lonely panet

so after thinking it over, and iv decided to sell my 15 years of collecting to re-invest in my new family. so next step, I would like to sell the whole collection in one piece. any one know someone in Australia with a spare $20K it gets you 12 military swords, 3 listed in Fuller & Gregary books about 25 hard to find books 25 mint sake cups with tray 3 great flags 10 photos of admirals, generals etc assorted rare fittings including tsuka, tassels blah blah blah and a massive display case including my home made racks

Its a manufacturers mark, iv got on a 2nd removable hanger for a shin gunto (most prob for a type 94) I don't know the meaning

the nengo might read SHO WA JU- KU something mei looks like CHIKU- ? SHI ?MITSU ? ANY FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME

Hi mystery poster, looks like a broken/cut down ww2 sword, most likey a kai gunto with maybe a anti rust blade (stainless or tenzen) its been reshaped for the most likely purpose of a war trophy or tourist piece.

may It be noted the incorrect labelling of POLICE ISSUED SWORDS as GENERAL GRADE, pages 17,18 the incorrect ID of a chinese army sword as a cavalry troopers sword page24 just of the top of my head. in the first book. and open the can of worms on aonther subject, ko isshin mantetsu? some rated as gendai?

out of interest, how much would it have cost to have that koshare made?

the Tsuka has had a second hole put in and the old one plugged poorly. glue is very noticeable. so the tsuka isn't original to the piece, so the piece has been put to geather. not a very good thing if you a perfectionist. the mei, looks to close to SEKI style to me. look very close to see if you can find any obscured stamps. other then that, it looks ok, its got a weather cover for the saya, so should be nice under it, the kabuto-gane looks like it should be pinned as the 4 small holes have been drill out. check the seppa, to make sure the locking clip holes haven't been filed out to fit, with the tsuka. regards HJ

ok gentleman back to the translation, HHAHHAH Im very thankfull with all your help, I m guessing that the small writing is dates? donation made

they sound nice, BBBUUUUUTTTTT I like pics

Hi guys, got a big ask, can you please translate the hand writing on the back of this photograph please. I know its easy for some but I don't understand the handwriting so google translator is not helping me at all for your help, I will make a small donation to the board. kind regards Hamish

thanks for all the comments guys, you raise good points, I will have to give it a good thinking over. the other question, is if I do choose to sell, who do you choose to pass them on too? I have some rare stuff. I was lucky enough to be in the right place with the right amount of enthusiasm with a older and very respected collector who chose to pass them onto me as the next generation of care taker. I don't wish to let him down by just selling them on to JUST any random person

well, the title says it all (HAHHAAHAHAH) Im expecting my first child in six months and have tried to retire from collecting buy selling off the bits I can live with out and keeping the good stuff. but its a hard addiction to kick, and I sometimes feel like just selling it all off because it will just sit there doing nothing. but don't want to be one of these old guys, who we all know who say " I had one of those but sold it" does anyone have a way of helping with the change so to speak hahahahhaah regards H

both fakes, IMHO

lucky you, well the habaki is really nice. always loved the gold foiled ones. the suguha is done very well too

iv been the high end shop. very nice stuff, and they are very polite staff.

the F&G books are some what out dated and incorrect on some topics. Jim Dawsons books are better

its fuzzy, very fuzzy

I think your confussing the type 95 nco's sword with the LATE WAR issued ncos sword. they are 2 vary different swords. late war issued swords are on the whole 99.59% were junk. poorly made. and you maybe very well be correct on that fact, "forged with power hammers" due to the poor and uneven shapes encountered. The type 95 ncos sword is machine made balde. if you doubt this just get 10 line them up and try and find a different in the blades?

check out Jim Dawson's book. but I would imagine that the Japanese wouldn't have bothered retaining much about this model. they were most likely made in simular manner to the type 32's. western mill steal, machine stamped blank's, then shaped,grooved and basic edges applied, all by machine's, then hand assembled,

sorry I miss read your question. the koshire was made just to fit your blade (spos you could call it custom made) but all swords start like this. 1st the sword then all fittings made to fit that sword, almost like a production line. that's why you have those small notches, its to help Id which saya, tsuka, etc goes with what sword

if I think I understand your question the company grade Kyu gunto normally came in two version, one and two hand style. but due to the cottage industry type of manufacture, they are almost all simular in design but differ in the type of factory they were made or by the craftsman who finished them. some will have up to 6 seppa, and others will just 2. I have one that the blade was made the same time the fittings were but has 6 very well made seppa. no real function, probably just looked nicer with more. dating Kyu gunto mounts in easy between 1883 and 1934, hahahahaha after that is probably impossible. maybe if yours has a rare manufactur stamp??

Hi Ben, congrats on the new blade. its whats referred to as a COMPANY GRADE Kyu gunto, compay meaning the lowest out of the three ranked versions. company, field and general grade. what Omura refers to as "Command" sabre is a generals grade dress sword, yours is a weapon. the ball tassel is called a 1912 german tassel. most of the early Japanese military swords were styled in European manner as the early Japanese military fashioned themselves on the prussion/german army because they were winning everything at that time. keep up the good work as the military stuff tends to be over looked, or looked down apon as inferior compared to "true samurai sword"

well thanks to the last post, I know that's helped make up my mind. next stop togi town

wow, the emura smith had a very wide range of working styles. whats is mei, read "chounsai emura" as the yakidashi isn't something iv seen on gendai

sorry to hear about your father. hope he gets better