Bruce Pennington

I'll probably be corrected on this - @PNSSHOGUN - Type 98 tsuka ... should I say 'never'??? - don't have 2 mekugi. So, I'd be tempted to say this is an older blade that already had the double ana at near the end of the nakago (not counting the third ana, near the lower one, as this was probably due to a re-fit earlier in it's life), and the second, higher, mekugi was installed simply because the second ana was already there, so ... what the heck, might as well use it!

Trystan, When I send this to google translate, it says "Metropolitan Police Department" if it's Chinese. When I click on Japanese, it says "Superintendent". Thoughts?

The mark is too undefined to say for sure. I do have one other mark on a habaki, an anchor - styled mark, but don't know what to say about either yours of this other one.

That'll go in the Stamps Doc for sure! Thanks!

Chris, Can you show the full nakago? It helps guessing the age. Plus, this one seems to be using 2 mekugi.

Doing a web search on this "shi", I found a Wiki translation that said "ancestor veneration". Maybe this is similar to the other religious symbols we see on swords. It would make sense. I've never seen a shop logo on a blade, but I've seen plenty of religious symbology, including horimono on them. This makes 3 of these on file, all police swords. And thanks for the Metropolitan Police Department markings!

Rob, FWIW - I have these dated from 1939-1943. Yours is only the second 1940 blade I have on file, and only 1 1939, so in our online world, a fairly rare item!

Interesting! I own another 1943 Yoshishige kaigunto! Large Seki stamp. We have no definitive proof of the purpose of the large Seki stamp. The 2 major sources are: Ohmura, who states that the stamp was used to mark approved showato, and that traditionally made blades were not stamped. He also states the stamp was absconded by the Army, so they stopped using it; and the Seki City website history section states that due to poor quality showato hurting the market during the early years of the war, the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association began inspecting and stamping (type of stamp not stated) blades for quality. So there is strong evidence that the Large Seki stamp was used by the Assoc. on good quality showato. You'll find small seki stamps on Nagoya Arsenal blades, mostly in 1943, as it was used by their arsenal inspectors. I am not aware of any traditionally made blades put forth with either large or small seki stamp. But am open to any efforts to do so.

Here's one gone the other way around - An "Imperial Gift" to an officer! On Ohmura's site - Type 94 Royal Gift "Yasuhiro". He doesn't say who it's gifted to, but it has a Company Grade tassel, so it's probably an officer.

Came across this one on Ohmura's site - Type 94 Royal Gift "Yasuhiro".

Here it is John. Might be just scratches and due to out-of-focus, looks like a 'W'

Well THAT's a new one! Now if 'CURLY' and 'JOE' show up, we've got a set!!! Ha!

Quite an interesting piece. Leather ito. Can you tell what the mekugi is made of? The remains of the leather cover over a civil saya says, to me, at least the saya was original to the war period. I have seen a few showa stamped blades in civil fittings, then refitted for the war effort. No idea how or why the blade went civil first. But it's not unheard of. I'm impressed by how deeply that Showa stamp was imprinted! Maybe the nakago was still hot when struck? This is the first Kunishige blade I've seen with a stamp of any kind.

The top sword is a Type 19 Cavalry sword, not a parade sword. That is a fighting blade not a dress blade.

Yes, the fittings are Type 98. Can't see the tassel clearly enough to know for sure, but looks like a blue/brown of a company grade officer. If you pick it up, please post better pics. Looks like a large "W" stamped on the nakago?

@Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN - anybody got a meaning of that stamp?

Sorry for the double posts, but it should be noted on both these threads. I have updated the Mantetsu -- South Manchurian Railway article to include a better description and photos of the unique MRS fittings. It's a small change, but the original section was woefully understated.

I have updated the Mantetsu -- South Manchurian Railway article to include a better description and photos of this unique set of fittings. It's a small change, but the original section was woefully understated.

Keith, how about a good photo of that habaki for the habaki thread?!

Thomas, quite unique! Is that silver plating on the non-gold half? If so, wonder how the craftsman made the patterns.

Kaigunto.

My feeling is with Jussi, as the swords on the ground and normal sized. If the tall item standing on his left is the saya to the sword in hand, it is much longer/taller than the other one next to it. Of course, it could be both - short guy, longer than normal sword.

There is a long line of post WWII documents posted by Stephen Thorpe - WW2 US Govt Archived Documents - that discusses the progression of Occupation Forces on sword confiscation, and the cessation of it. Discussions about National Treasure blades taken by soldiers and local police and the efforts to get them back. Very worth reading.

As to the 'why', I have often asked the same question about the destruction of U.S. military planes after the war. The answer I got was that materials, like steel, were in short supply. Citizens, during the war, were constantly being encouraged to donate metal items, pots and pans etc, to build weapons. When the war was over, the shortage still existed. Vast numbers of aircraft were cut up and melted down for the steel, copper, etc. I imagine the same was true for post war Japan. Additionally, in 1946, an order came out prohibiting the troops from bringing home any more war trophies. And in Japan, a law was passed prohibiting war weapons.

The Dawson and Fuller books, as well as other sword history books, say that approximately 500,000 swords were confiscated. About half were destroyed, either dumped in the ocean or cut up and melted. The swords in the photo of this post - Interesting Photo - were being cut up and melted. Many of the other half were granted to ranking officers and their staff (there's a photo in one of them, of a secretary receiving a sword). Recovery of dumped swords would be fruitless. The waters where they dumped weren't that deep, therefore the rust would be total.