MarcoUdin

Somebody has a blade for sale by the same smith, maybe you can compare signature for reassurance.

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/36458-kuniyoshi-information/?tab=comments#comment-377987 We talked about it here, but not much more info than that provided.

https://www.toukenkomachi.com/index_en_tachi&katanaA080314.html Only thing I came up with while searching for both names, I don't think it's him though

Didn't see his name in the Oshigata, either version. But I'm pretty sure he signed Kuniyoshi and Kuninori, not Kuninobu

Sorry to change the subject from the original question. But what is the design on the habaki? A plant of a sort?

I think he means judging a blade based off of what seat he obtained. Which is a rather useless way of judging a smiths work. You should judge each blades individual merit, someone who got 5th seat might have produced some blades that would have been beat 1st seat in their lifetime. While references like Slough are nice for getting an idea of what smiths were capable but they only speak of the majority of their blades and not all of them. Maybe they did a special order that was spectacular, would you avoid it just because he was rated low in slough? I would hope not.

More than mass produced it was either produced with machine assistance, or any steel other than tamahagane. In my opinion, there is no much difference between a Showato blade and a traditional blade when it comes to utilization. However, Showato is not constructed in the traditional fashion. Many smiths signed their work, machine assisted or not, as well as some Smiths didn't sign their work and left it mumei. It just depends for various reasons. I wouldn't consider your blade mass produced like an NCO gunto but it's not nihonto either.

It looks like their are numbers imprinted on the habaki of the shin gunto. Maybe just my eyes but seems so

Don't mean to be rude, but how do you know this was in the 1941 exhibition? The description you posted says the swordsmith was in the exhibition, not this sword. Then again a seller on ebay can say whatever he wants.

That leather cover looks thick and heavy. Does it have more weight to it in comparison to normal leather cover?

Just compress the images before uploading them, there are tons of applications you can use.

The other watch makers you'll see made for Japanese military are Longines, Ulysse Nardin, Stauffer, Cyma and Excelsior. Most of the other brands were private purchase or captured. Longines and Seiko are definitely the most common, I've only ever seen railway markings on Seiko watches though

A few of those Seikosha railway pocket watches sold at an auction not too long ago. I was going to bid on one of them but they quickly got bid up. Believe they sold ~1,000usd

The hada on that is beautiful Neil, executed perfectly

Was just about to type when I saw Bruce's reply. He's correct as well as the tsuka on that Nagamitsu having samè.

Very nice condition in that one If I'm not mistaken, the crest is Shitsume. But it's typically four squares but I'm assuming it's a variant. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Thanks to everybody for the information, guess I was just used to seeing the new pictures which the color was similar to Neil's, a dark beige. And not a bright white which took me by surprise, i also didn't realize they were so tightly put on, was under the assumption they were a flimsy piece of cloth wrapped on it for temporary use.

I assumed it was that John, but when I zoomed in i thought it looked as though the ridges were of the wrap itself. I'm probably just looking too hard at something that's not there. Thanks for the reassurance.

Somebody on gunboards posted this pic talking about the pistol holster, but I'm just curious as to why the lieutenants tsuka on the Gunto is solid white. Or maybe it's just the pic that makes it look that way? Opinions?

I messaged fred lohman a few weeks ago and got a reply after my second time trying. He was quick to apologize on the delay and is in operation.

Never seen that one, but looks like a rice plant(Ine).

It's a religious symbol that can be added to a a crest. I didn't recognize it until Piers mentioned it.

My best guess is 'Melon'. Has a very nice border though.

Sorry Steve, forget sometimes I'm not on my PC

That Emura blade is a beauty Neil, but I have to say the koshirae on the Masafusa really makes it look deluxe.