Kiipu

Rob, your sleeping at the switch, note the reversed order of the arsenal and maker symbols. While not common, they do show up sometimes. Very Rare Prototype NCO Sword

Is the blade made of steel as in a magnet will adhere to it?

What color is the ito wrap and also the scabbard?

接 = setsu = on, on-position, of switch. 受聽器 = juchōki = earphones, headphones. 纖條電源 = senjō dengen = filament supply. A related term would be senjō dengen hen-atsuki 纖條電源變壓器 [filament supply transformer]. Source: United States, War Department. Japanese-English Technical Terms Dictionary. TM 30-482, November 1946. Cross-Reference Manchurian Rinji Seishiki Sword, Post #31

Thanks to Trystan who transcribed the characters above, I was able to find the following information. 接 = setsu = on, on-position, of switch. 受聽器 = juchōki = earphones, headphones. 纖條電源 = senjō dengen = filament supply. A related term would be senjō dengen hen-atsuki 纖條電源變壓器 [filament supply transformer]. Source: United States, War Department. Japanese-English Technical Terms Dictionary. TM 30-482, November 1946.

I have seen another one on eBay with the same character back in November (courtesy of @John C). However, the fittings were different. Emergency Late War Officer Gunto I am of the same opinion, regardless of what others have said, that these are current reproductions. Again, why are these all showing at the same time? Mumei Guntō Fake or Real?, Post #9 Whether you like it or not, this nonsense will only continue and has only gotten better over time.

My all time favorite Iijima reproduction has to be this one! How about that box. WWII M95 NCO Sword Opinions Comments Wanted

I thought I would post the links to the initial appearance of these Iijima's. NMB 2017-01-17: Nco Shin Gunto - Real Or Rotter? WRF 2017-07-02: WRF Is it replica 95 NCO Sword shin gunto?

This is a very good reproduction that has fooled many. A Polish collector was the first one to ask questions about them and ever since they have been called the Polish fakes. (However, it is not known if they are indeed made there). The serial number font is incorrect and it is in a Suya serial number range. It is not unusual to see these swords aged and additional artifacts placed with them to fool collectors. For the record, I had about seven of these listed as real so they fooled me too. Fake Type 95 Nco Swords, Page 8

The monograph covers the Japanese police from 1868 to 1952. Besides swords, it also discusses keibō 警棒, what we call a baton or nightstick here in the States. The monograph is almost entirely text. As an aside, you may find this of interest in regards to police swordsmanship. 警視流 Thanks for the valued input.

Additional information about John Plimpton and his upcoming book can be found at the link below. Information courtesy of @Kotetsu1959. John Plimpton and his book Swords of the Emperor

Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Nihontō to seinan sensō 日本刀と西南戦争 [Japanese Swords and The Seinan War]. 2000. A 43-page monograph with text only. Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Junsa taiken no rekishi 巡査帯剣の歴史 [The History of Wearing Swords by the Police]. 2003. A 72-page monograph with drawings. Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Nihontō teiten shuppin sōdō 日本刀帝展出品騒動 [Controversy over the submission of Japanese swords to the Imperial Art Exhibition]. 2004. A 58-page monograph with mainly text.

Thanks Piers, the phrase is coming from the title of a book. Mori Yoshio 森･良雄. Junsa taiken no rekishi 巡査帯剣の歴史 [The History of Police Wearing a Sword]. 2003. A 72-page monograph with drawings.

How would one render this into English? Is this literally belt knife/belt sword or is the meaning more akin to armed/wearing a sword? The longer phrase is 巡査帯剣.

@Kotetsu1959 Better late than never. The character 廿 simply means twenty. Reverse: 渡島国住人秦国作之 = Oshima-no kuni jūnin Yasukuni saku kore. Obverse: 昭和廿年七月日 = A day in July 1945.

The Teikoku Bijutsu Tenran-Kai 帝国美術展覧会 [Imperial Art Exhibition], or “Teiten” 帝展 for short, was held annually from 1919 to 1934 with the exception of 1923. Japan Fine Arts Exhibition 第1回帝展(大正8年)～第15回帝展(昭和9年) https://nitten.or.jp/vicissitudes

A little information about the 1934 Teiten 帝展 [Imperial Art Exhibition] can be found at the link below. As far as I know, the 1934 exhibition was the only one that had swords. Japanese WWII OFFICER SHIN GUNTO - Tang Kanji and stamp

Hi Mal, we (as in me, myself, and I) think the star stamp in the OP was added at a later date!

Hi Paul, welcome to the forum. Are there any other markings other than what you show? Kikuhide was a swordsmith located in Seki, Gifu Prefecture, and maybe Mal might know more. 菊秀 = Kikuhide (This is the name of the swordsmith). 昭和十九年五月 = May 1944 (Date the blade was made). @mecox

Wow, I think you nailed it down. The date was continued over into the adjacent column and thus the full reading is 安永二巳年春日造 as you indicated.

Not shown in Peter's posts above is the last army exhibition 陸軍々刀技術奨励会, note the name is different than the one in 1943, held at the Gunjin Kaikan 軍人会館. The results were published in the January 1945 issue of 日本刀及日本趣味. 陸軍々刀技術奬勵會 / 城南刀逸 / p10～18. Blade photos attached:Inoue Katsukiyo/Sadakane, Post #10 Ohmura san has the results of this exhibition posted on his website courtesy of @k morita.

The characters 春日造 could possibly be referring to a style of Shintō Shrine. Kasuga-zukuri One possible Chinese meaning of 運者有天　善長者戰 is "the lucky ones are good at fighting with the elders."

The results were published in the magazine Nihontō oyobi Nihon shumi 日本刀及日本趣味 [Japanese Sword and Japanese Hobby]. These issues have been digitized; however, they can only be viewed at the National Diet Libarary (NDL). See the quote from NDL below. Here is an example of the results of the 7th exhibition that was published in the May 1942 issue of 日本刀及日本趣味. 第七回刀展雜記 / 板橋研堂 / p23～28. 第七回新作日本刀展出品成績 / 大日本刀匠協會 / p29～44.

Obverse 安永二巳年 I think this is the year 1773. 運者有天　善長者戟. 春日造. @BANGBANGSAN

My concern is why are they now all of a sudden showing up? Why have the older generation of collectors never seen one before? Why do none have provenance as @PNSSHOGUN likes to say? As for the metalwork, I have seen craftsmen in the Philippines do better work than this. Back in the 1980s, one could stand and watch them work making belt buckles and other items for military personnel.