

Thank you All!,

It is always interesting for me to discover the margins of sword knowledge/interest on the NMB. I asked this question because a friend had asked me essentially the same question (You can guess why he asked....). I have seen some of these  blades and I appreciated the opportunity to get out Jim Dawson's Cyclopedia (what a nice book!). I truly believe that we ALL ought own a copy of this book.

Japanese sword collecting is a social activity. We learn how to collect. And we follow cultural patterns when we do. This case makes it look like brass handled artillery swords are 1) unusual and 2) odd enough to be below our radar screen.It also once again points to a tension within our hobby between "art" and "militaria."

Thank you all, once again, for helping me enjoyed Japanese blades - - of lots of different types

Peter

[Bruce Pennington]

Peter,

Many of us are more interested in WWII militaria than the ancient arts, so you will find enough of us here that would enjoy seeing his pictures! It was also a good refresher that caused some of us to get back into the books (yes, Dawson's is fabulous!).

[Peter Bleed]

Bruce,

Indeed, I follow the NMB closely enough to know that folks here are seriously interested things other than "artistically created"  or "ancient objects". In fact I have a small piece coming out in the next JSSUS NL on katchushi tsuba. In it, I try to argue that some/many  of the pre-Edo era tsuba that we can still find were so plainly and uniformly produced that they may NOT deserve to be assessed as "ornaments" or "art." They may be well-crafted and legitimate weaponry. And in that case, treating them like "militaria" seems fair.

Peter