Stegel

I'll go for genuine at this point, that is going by the photos provided. Nearly all reproductions are copies of the standard tassel strap, this one happens to be the 'deluxe' version as can be seen when the strap is flat, and the colour facing you is bordered (along the edges) with the opposing colour. The crowns did vary in size from what i've seen, especially with some generals tassels that were on swords with providence. Difference could also be possibly due to different manufacturers at the time. Can you get a photo of the overall complete tassel? That may help possibly.

Gareth, I agree with the general view of the sword not being genuine. At £975, it is way overpriced, even as a movie prop in my opinion. I noticed that the dealer has chosen his words carefully in the description, he states the sword is original in being a movie prop, but doesn't state that about the sword itself. There are many issues with it, but the photographs are poor, also limited in that they don't show quite enough. I suspect this may have been done deliberately (compare to the photo's of another type95 he has) The most important thing is the fuchi stamps are of poor quality. The central inspection stamp is very similar to the replica's which come from Poland, and some Chinese copies. The font used in the serial number is wrong. The serial number range was actually used by the Suya contractor, not Iijima as this one is. This dealer also has another Type 95 sword on offer, which IS genuine, he actually goes to the effort of stating this in his description. The price is also higher though at £1,250 (if you want to see it and compare to the one you have shown, then the item # is -> Sn 19250) If you want a real type 95, give this one a BIG MISS, and keep looking around. Here are a few issues, apart from the wrong contractors stamp, which do not make it genuine.

Hi David, You beat me to it!, i saw this last week and went to check on finances, but when i went to go back to it, you must have snagged it! Good price and Well done. Thanks for sharing photos here too as from memory the scabbard wasn't shown. Here's an old write up on these that you may find interesting, it's from Francis Allen, with input from eddoko (Takehito Jimbo), both from Gunboards Forum. I'm not sure if this has been updated by them or other type 32 collectors, as it mentions the 'KO' appearing to be made right up to the end of the war 1945. We know this wasn't correct from research into the Japanese Archives by Nick Komiya (who is a lifetime member over at Warrelics Forum now). Overall, a lot of these were made over some 36 years from 1899, some 80000 of each?, but both models were replaced by the Type 95 in 1937 when production began. I would think yours would be an 1899 example at a guess.

Thanks for the update Dan, Here in Aus, we've had 4 coppers appear in two auctions just recently.

These also vary in size and can also be found under the habiki.

Hi Paul, You have a nice genuine example of a Type95 sword. Looking at the scabbard throat, it looks like this one has had 2 repaints in it's service life. A dark jungle green was applied over the original brown, then it looks like this was removed and repainted with the black. If you are interested in this model, you can get some general info Here, or if you got heaps of time and want more in depth info , try Here. As you've also got some Officer swords, this is a good site too.

sorry didn't get final prices from Lots 633-698, only prices from about a few minutes to about 45min before close.

For those who are interested, the finalised prices (In Australian Dollars and add 16.5% for your 'out of pocket' cost) :

For those of you who like to read Japanese... the registration papers.

I agree with Thomas, Strange how it is in Japan, with these being illegal there. The final price could be a very high, even with the mis-matched scabbard ! Thanks Stepen for posting the extra pics, saves me doing it!

Piotr, Can you post more pictures, or give a link to the sale? The pictures you have posted are all of the same side. You need to see the other side, where i'm sure you will find a 'side-lock' latch being used. This sword is made by Nagoya Arsenal and they are the only arsenal to make these. The serial numbers are correct as is the seki stamp preceding them. The Habiki (brass collar) markings are a bit unusual, more pictures could be of interest. Overall it looks very clean and a nice genuine example in my opinion. Good Luck

Nice find! The leather cover on the saya is great, not very common to come across in this model. Like Steve, waiting to see more of it.

Here's one on Fleabay at the moment, a Type98 from everyones favourite seller, the Monkey. Also as long as we touched on possible 'Good Luck' charm usage of these straps, i found an interesting post from Nick over at WarRelics forum , it was on the sake cups thread where a dragon fly featured on the cup itself. Dragon flies are special in that they don't fly backwards, so have a special place for many in the East.

I'm of the opinion that these may be a 'Good Luck' Charm type of thing, maybe even religious in nature. As i live in an area with a large Asian presence, you can still see some things that make you go hhmmmm. This was on a 4X4, not sure who the car 'smith' was at the moment, perhaps suzuki, honda, mitsubishi, toyota or even subaru! Definitely not a nissan/datsun!

Here are 3 that i have, two are still on the swords (Type 95's) the other is only the remains as it was too brittle and dry, it fell off after having it for 2 days.

Apart from Matt and Eric, he is also selling part of the Plimpton collection. I think you’ll find that most of what Bruce mentioned in the OP, is just that. The Copper NCO has been listed for sometime before that. No doubt the Plimpton swords may be on consignment, so a ‘reserve’ as such would exist. I’ve also bought from him and found him to be a good guy seller.

I agree with Steve and others, a Polish replica. Also the Habiki is not a good fit to the blade.

Wow, As Brian said, 'Crazy' price! Does any one know how i can get mine into Japan, get papered, and Cha-Ching !!.... Retirement here i come! Stephen, there's been quite a few 'non traditional'/ illegal gunto's papered recently, do you know if they are all coming from the same region, or just 'all-over' Japan as a whole? Well this one has a black scabbard which is interesting to note, the tip has been obviously reworked/ reshaped. Vayo, the picture you posted as a comparison to the standard type 95, is the lower sword picture flipped horizontally before being added ? If so, that would explain what i first thought was a left handed tsuka mould (the menuki being on the opposite side). Without measuring the blade width and thickness, you could not make a call on the type 32->95 clone, they are supposed to be indistinguishable from the true type95 with only mm seperating the two. Also they would have been produced much earlier than this blade. Thanks for sharing Stephen, Very interesting.

Bruce, i have some similar ones which came on Type 95's. I'll go through and get some photos for you.

At first glance, i immediately thought Type 8 NCO, then i noticed the back strap on the handle to be a bit odd, so checked Dawson's book. There were actually 5 variations in the Type 8. This is actually NOT one of them, however, apparently the model 1860 was imported into Japan. It Does look very similar to this, so let's not give up on Granpa too quickly just yet, these imported swords had Japanese 'acceptance' stamps on the ricasso, this one may have also. Jace, please give the ricasso area a clean and see what may or may not be there. As Chris said, this is the area where you would find makers marks etc. This model was not copied by the Japanese, however, other very similar imports from Germany (Clemen and Jung) were copied and issued. The models shown in Dawsons seem to only have one hanger on the scabbard, so not like the one Victor showed us. Here's some info from Dawson's...

Not sure if i've missed something, but, are we saying the stamps on the liners are private sub-contractor stamps? I did know about the Sha stamp appearing on scabbard drags, indicating non-arsenal production and IJA acceptance. So this would be correct and in line with what we would expect. I've never pulled liners out from scabbards to be aware of any markings, but it would make sense. Victor, you have done well with the sword, it has cleaned up nicely!

@Dave R I agree with your summation, however, considering how many photo's you come across from the (Japanese) occupied territories, i think these are some of the best photo's we've come across. They provide quite a lot of detail compared to other photo's i've seen, so in that respect i can't agree with you. If we consider the OP post of the supposed type 95, the tsuba as i said previously doesn't look right for a type 95, but it also doesn't look quite correct even for a type 98, which i would lean to, going by the kabutogane (which i think is the correct word for the pommel) The leather tassel is not the standard tassel for a type 95, but i have only seen these before on type 95's and never on type 98's. So the plot thickens and the mystery continues. The second sword which i posted, and to which Johnny added the clearer originals, i think, is as PNSSHOGUN (John) added, "appears to be an original Japanese Koshirae repurposed for war", just going by the menuki and overall appearance.(see Bruce's close up) BTW it is clear in Johnny's photo that the colourised print i initially posted, is incorrect, as the sarute would not be purplish, and the top part is in fact part of the Ito wrap, also not purplish.

Great Stuff! Thanks for posting Johnny. At first glance, the sword that 'Wesley Snipes' dad has does look like a type95, but i'm not too sure on the tsuba just yet. (i had no idea that Wesley was Indonesian!!) I did a search on 'Sardjono Colorisation' and found lots of other photos from the period. Here's one titled "A captured Indonesian company commander stripped of his sword. Plumbungan, Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia. August 1946." Originally a Black and White photo, colourised by the same fellow. (Not sure the ito wrap is the correct colour- one of the problems we have with re-touched photo's i guess) This one looks a bit like a civilian sword(not gunto), but would most likely be a local made item for the local forces under the Japanese Rule. I'd be interested to see what other opinions we have here, any thoughts?

Welcome Victor, I would place the manufacture date of your Sword at mid 1942, most likely in July. Thanks for sharing your sword with us here.

The owner states in his 3rd paragraph, that the tsuka looks to be in poor shape, but did not take photo's before restitching the leather wrap back on. here's a better pic of the pommel/sarute. The tsuba is very rough in my opinion too. This sword should be an Iijima product (not Kobe), with more likely a round steel tsuba. I know F&G mention 'emergency' field cast tsukas being provided for 'field repairs'.... perhaps this is one of them, but i would like to see more before making any call like that. The fact that the menuki screw is missing bothers me, and casts doubts in my mind of any field repair. Looking at the studs used on the leather scabbard cover also makes me think that something is not quite right there also.