Bruce Pennington

Hi Lance! Lots of good info so far. The style was a contengency model, designed in 1938, promoted for sale on the market in 1940, and really didn't become popular in the army until 1943 onward. Most guys call it a Type 3. You'll see all sorts of names, as it never got an official label. You can read all about it on the following links: The wartime type Gunto for army officers 1943 (Type 3 Guntō) (ohmura-study.net) History of the Type 3 Model Unveiling the Rinjiseishiki sword 1940 Once you've restored the tsuka ito (handle wrap), you'll see plenty of these for sale on ebay in the $900 - $1,200 range. The small stamp is the "NA" of the Nagoya Army Arsenal inspector. While not "traditionally" made, the vast majority of WWII swords were non-traditionally made, yet still attractive and quite deadly.

Mark, I have seen that stamp only once before, and for the life of me, cannot find where I've filed it. Yours has more detail, though, so I'll start a file with it. Don't know what it is, but being at the end of the nakago, my personal feeling is that it is a shop stamp of the whomever did the fittings. I don't see your 647 in my chart. Can you post photos of the full nakago, both sides, and an overall shot of the sword?

Hi William! I am the least knowledgeable person to answer this, so maybe the guys that know will chime in, but from memory, it seems a shirasaya will run you $700. Don't know who makes them. Wrapping a tsuka runs $300. There are likely lots of guys who do this, but the only one I've personally seen online is Chis Lohman here: Japanese-swords.com. Of the many likely guys that really know, you might try @Grey Doffin.

Thanks John! I have 3 others like this, though they are mumei. All 4, now, are stainless, kiagunto, and all 4 are numbered. I'm thinking it's a fittings shop stamp, but still unknown. This one is Kiyomichi. I have 2 other Kiyomichi under the Toyokawa file ND Mumei ワ 119 stainless Robinalexander, NMB kaigunto gourd ND Mumei 148 Stainless Phronsias, W-A, kaigunto ND Mumei, Tenshozan stamp 304 Stainless Luca, NMB, Kaigunto ND Mumei 353 Stainless Crimson Mist; souvenir ND Mumei 358; stainless KB1107, Toyokawa, souvenir ND Mumei 366 Stainless Butch, NMB Late Kai ND Mumei 453, stainless, Inaba stamp & unknwn stamp Conway S, NMB ND Unknown 384; stainless Kai-gunto, NMB, kaigunto; gourd ND Mumei 493inRomanNumerals; stainless; EnglishOnFitts Bangbangsan,NMB, kaigunto; gourd ND Mumei 414; stainless SofeAuction, Toyokawa, souvenir ND Kiyomichi 537; stainless John C, NMB, gourd

I have seen a good number of "immaculate" gunto coming out of Japan, and have been assuming they are full restorations, or new construction. The one at the top has a 1933 blade in it. Theoretically, the blade could have been re-fitted when the Type 94 came out.

Not to beat a dead horse too much more, as you're already returning the sword, but his upgraded fittings still don't raise the price of a sword like this to the level you paid. Top end - $2,400 "Hand made" - Brian already hit it pretty good, but this blade could have been fully made by hand, hammered and folded multiple times, even water quenched, but if they used a steel other than tamahagane, then it gets a stamp as non-traditional. Here's a list of the 9 ways swords were made:

I know I've asked this before but what's that kanji just before "Spring"? Showa 20 year ? Spring?

Thanks, Peter. Yes, it is a Koa Isshin mei. Also, might just be the fuzzy photo at top, but could you post a clear shot of the kabutogane (end cap of tsuka)? Looks like there is a stamp at the top?

Interesting to read the provenance story at the end of the previous thread. He's certain the tassel came with the gunto. So, it must have been a replacement, too, using whatever was available.

It is so well made, I can see why it was a surprise, Dan! All the metal fittings, except the menugi, plus the nakago, look like something made in occupied territories. I'm just puzzled by the higher quality work, the alternating ito. I remember Nick Komiya's discussion of Japan's effort to transfer sword production out of Japan when Allied bombing started to wreak havoc on mainland production. If memory serves me, he said it was never fully completed, but that implies that it was being set up to some degree. Maybe this sword was made "over there" and finished out by Japanese fittings workers who had transferred over. Just speculating.

That's the earliest one on file now, thanks Conway! I also have one with the same mei from 1939. The rest are just Tenshozn Tanrenjo (Tenshozan Forging Workshop).

@Kiipu @BANGBANGSAN Peter, for the files, could we get a photo of the other side? I'm sure it says Koa Isshin, but I like having the photos for the record. I'm sure you already know, but the serial number is KU 947.

If it was a stamp, it's too partially struck to make out, for me. So far, I have only seen that stamp in conjunction with the Toyokawa anchor stamp.

Ziggy, I'm not a nihonto guy, but I've seen a lot of Chinese fakery. The practice of stamping numbers on habaki is a Chinese practice, whether legit military sword or a reproduction, period. The nakago and tsuba/sepppa set appears to have been coated with some brown substance. You can see where it has flaked off several spots on the tsuba. Also the one shot of the combined tsuba/seppa has 'track' marks, maybe like it was held in a vise? The nakago mei is uncharateristically low towards the end, not normal for Japanese swords unless the nakago is shortened after it was made. My two cents Like the other guys said, seeing the blade might add some clarity.

Welcome back John! Hope all is well. I want to post the photos of those last 2 swords before the links go dead 61 68

It's the Gifu variant of the idea. You can see it in the top photo of Stegel's diagrams. I wish he, or Steve Shamsy, were here. They could clear it all up. But I do think you are right that the years prior to '41 had slightly lower production numbers.

No one knows for sure, as there were several smiths working during the war that are not documented in any reference material. However, we think there's a good chance this is a forge. Found an Inaba Forge reference The darkened fittings and the 1-piece fuchi/seppa on your kai tell us this was a late war kaigunto, probably in the last year of the war.

Dang, just when you think you've seen it all! Since it's painted in the same paint as the number, my complete guess would be that it's from the fittings shop. You've been researching painted numbers, ever see anything like it?

I've had 2, serial numbers 9811 and 10506.

The only production chart I have is from 1941-1945 If 1200 is a fair number for previous years, then that should be our estimate for these. Thomas, or Erns has a good idea of the ending copper number, 6700ish?, so if we have a know highest number for the version 1 tsuka .....

Adding photos for those new, coming into the topic From Stegel: I just realized the second photo, middle image, shows production of these from July '38 - June '39. So, knowing how many 95s the industry was making per year would tell us something.

@Kiipu @Stegel

Your blade isn't dated, but most blades with the large Seki stamp were made in 1941 - 1943, with most of them made in 1942. So a little reference on age. The style is called the Type 98 Japanese officer sword. You can read about them on this great site: Army commissioned officers Shin-Guntō (Type 98 Guntō) 1938 (ohmura-study.net) The blue/brown tassel was used by Company grade officers (Lt's and Capt's). The stamp was used by the Seki Cutlery Manufacturers Association as an approval stamp. Blades with this stamp are usually pretty nice quality. If you don't find an appropriate organization to donate to, mount it on the wall, with a framed document laying out it's history. After all, you are in a school!

Thanks Thomas! Thought you might have that data. And it checks with the two numbers we see here. The auction blade, with Seki, is number 202455 while Thomas' blade, with NA, is 133xxx.

Make him an offer. Posted prices are usually high, expecting lower offers.