Bruce Pennington

HI guys, me again! I used Brian's chart for kanji and found the "Sane" - 眞, and seems like tha second is michi - 道, but I don't see a Sanemichi in Sesko, nor on the RJT list, as this is a star-stamped blade. Can you straighten me out please?

A showa stamped Yoshinao in late war fittings. I do have 3 '45 dated showa-stamped blades on record (from a Cox survey, no photos), so this could have been made in '45.

Here's a late war kaigunto. Note the fuchi that almost has a built-in seppa and has that, oh what to call it?, flimsy, bright, cheapily-made look to it, like the souvenir fuchi. Also, dig that horrible dai-seppa! Has a large-seki stamped Yoshitsugu blade in it. I wish it had been dated. I do have a single 1945 blade with the large seki stamp, so it's possible this was made that year.

I'm with Rick, what a beautiful sword! Send our regards and best wishes to the owner. I hope he heals/recovers. Forgive my rookie question, but it's dated November 1430 correct!?!? Wow! And the scripted inscription is so elegant.

Does make you wonder, especially with the provenance of the sword you've posted.

Thanks to everyone for all the good information!

I assume this is not a souvenir sword? You can’t tell just by looking at the kabutogane. I can see a fabric under the wrap, so the two of them combined points toward late war assembly.

Well, I don't know if @robinalexander wants his name to be mentioned publicly (HA! Sorry Rob!) but he made a replacement liner for me a little while ago. Might contact him about it.

Which backs up our idea that the souvenir operation was, at least initially, using surplus parts.

Yes. I have seen actual gunto, like this, that have both the simplified kabutogane & the 1-piece fuchi/seppa. The style clearly originated before war's end. So, the Tenshozan operation with the souvenir either used the style to imitate, or they had lots of war suplus of them, and then produced their own. But it's fascinating to see that they originated while the war was still on.

Have you tried taking your old ones out yet? I have found some of mine will come out, and some refuse all attempts to be removed. I like your idea though!

Thanks, Peter! Don't know if you've read our article on these discoveries yet, but it's in our Download section here: It's a couple years old, and covers everything prior to our recent discussions on Toyosuke and the black painted number inventory.

Spotted by our buddy @lucidorise. On a Hisakuni blade. Thoughts (and translation, of course!), please, and Thank You!

Found a duplicate "50" on This Warrelics Thread. Similar to my souvenir "50" except the nakago jiri is shaped and finished. The number is on the date side, rather than the mei side. My 50 is on the mei side.

We don't have a dedicated thread for Late War Kaigunto (one on Warrelics, though), so I'm posting this here. A mumei, late war kaigunto in leather covered saya, with army kabutogane. I've seen similar ones around. Note the kabutogane doesn't have the sakura and leaves around the edges (not a good shot, but I think I'm right about that). So the style we see on the souvenir is fashioned off this tone-down late war fashion, I think. Found on this Warrelics Thread.

What da heck are those cords tied to the haikan?

That’s quite a Kai, John, in every way!!!

Yes

Welcome! Someone should be able to translate it for you, it looks like a name. But I should point out that this is a Army gunto, not a kaigunto. Kaigunto are Navy.

I never took the time to track him down, as to where he worked. As to the jiri, it's a mystery. In 1943, production, as far as I know, was normal. I could see in the last year of the war, when we were pounding their productions sites, somebody doing a rush job to crank out blades, under demands for increased numbers! But that wasn't the case in '43. And I don't personally see the purpose of cutting off a hotstamp. I have no record of Yoshishige using one either. I could have been something as simple as human error. Large pile of blades needing finish work, and one gets overlooked. Or maybe that day when this blades was made, Yoshishige was behind his quota, or the forge was behind the quota and blades simply didn't get full finish work to speed up the process. That would be my quess. Sorry I couldn't offer more help!

That’s my suspicion too, Hamish. There is no way someone put an “old samurai blade“ in these fittings. Just trying to be nice until the guy produces more evidence.

Just came across this one, John. Justin, @Mortis posted with this explanation, HERE. "Here’s one. All of the other fitting numbers match, so I can’t imagine the tassel isn’t original as well. This sword was found wrapped in a blanket in the rafters of a barn in Pennsylvania. Those that I obtained it from weren’t collectors. With that in mind, I highly doubt it was added at a later time."

Sorry about resurrecting an old thread, but hoping @Mortis might see this and give us some pics of the blade/nakago. He hasn't been on the site since 2020, so odds are against it, unless he gets an email from the mention.

At best, a sword by in occupied lands, not made by Japanese; At worst - Chinese fake. Like Ray said, photos of the nakago (tang) are important. He claims it carries an "old samurai blade." Photos will tell.

Posting some of the photos available for discussion His description: Original/Reproduction: Original Region of Origin: Japan ww2 Japanese officers sword. With old samurai blade 40 1/8 in scabbard 25 5/8 blade