Tensho

Koshirae is definitely genuine. Blade is a whole different story. I want to say its an obvious fake, but it fits the tsuka and wood liner in saya perfectly. Habaki is copper with gold wash and is traditionally made and fits perfectly. And I can't see any evidence of it being fitted after. The blade looks to have been abraided and acid etched. Steel looks damascus like and I can see a hamon in the right light although dead looking. Shinogi looks horrible on one side. Nakago and fittings are punched with all the same 三五ハマ markings. I have seen references of western steel etc used, but I don't know about this. Thoughts?

Saya is strange to me. Looks to have a koiguchi of sorts? The haikan looks to be the kind that are usually found under leather combat covers(picture attached) so not sure what the zip ties are accomplishing?? The Semegane looks iron and is not one I'd associate with gunto mounts(there are exceptions usually on higher class ones) The ishizuke seems like a weird addition as well if it had a combat cover originally. Also, has 3 seppa for sure, maybe 4. An odd amount for something like this. I'm usually skeptical of people who sell several WWII mounted blades(If wanting it to be all original is a big deal for you) I would price it on the blade(which I like) more than the mounts. Just my 2 cents.

Be careful of tokyosword. A lot of his blades have hidden flaws. If something looks suspicious in the photos it usually is.

1) 2) 3)

Looks like the only thing he left original is the tsuka, blade and saya. The chuso, seppa, habaki(poorly fit)and even tsuba are added. His shill bidders must have forgot to bid on it for him.

Translation help and meaning please if I'm right? Thank you.

Photo was purchased from a vintage Photograph seller. Mainly bought for Gunto mounting references. The writing was a complete surprise to me. I agree with you, it would be nice to know about the pilot. One would have to be fluent in Japanese to find out anything I'm sure.

Awesome, thank you Matt! If anyone is interested in the photo:

Help please on this writing on back of photo. Didn’t realize it was there originally. Cleaned the glue and black backing off to reveal the below. Thank you.

Seems like it could be used for anything. You can buy modern ones.

JFK is the worst one to be sent to. Good luck complaining to USPS. USPS has no control over customs, completely different entity..

Use the tracking on USPS and see what it says. EMS is Priority mail express international once it gets over here. I've never checked mine via ems site. Might not say much more though.

What does the USPS tracking say? It shouldn't take that long at all to clear customs.

Not mine, an example of a zohei-to blade I found in kyu gunto mounts. Pretty sure ita just the photos making it look like that.

As to what PNSSHOGUN said, its probably Murata-to. I have seen similar nakago on them and zohei-to.

Continuation to saya.

Not sure if this is of any interest, but I just picked this up, 133 on all parts.. Army Gunto, older blade. Everything is in pretty rough shape..

I would keep the blade with it. Good tsunagi for displaying the koshirae.

Thanks for that info, was not aware of that. I checked early this morning with a UV flashlight and I didn't notice anything strange.

I thought someone would have insight. Maybe to hard to judge in photos. For what its worth, I came across one that was off a gunto, its torn up and ratty but the stitching matches mine completely. I'm not an authority on these though. The brown tassel is on a Wakizashi bruce. It's a Mumei shinto or shin shinto blade.

I thought for sure the blue/brown tassel was going to be fake. Condition is way to good. But now I'm questioning my brown tassel that was on a mint condition koshirae. They are both silk(I did a burn test on some loose thread) they both came from Japan(which I guess means nothing either) On the blue/brown tassel I have seen the same pattern on ohmura site. I just don't know enough to judge.

To answer a few things. The samegawa is real and not the plastic type. The blade is razor sharp and not a tsunagi. The habaki is a perfect fit, the tsuka was definitely cut out for this nakago and the saya fits everything perfectly as well. The seppa and tsuba are the only questionable things to me. The star stamp on the blade above is interesting.

Bruce, I don't think this was ever mounted for WWII. I dont know the whole regulations for them, but the fittings on the ones carried by Gunzoku seem to be pretty lack luster(at least what I have seen) and have a way of attaching a tassel on the tsuka(usually a leather "cap")here's one of mine.