BANGBANGSAN

Bruce One more stamp for you ,it's on the type 97 Kai Gunto.

Saw it on Ebay,the final price is good.

Most of 造兵刀 are in Type 98 fitting though. like those 造兵刀 and have few in my collection.

I think NCOs always less than Type 98 GUNTO on the market.Nice NCOs are getting hard to find for sure.

Dan I don't think 12 NCOs at one show is a small number, besides as Mark mention, there were around 30-40 of them at the show. Just look at eBay,most of the time not over 12 of NOCs listed. And from my observation,NCO's price went down a bit, the sword list on eBay in the same condition last year will go fast, but not in the past few months, even with price markdown. I'm not saying the interest of NCOs is lower now, maybe the market is back to the way it should be without Chinese collectors buying a lot them nowadays .It's a good thing for collectors in the US.

+1，I pass a very nice Yasukuni sword at a good price before, because it's not in Gunto fitting. Paul, I read your article with great interest, as I can see myself described there in some ways. You of course have concentrated on the blades, but a sword is a combination of blade and koshirae. There are many of us who frequent this military forum who study the variety of WW2 swords, blade+koshirae as part of Japanese sword history, not necessarily as collectors of militaria.

Bruce I replied earlier -kabuto Gane -飯 & 島 ,Could be Name for 飯島 (IIJIMA )or fitting from 飯島刀劍製作所( Iijima Token Seisakusho)

Tang- 備州長船清光 Bishu Osafune Kiyomitsu kabuto Gane -飯 & 島 ,Could be Name for 飯島 (IIJIMA )or fitting from 飯島刀劍製作所( Iijima Token Seisakusho)

I like this one

From right to left ,It says 銃劍館(Guns& Swords Shop/House）。

kind of look like corrosion from the blood.

ワ（Wa) or フ(Fu) ? 三O四（304）

Those seller/counterfeiters just try to fool the people don't have too much experience about Matntetsu sword but after the name of Mantetsu. They don't care about other parts, is the signature make them making a lot of money.

John, these are not from Japan. Some sword sellers in China made these. I don't know those guys, my friend in China send me this photo and told me people started to make these Mantetsu a few years ago.

Be Ware of Chinese made fake signature Mantetus sword.

Yep, California buyer gets charge 10% tax for purchase from eBay...

Very special!Thanks for sharing!

Bruce ,I‘m sorry ,only one photo for the stamp.This dagger is not mine.

I had few of these 造兵刀 and like them a lot。Many people in the US Confuse them with 村田刀 Murata to though.

Here is the better quality Type 95 copy from Longquan sword maker in China just list on eBay.Not all the detail correct, but it looks nicer than the other wannabe. https://www.ebay.com/itm/95-CHI-Japanese-ARMY-OFFICER-1095-CARBON-STEEL-CLAY-TEMPERED-KATANA-SWORD/143492917180?hash=item2168d827bc:g:WEMAAOSw-9NcvsDb

Here is the better quality Type 95 copy from Longquan sword maker in China just list on eBay.Not all the detail correct, but it looks nicer than the other wannabe. https://www.ebay.com/itm/95-CHI-Japanese-ARMY-OFFICER-1095-CARBON-STEEL-CLAY-TEMPERED-KATANA-SWORD/143492917180?hash=item2168d827bc:g:WEMAAOSw-9NcvsDb

I'm glad those Chinese counterfeiters not that good yet.

Fake 95 sold around $30-50 in China.

Sorry Bruce,I'm not sure what that stamp is it.Here is the info of Battleship Mikasa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Mikasa

Bruce I'd like to share some photos of 三笠刀 Mikasa To(This one is not mine)，you can add the marks on your chart. These swords were used steel from damaged cannon on Japanese warship 三笠(Mikasa)。 http://ohmura-study.net/204.html