Kiipu

Tenzoshan Tarenjo ... but more?

Yes and I can narrow it down to late 1942 and early 1943. By early 1943, I mean prior to April 1943. I have never seen this marking before but it does look like 関 as Trystan indicated. Hard to tell what the second character is though without having another example to compare to. The other character on the wood handle liner looks like 大 which means "large". Victor, below are two links about Type 95s that you might enjoy looking at. Start with the first one and then move on to the second one. IJA Type 95 NCO Sword Info Short Development History of Type 95 Gunto

I compared it to the other Kasuga that is dated May and I agree that they are the same style and cut. The sword in the OP then is dated May 1945 昭和二十年五月. For those that would like to look at the auction photographs, see the link below. I would like to extend my thanks to Trystan for locating the auction photographs. Japan -Harumoto - Type 98 -IJA WW2 officer katana, Shin gunto, gendaito - Sword

Thank you for the photo-essay. As you already know, it is a mid-production Type 95 Military Sword that was made by Iijima, one of the main contractors for Kokura Arsenal.

There is a 1965 book entitled Yasukuni 靖国. The National Diet Library (NDL) states it was authored and published by the Yasukuni kenshō-kai 靖国顕彰会 and is 248 pages long. I compared pictures of your book to others and this is the book you have. However, one book was dated 1964 so there could be different editions or printings of it.

Visually, the dimensions of these two swords are totally different. Would it be possible to get nagasa and nakago measurements of the two swords on the right, serials セ2430 and い1170? Also, what is the blade width and thickness at the ha & mune machi? It looks like the fittings and scabbards are of different measurements as well. Almost as if they are not interchangeable. Not interested in measurements but would like your opinion whether they are or not.

@Stegel & @Shamsy The leather handle cover has been taken off and pictures taken. Strange type 95 gunto.

The goal was a nice, shiny souvenir sword for sale by the PX. Back then, the United States Army used the term "war trophy" or "war trophies" for military items acquired from the enemy. Hence the wording used to describe these swords after the war. Whatever parts that could be sourced were used so long as they could be made to look good. Once all the wartime parts were used up, then newly made parts were used. The contract would not have specified a certain pattern of sword to be made, just that it had eye appeal and was saleable. These swords are as stated by another collector the book end to an era. The last swords made in Imperial Japan, not as weapons, but as souvenirs for the occupationaires. After reading hundreds of pages of archive documents, only one company was making swords after the war, Tenshōzan. The Japan Sword Company did not make these swords and could not get involved in any form of production until the peace treaty was signed in 1952.

As this is not an army contract blade, a simplified date format could be used, in this case, 昭一七 [1942]. Mal, Sesko san specifies the gendaitō source material he used at the link below. New: Swordsmiths Of Japan – 3 Volumes

Good show Dan! Feel free to start a thread on your wood handled NCO. We will be more than glad to give you our learned opinions about it.

@md02geist & @Nihonto Chicken If either of you by chance still have the blades linked to above, can you check to see if they are star-stamped? The star is usually high up on the tang, sometimes under the habaki.

Chief Editor Trystan has pointed out an error that I made in the quote above. I cut and pasted the wrong kanji characters so change 興南一誠 to 興亜一心. The Editor-in-Chief has reprimanded me and told me I was waaay overpaid for these kind of mistakes! See below for the revised text. "Ohmura thinks the blades marked as 満鐵鍛造之 were from the Nan-Man Army Arsenal 南滿陸軍造兵廠 while the blades marked as 興亜一心 were from the Sword Factory of Dairen Railway Workshop, South Manchuria Railway Co., Ltd., 南満洲鉄道株式会社大連鉄道工場刀剣製作所. So your question appears correct in that they coexisted."

Thanks SteveM, learn something new everyday around here.

Below are the links to the three that show both sides of the tang. May 1944: Mei Translation December 1944: Interesting Late-'44 Gunto February 1945: Kokuri Rigun Zōheisō

Saw this Kōbe made Type 95, serial 142498, with a black painted scabbard. Judging by the pictures, this is likely a repaint. WWII Imperial Japanese Army NCO Combat Sword And Scabbard

Stay away from the two on the left with the green painted scabbards, they are more than likely reproductions. The dress sword on the right is probably original. @Shamsy

Detective Trystan, AKA @BANGBANGSAN, pointed this sword out to me and I was a bit surprised to see it. In answer to your question, the date appears to be either February or March 1945 but I am leaning more toward March 1945 昭和二十年三月. The swords made prior to this were inscribed with 小倉陸軍造兵廠 [Kokura Army Arsenal]. However, this sword is marked with the factory name as indicated by SteveM, instead of the arsenal's name. Below is a summary of these Kokura Army Arsenal made star-stamped blades. 小倉陸軍造兵廠: used on swords dated May 1944 to February 1945. 春日製造所: used on swords dated March 1945 to May 1945. For those that maintain records, below is a link to one dated May 1945. gunto mei help please As in the way of background, I will quote a March 1946 American intelligence report in regards to Kasuga Factory.

Mal & Co., Ltd, has started off the New Year with yet another tome about gendaitō 現代刀 swordsmiths. This time around, he has focused on the smiths of Aichi Prefecture, which is adjacent to Gifu of Seki fame. This missive runs to 69 pages and is currently available in the downloads section at the top of the page. Cox, Malcolm E. Swordsmiths of Aichi Prefecture (Owari & Mikawa) of the Showa Period. Tōshō Aichi Shōwa 刀匠 愛知 昭和. 2022.

Below are the Thai numbers so that others can translate serial numbers. Tip: cut and paste into a MS word document and then enlarge so as to read better. ๐ = 0. ๑ = 1. ๒ = 2. ๓ = 3. ๔ = 4. ๕ = 5. ๖ = 6. ๗ = 7. ๘ = 8. ๙ = 9. Thai numerals @Stegel Below is the blade & scabbard serial numbers for your sword. This would indicate several thousand were in use. Blade: ๓๓๕๑ = 3351. Scabbard: ๓๔๑๑ = 3411.

I located the second photograph and it was discussed at the link below. The officer is in the army's 2nd Guards Regiment. Short Development History of Type 95 Gunto, Post #318 Here is the link for others in regards to the WRF discussion. The Japanese Army’s 1943 Weapons Camouflage Manual

Its like what I tell the barkeep, who's counting anyway!

Your Mantetsu is a 38th series army contract blade. It is the second 38th series blade reported so far. The other one being キ一四四 which is however a commercial marked 興亜一心. Nakago mune: キ 五三六 = KI 536. Obverse: 昭和癸未春 = Spring 1943. There should be a M partial inspection mark either at the top or bottom of the tang. Reverse: 満鍛鐵造之 and the second and third kanji characters are indeed reversed! At the top is the Nan-Man Army Arsenal final inspection mark 南.

My transcription and translation of the sword markings are below. The abbreviation R.S. stand for the Rattanakosin Era. รัตนโกสินทรศก (ร.ศ.) = Rattanakosin Sok (R.S.) = Rattanakosin Era. Thai solar calendar Year adopted or made: ร.ศ.๑๒๕. = R.S. 125 = 1906. Blade serial number: ๔๗๙ = 479. Blade edge markings: M. Neumann, Hoflieferant Berlin.

Boy am I in trouble now! It is Thai and not Burmese but I got your attention at least. Maybe an officer's dress sword? @vajo any information on the maker? Hope some of the militaria collectors enjoy looking at the photographs. Burmese officer's sword?

It is the only red paint I can see on the scabbard yet I can not make heads or tails out of it. Relooking at the scabbard, it is numbered 3422 yet it has a much later scabbard as noted by BP. This sword was clearly overhauled in a major way at some point in time.